New York State has approved the Skaneateles Lake Nine Element plan.
The Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of State made the announcement on Thursday that they have approved the plan, aimed at protecting the lake’s health. A Nine Element plan is a voluntary plan that outlines a community’s water quality concerns and creates a strategy to address them.
Skaneateles Lake provides drinking water for over 150 thousand New Yorkers in Skaneateles, Jordan, Elbridge, DeWitt, and Syracuse.
“Protecting and improving water quality is a core DEC mission and we celebrate the release of this plan and the beginning of its implementation to continue and accelerate the protection of Skaneateles lake and watershed,” said DEC Commissioner Lefton. “The Skaneateles Lake Watershed Nine Element Plan builds on decades of efforts made by state and local partners to maintain excellent water quality within the lake and ensure enhanced cooperation between DEC, DOS, our state agency partners, and Skaneateles stakeholders. DEC recognizes the contribution of many local leaders in the development of this plan and their enduring commitments to safeguard this critical water supply, renowned for its exceptional quality among our treasured Finger Lakes.”
“The Department of State is committed to maintaining and improving the existing high-quality water of Skaneateles Lake and its watershed, which is an essential element of healthy, sustainable communities and ecosystems,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “This comprehensive watershed plan update is the outcome of decades of collaboration, planning, and implementation that creates a path forward towards improved water quality and public health that will guide communities in the Skaneateles Lake area as they protect this most precious natural asset. We are proud to collaborate with DEC through the Department’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, which awarded $235,600 in 2018, and our local partners in completing this Plan that will pay dividends for the communities, the lake, and the ecosystem for years to come.”
State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “The Department is firmly committed to ensuring that New Yorkers have safe and reliable drinking water– a fundamental right and a cornerstone of good health. We are pleased the Nine Element Plan was approved for the Skaneateles Lake Watershed so that the more than 150,000 New Yorkers who rely on it as their drinking water source can have peace of mind that they are protected from pollution for years to come.”
Town of Skaneateles Supervisor Chris Legg said, “The final approval of the Skaneateles Lake Watershed Nine Element Plan is exciting for the Town of Skaneateles. Our 9E Plan is a partnership to best protect Skaneateles Lake, the unfiltered drinking water source for over 170,000 people. Assisted by the CNY Regional Planning and Development Board (CNYRPDB) in 2017, the Town submitted a successful grant request to the Department of State for funding of the 9E Plan. The Skaneateles Lake Association joined with matching funds. The City of Syracuse, Onondaga County Soil and Water District (OCSWD), the Village of Skaneateles, and many others supported the drafting of the 9E Plan in cooperation with the State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Town of Skaneateles looks forward to continuing our partnership with the CNY RPDB, City of Syracuse, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Cortland CSWDs, the five other municipalities in the Skaneateles Lake Watershed, NYS DEC, and many other organizations. The approved 9E Plan facilitates our continued coordinated actions on the land and the water to promote a healthy Skaneateles Lake for all.”
Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District Executive Director Doug Kierst said, “The Skaneateles Lake Watershed 9 Element Plan for Phosphorous is another tool in the toolbox that provides SWCDs the opportunity to address local environmental concerns where they are needed. This plan will build upon the many critical water quality protection achievements that have already been made throughout the watershed, while focusing on the overall health of the watershed and ensuring the lake remains a source of high-quality water for its many uses.
Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District Executive Director Mark Burger said, “The SLWAP is looking forward to continuing their “boots on the ground” approach to getting meaningful and beneficial conservation practices on the land with farmers, highway departments and interested citizens, as we have for the past 31 years.”
Skaneateles Lake Association Executive Director Frank Moses said, “The Skaneateles Lake Association is extremely grateful for New York State, associated environmental professionals, and our lake community’s effort toward the development of this exceptional clean water plan. We are eager to continue working with landowners and lake protection partners to combat increasing threats to the lake’s water quality for the benefit of future generations.”
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