Forum Summary
With over 150 devoted participants and five excellent speakers, the Onondaga Lake Watershed Community Forum was a great success! Many people turned out for the open house to interact with local organizations and companies who are contributing to the improvement of the Onondaga Lake watershed. The Forum featured presentations from:
- Tadodaho Sidney Hill, Onondaga Nation
- County Executive Joanne Mahoney, Onondaga County
- Mayor Stephanie Miner, City of Syracuse
- Regional Administrator Judith Enck, Region 2, USEPA
- Regional Director Kenneth Lynch, NYSDEC Region 7
Following the presentations, participants chose from four roundtable topics. At the roundtables, they were given a five minute summary and then invited to provide their input and concerns. Discussions were enthusiastic and productive.
Roundtable topics…
Beyond the cleanup: projects to reconnect with Onondaga Lake
Update the public on planned projects to reconnect with Onondaga Lake and foster public input on planned and future projects. Examples could include (but are not limited to); increased access for boating, fishing, and hiking around the lake and tributaries.
Preparing for lake dredging in 2012: progress to date and upcoming plans
Share information and answer questions on current progress and upcoming Onondaga Lake cleanup activity.
Save the Rain: The use of green infrastructure in managing stormwater in the Onondaga Lake Watershed
To briefly explain the purpose and scope of the Save the Rain program, describe the City/County partnership essential to its implementation and to answer questions from the community.
Onondaga Lake Natural Resources Damage Assessment & Restoration (NRDAR) process in depth
Explain the phases and current status of the NRDAR process for Onondaga Lake and distinguish it from other ongoing Lake efforts.
Full Forum Agenda – Downloadable PDF
Questions? Please contact the Onondaga Environmental Institute at 472-2150.