What's Being Done Now

Active Projects

Many projects are currently being executed to enhance the quality of Onondaga Lake.

There are two main programs underway to clean up the lake and a number of other programs related to lake improvement issues. Ongoing projects under these programs are listed and described under Active Projects.

Projects Under the Amended Consent Judgment

The Metro Stage III Ammonia and Stage II Phosphorus Removal project is currently underway

The Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ) requires Onondaga County to upgrade the existing sewage treatment system at Metro and construct new facilities and conveyances related to reducing the impacts of the combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The ACJ mandates a specific schedule for the work to be done, requires monitoring and reporting and includes monetary penalties if schedule milestones fail to be met. Onondaga County is proceeding with implementing the ACJ and meeting all ACJ requirements. Many of the CSO projects are complete or underway (see Completed and Active Projects). The ACJ is designed to achieve full compliance with the Clean Water Act by December 1, 2012. The majority of the projects, however, will be implemented well ahead of 2012 and water quality improvements will occur as each come on line. At the current schedule, the County will complete over three fourths of the ACJ required projects by the year 2008.

Industrial Waste Cleanup Efforts

After closure of Allied-Signal's Syracuse operations in 1986, the State filed a lawsuit against Allied-Signal Inc., for alleged past and continuing contamination of the lake. The lawsuit also includes a claim for Natural Resource Damages that address Allied's historic and continuing degradation of the lake. In December 1994, the lake's entire bottom sediments and any related sites were added to the federal Superfund list and preliminary investigations were commenced. A number of upland sites owned by Allied-Signal Inc. as well as other companies were also identified as potential sources of contamination and slated for further study to determine whether or not they impacted the lake and should be included in the Federal Superfund designation. Allied-Signal Inc. and some of the other industrial parties involved with certain sites have signed administrative consent orders requiring them to carry out interim remedial measures on certain sites to reduce immediate threats of contamination.

Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study

In 1992, Allied-Signal Inc. signed an interim consent decree under which they were required to conduct a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) of the lake sediments, the impact of the wastebeds and contamination related to the company's former operations. Following completion and approval of the RI/FS, the Commissioner of the State Department of Environmental Conservation will select the appropriate remedies to be implemented in a document called a Record of Decision. The remedial investigation is ongoing and a Record of Decision is currently anticipated by 2004. Following issuance of a decision, the remedies selected would need to be designed and implemented.

All of the other 10-15 sites are in various stages of investigation or remediation (see Completed and Active Projects).

Nonpoint Pollution, Habitat Restoration, & Other Categories

The Partnership is assessing the need for a comprehensive strategic plan for certain lake improvement categories which are not related to the wastewater treatment and hazardous site remediation such as nonpoint pollution and habitat restoration. Projects on these topics are currently underway, and others may be funded through the Partnership (see Future Projects). The Partnership would seek public input during development of such an overall strategic plan.