Materials from the Onondaga Lake Partnership's 2003 Annual Progress Meeting.

Highlights from OLP Presentations

Mini-grant recipients, members of Boy Scout Troop 139, listen to presentations.

• The OLP employs a multi-media approach to the cleanup
and rehabilitation of Onondaga Lake addresses air, water and land issues.
• Approximately $106.6 million in federal funding
secured by Congressman James Walsh, with non-federal funding of approximately $130.6 million provided by Onondaga County. Additionally, Governor George Pataki allocated $75 million in the Clean Water, Clean Air Bond Act and another $10 million in the New York State Environmental Protection Fund toward Onondaga Lake restoration.
• Projects that address point (direct) pollution sources
include the upgrades to the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment facility.
• Projects that address non-point (indirect) pollution
sources include Urban and Rural Best Management Practices to keep natural and manmade materials out of the stormwater sewer systems and minimize agricultural runoff.
• 25 projects completed to date at total cost of $91.2
million. Of those projects, 8 were completed this year at a cost of $4.5 million.
• We have 19 projects currently under way, with another
14 scheduled to begin in 2004.
• The OLP encourages the active involvement of the
entire community in the Onondaga Lake restoration effort.
• This year, the OLP provided a total of $25,000 to six
recipients of our first Public Outreach and Education mini-grants program. We are pleased to announce that a total of $40,000 is available for this program in 2004. Applications are due by Monday, February 2, 2004. For further information, see Mini-Grant Application and Instructions.

Reports from the 2003 Recipients of the OLP Public Outreach and Education Mini-Grants

Left to right: Scouts Chris Hopkins, Kyle Miller and Pat Walker served as color guard and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance to open the meeting.

Boy Scout Troop 139 - Representatives of this scout troop are working to improve wildlife habitat and access to the lake and install a kiosk to provide a variety of information for public education. Chris Hopkins is building a variety of birdhouses during the winter, which will be installed in the spring. Kyle Miller is working to clear the Nine Mile Creek canoe route between Camillus and Onondaga Lake. And Pat Walker is developing an informational kiosk to include information on the history of Onondaga Lake, plants and animals native to the area, and a map of the Nine Mile Creek water trail, featuring before and after photos of the cleanup. The scouts are working together to benefit Onondaga Lake for the next generation.

Izaak Walton League - Les Monostory reported that the local Izaak Walton League chapter has been involved in studying Beartrap Creek for the last decade through a series of surveys, cleanups and electroshocking of the creek to determine the fish population. They have contracted with Cornell and are working with students to perform a habitat assessment and produce a report documenting its recovery over the last several years.

Fred Miller

Nine Mile Creek Conservation Council - Fred Miller introduced his organization as a grassroots level group focused on watershed issues and conservation of the river. They introduced the first complete water trail and trout stocking. He reported that the Nine Mile Creek Watershed Conference, held on November 13, 2003 was very successful. They are also working on the Lakeland Launch site, a key site on Onondaga Lake, to provide improved access.

Project Watershed - Bill Legg described their program to provide water monitoring experiences for high schools in Onondaga County and three other counties. Classes have been provided the opportunity to expand their efforts beyond the collection of water quality data, to observe riparian habitat and develop a database inquiry project. That project examines the relationship between the Project Watershed database, tributary habitat and land use practices. The Living Schoolbook program at Syracuse University provides computer expertise and electronic technology to make this program work. Five high schools participate, with each conducting a program on a separate tributary:

• Tully High School - Onondaga Creek
• Fowler High School - Harbor Brook
• Bishop Ludden High School - Geddes Brook
• Marcellus High School - Nine Mile Creek
• Westhill High School - Furnace Brook

Students are charged with three challenges - to develop a data profile and identify patterns over the years for their assigned tributary, review Living Schoolbook images of the tributaries as well as their own on-site observations, and estimate the status of their tributary. On December 9, 2003, student groups met to share their tributary information and collectively estimate the status of the watershed. Living Schoolbook will produce a CD to document the investigation and will distribute to schools and place on the Internet for public information.

Rosamond Gifford Zoo - Kate Woodle reported that one of the components of the zoo's new "green" (environmentally friendly) building is the collection of rainwater, which has been used to create a pond. The zoo is now adding landscaping, using only native species, as well as graphics to explain non-point source pollution and how the landscaping can help prevent it. Training volunteers to staff an education station is also an important component of their projects. Ms. Woodle added that she and the volunteers were excited to see that as trees and bushes have been planted, wildlife has also moved into the space.

Marcellus High School Science Department - The sixth mini-grant recipient was unable to attend the Annual Progress Meeting to present a report. This project involves the development of curriculum to address Onondaga Lake historical, biological, political and social issues.

2003 Poster and Essay Contest Results

Environmental Engineering Associates, LLP, generously donated noted cash prizes. Each winner also received a family pass for Lights on the Lake, generously donated by the Onondaga County Parks Department.
 

Shaquille Teague		Kristin Wolbert

Middle school poster design contest: Draw your dream for the future of Onondaga Lake

Kristen Ponichtera

Grand Prize, $100: Shaquille Teague, 6th Grade, Frazier Middle School
Honorable Mention, $50: Derek Thomas, 7th Grade, Clary Middle School

High school senior essay contest: Describe your vision for the future of Onondaga Lake

First Place, $150: Kristen Ponichtera, Westhill High School
Second Place, $100: Quinn Shabow, Corcoran High School
Third Place, $100: Justin Noce, Corcoran High School
Honorable Mention, $50 each - Kristin Wolbert, Westhill High School; Sarah Bean, Corcoran High School; Natasha Jones, Nottingham High School

Question & Answer Session

Members of the OLP Executive Committee respond to a question from the audience.

The Q&A session was once again moderated by WTVH-5 news anchor Matt Mulcahy, who opened the session by saying, "There's been so much progress in just the three years that I've been involved [in the role of moderator for the Q&A session of the OLP Annual Progress Meeting]. It's tremendous to see that happen.there's a lot of dollars and time being put into making a better resource for our community." He then asked members of the audience to pose their questions to the OLP panel, which included:

• Lt. Col. Jeffrey Hall, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chair, OLP Executive Committee
• Seth Ausubel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Chair, Outreach Committee
• Kenneth Lynch, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; member, Executive Committee
• Norman Spiegel, New York State Attorney General's
Office; member, Executive Committee
• Nicholas J. Pirro, Onondaga County Executive; member,
Executive Committee
• Matthew J. Driscoll, Mayor of Syracuse; member,
Executive Committee
• David Coburn, Onondaga County; Chair, OLP Resource
Committee
• Steven Eidt, New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation; Chair, OLP Project Committee

Q: What is the status of the Onondaga Lake Superfund sites?
A: New York State has revised the Remedial Investigation report, which includes all-encompassing data documenting the location and concentration of pollutants. The State is currently revising the Feasibility Study to evaluate technologies and remedial engineering schemes to clean up the lake. The Commissioner of Environmental Conservation and the USEPA will select a proposed remedy and solicit public review and comment. Responsible parties will then begin implementation of the selected remedy and/or litigation will continue. We are hopeful for a conclusion by next year's Annual Progress Meeting. In the meantime, we are working on upland sites near the lake. For instance, the LCP site behind the NYS Fairgrounds is an area where most of the mercury was left in the ground and has the greatest impact to the lake. Honeywell started work there this week [week of November 10] and will be in full gear in the spring.

Q: Recreational boating on Onondaga Lake, even in its present condition, is wonderful. However, with the presence of zebra mussels and the reduction in phosphates, nitrogen and growth of microorganisms, there has been an increase in aquatic plants and invasive species in the marina harbor. Is anything being done to keep invasive aquatic plants from interfering with recreational boating?
A: This is a new issue, and exotic species are in all of our waterways. A long-term solution has not been identified yet but there are efforts under way. Congressman Walsh has provided federal funding to Cornell to work with the agencies on potential solutions. NYSDEC has tested with chemical kills. Governor Pataki has established a State Task Force to study the issue. We are moving in the right direction.

Q: I understand that during heavy rain, wastewater is carried into the lake. Is this true?
A: This is a primary issue for us and it is a fact that during periods of heavy rain, the combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the city and surrounding areas can't handle the volume and wastewater does flow into the lake. This happens on the average about 50 times each year. Through our sewer separation projects and construction of regional treatment facilities (Clinton Square, Harbor Brook, Hiawatha and Midland), this will stop.

Matt Mulcahy of WTVH-5 receives a question from a member of the audience during the Q&A session.

Q: At the International Water Conference, I heard speaker John Todd from Vermont discuss his involvement in major water pollution cleanup efforts in China and on the Chesapeake Bay. He uses natural plant life to do this. If I get contact information to you, would you be interested in hearing about what he does?
A: Yes, we are always open to all types of information. As a matter of fact, we are looking at this as more than just a program to clean up the lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has just started an overall watershed management study to address the entire 248-square mile Onondaga Lake watershed, and is interested in hearing from anyone.

Q: Is anything being done to encourage homeowners to reduce stormwater runoff from their properties?
A: Yes, we have public information and education products to encourage homeowners to recycle oil, bag their leaves, etc. The County and others in the OLP are working to get the message out. We recognize that it's important to start educating young people in these areas too, and we're working with schools and other groups to do this. Additionally, NYSDEC has adopted new regulations to address stormwater runoff on both large and small construction projects and the County has a major program in place to stop illegal runoffs.

Q: Is there an effort to encourage homeowners to collect rainwater before it is affected?
A: No, there is not.

Q: Is anything being done at the site near the Inner Harbor where Destiny was going to build and where there are monitoring wells?
A: Two piers have been remediated and the former machine shop land is also being remediated towards the lake. If Destiny becomes a reality, that land may become part of that development. In addition to the immediate Inner Harbor and Canal Corporation/City of Syracuse work, the NYSDEC is working with the oil company that previously maintained storage tanks there to clean up the sites and reduce petroleum contamination in the soils and from impacting groundwater.

Q: Why not start a trail at the eastern portion of the lake?
A: Currently the trail starts at Armory and goes through Franklin to the shores of the lake. The south end of the lake has issues with land availability. The Loop the Lake trail is intended to go entirely around the lake, and may include a portion built into the lake. This portion would complete the loop and also provide additional habitat possibilities. The trail will tie into the city tails as well as DeWitt and Camillus.

Q: This concept has been discussed since the late 1800s. When do you think it might happen?
A: The Onondaga County Parks and Transportation Departments extended the trail on the west shore, north of Nine Mile Creek. The next phase, which is already designed, will take the trail across Nine Mile Creek and wastebeds 1-8, moving south between the lake and the NYS Fairgrounds parking lot. We are also currently assessing the feasibility of an in-lake trail portion on the east shore; if we determine this is feasible, we will hopefully begin construction within the next two years. The final phase will extend from the NYS Fairgrounds parking lot area south over Harbor Brook. This is the most heavily contaminated portion of the lake with respect to industrial pollution, adjacent to the old Allied Signal operation. We must wait for remediation plans to determine the best way to address trail issues in this area.

Q: Onondaga Creek is gorgeous but has problems. I've heard that an estimated 347 gallons of combined sewage still goes into the creek. Can the creek be incorporated into the Onondaga Lake cleanup plan?
A: The OLP recognizes the importance of Onondaga Creek and is committed to working on its restoration. We are now developing a project to address a multitude of issues. As shown in the Year in Review video, the OLP has been one of the sponsors of the Onondaga Creek Cleanup the last two years.

Q: Can fencing be put up around the bridges to prevent obstacles from being thrown into the creek?
A: We favor increased and improved access to the creek and the lake and educating the community about respecting rather than abusing our waterways.

Q: I agree that we need to increase access, and I'd like to see the area around Onondaga Creek made even more beautiful. Does it have to be fenced off? Can we remove the fences and add benches, flowers, etc.?
A: Historically the area was fenced because of the number of tragic drowning deaths. There are periods of high, rapid flows that can be dangerous. There is a fine line between accessibility and safety and this issue needs careful planning. With proper planning, the area can become an asset with positive impact upon our city. We are working with the USEPA and NYSDEC to study ways to slow down the flow of water, such as building curbs in the waterway that also creates habitat.

Q: We may get the lake to meet federal standards, but we need to go beyond that. We need to get rid of CSOs and stop putting dirty water in the lake. I hope that we can open up the access to Onondaga Creek and get the safety issues taken care of; it can be a jewel.
A: Everyone agrees with the importance of a clean lake. The combined sewer overflows (CSOs) are certainly an issue and under the Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ), 85% of the volume of combined sewage collected in the system during heavy rain events must be eliminated or captured. Although we may sometimes disagree on the technologies involved, we all agree on the goal of a cleaner lake and creek. We continue to seek solutions that meet the objectives of the ACJ and the needs of both the City and the County.

Q: The Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ) requires a minimum level of treatment for combined sewer overflows (CSOs), but the vision of a clean creek goes beyond that. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a reconnaissance study, and the City and County have a goal to develop the creek. What is the timeframe and commitment?
A: The OLP website outlines timetables to get the work done. The ACJ projects must be accomplished by 2012, but we will likely finish before that deadline.

Bill Kappel of the USGS describes his project to Matt Mulcahy

Q: The Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ) is a program to eliminate combined sewer overflows (CSOs), not address the broader restoration of the creek, including beautifying it, removing fences, etc. We need this in addition to the ACJ projects.
A: At this time there is a definite plan to clean up the lake. There is no specific plan for the creek itself. We do recognize that it is a major asset and we will work with the community to determine the best plan to address it.

Q: What is the ACJ?
A: ACJ stands for Amended Consent Judgment, which is a judgment entered in a lawsuit brought by the Atlantic States Legal Foundation against Onondaga County for violations of the Clean Water Act. The ACJ is a very detailed plan that must be complied with on a specific schedule. Complete information about this is included on both the OLP and the Onondaga County websites.