New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Announces Public Comment Period - Industrial State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit Application Review

"The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) has determined that the application for an Industrial State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit is complete for the purposes of public review and comment. The draft SPDES permit would authorize the City of Syracuse to treat Skaneateles Lake with the algicide, EarthTec, to decrease the density of microcystin-producing cyanobacteria that contribute to harmful algal blooms near the City of Syracuse's drinking water intakes. The use of EarthTec would occur in the northern portion of the lake, extending 750 foot waterward from the shoreline along a 36,850 foot length of shoreline stretching from the NYS DEC Boat Launch (Fire Lane 15) on the western shoreline of the lake, along the northern shoreline to the eastern shoreline of the lake to Kingston Brook (south of the Skaneateles Sailing Club). The use of EarthTec would occur no more than twice per calendar year within this shoreline treatment area and would be limited to specifications on the product label. The City would provide pre-treatment notification 48 hours prior to an EarthTec application to the state officials, local officials, beach/resource managers, the Skaneateles Lake Association, and to riparian owners and users. The City would also provide daily post-treatment monitoring of microcystin concentration and would notify local and state health departments if the microcystin concentration were at or above the 4 microgram per liter threshold for re-opening a swimming area."

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