MakingWaves - News From the Division of Water

In This Issue

• Webinar Announced: Planning a Successful Water Project
• Comment Period Extended for Proposed Rule Making
• Webinar Announced: Let's Talk Lake Ontario
• Public Information Session Announced for Bay Park Conveyance Project
• REDI Project Underway in Jefferson County

Webinar Announced: Planning a Successful Water Project

Join the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center for a free webinar on April 5, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. to learn from federal and state agencies - including DEC - how to successfully plan a drinking water or wastewater project. We will focus on the planning process for water infrastructure projects, the Intended Use Plan, and available engineering planning grants. Other presenters will include representatives from USDA Rural Development, NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation, and the NYS Departments of Health, Homes & Community Renewal, and State. Register to attend. 

Comment Period Extended for Proposed Rule Making

DEC has announced that the comment period has been extended for the Proposed Rule Making to amend 6 NYCRR § 703.4, titled "Application of Site-Specific Criteria to Class I & Class SD Waters." The amendment adds site-specific criteria to select Class I and Class SD waterbodies. 

Public comments are due by April 28, 2021. View the March 31 Environmental Notice Bulletin for instructions on how to comment.

Webinar Announced: Let's Talk Lake Ontario

Learn about the state of Lake Ontario and what communities can do to improve the health of the lake at a free webinar called “Let’s Talk Lake Ontario” to be held April 14 at noon. To register, visit the Eventbrite page.

Guest speakers:

• Don Zelazny, Great Lakes Coordinator, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• Tony David, Director, Environmental Division, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
• Chelsea Rochman, Co-Founder, University of Toronto Trash Team

The webinar is sponsored by Environment and Climate Change Canada; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks; and DEC.

For questions or comments, email Brandt.Peter@epa.gov or Carol.Kim@canada.ca.

Public Information Session Announced for Bay Park Conveyance Project

DEC and the Nassau County Department of Public Works will host a virtual public information session for the Bay Park Conveyance Project on April 6, 2021, 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Western Bays Constructors (the design-build contractor for the project) will provide information on upcoming construction activities.

The project will reduce nitrogen in the Western Bays of Long Island by conveying treated water from the South Shore Water Reclamation Facility (previously known as the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant) to the Cedar Creek Water Pollution Control Plant’s ocean outfall pipe. Visit BayParkConveyance.org for project details and meeting information. 

REDI Project Underway in Jefferson County

DEC has announced the start of construction of the first of seven projects awarded to the Village of Cape Vincent, Jefferson County through Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI). During the high-water flood events that took place in the summer of 2017 and again in 2019, the Market Street sanitary sewer system was subjected to increased external water pressure, which ultimately led to sewage backups in local residences and businesses. The REDI Commission awarded the village $705,000 to upgrade the sewage collection system, which will mitigate sewer backups in basements and reduce increased pumping and treatment costs incurred by the village.