The Auburn City Council voted in favor last week of a measure requesting that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reclassify Owasco Lake as an Impaired Waterway.
City Clerk Chuck Mason says the lake has dropped off that list in recent year, and he says the city disagrees with the decision.
The DEC is required to update the list every two years under the federal Clean Water Act. City officials point to the increase in harmful algal blooms as a reason the lake should be back on the list. The council resolution also urges the Governor to implement what’s called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) comprehensive watershed clean-up plan for Owasco Lake.