Local leaders are set to hold a press conference at Emerson Park later today to denounce a recent decision by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) to halt the process of updating Owasco Lake watershed regulations. The event will feature City of Auburn Mayor Jimmy Giannettino, Town of Owasco Supervisor Ed Wagner, and Owasco Watershed Lake Association President Carol Sutkus.
The announcement comes on the heels of the Cayuga County Health Department’s closure of a swimming beach at Camp Y-Owasco on July 22 due to harmful algal blooms (HABs). The same day, Mayor Giannettino and Supervisor Wagner received a letter from NYSDOH stating the agency’s intent to discontinue amendments to the watershed rules, a process that began in 2017 to combat the yearly threat of HABs to the region’s drinking water.
“This decision is a blow to our community’s efforts to safeguard Owasco Lake,” said Mayor Giannettino. “On the very day children were at risk from HABs at Camp Y-Owasco, the state chose to step back from its responsibility to protect public health. This is unacceptable.”
The now-terminated update process was a collaborative effort involving the Cayuga County Planning Department, the Cayuga County Health Department, and state agencies including the NYSDOH, DEC, and Ag and Markets. Over seven years, the community-driven initiative aimed to revise the outdated 1984 Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations to address modern environmental challenges.
Supervisor Wagner expressed frustration over the state’s abrupt decision to end the revisions. “Our community has worked tirelessly for years to develop these updated regulations. To have the state dismiss our efforts without explanation is disheartening and puts our residents at risk,” he said.
In response to the NYSDOH’s decision, the City of Auburn, Town of Owasco, and the Owasco Watershed Lake Association have retained legal counsel from Earthjustice. The three entities are prepared to take legal action to ensure that local residents’ rights to clean water and a healthy environment are protected.
The press conference will begin at 1 p.m. at the main pavilion on the north shore of Owasco Lake. The speakers will outline the community’s next steps and discuss potential legal strategies to counter the state’s decision.
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