Provided photo: Little Falls Canal Place was chosen the 2008 Heritage Award recipient.
Press Release, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
WATERFORD – The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is calling for nominations for the Erie Canalway Heritage Award of Excellence, which celebrates outstanding places within the National Heritage Corridor where people have come together to make the Corridor a more vibrant place to live, work and visit.
The award recognizes local investment in places, including parks, trails, historic buildings and canal structures, streetscapes and entire communities. Municipalities, community groups, private entities, and non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit a nomination by Feb. 28, 2020.
The nomination asks applicants to make a compelling case for “What makes their place great?” Recognition for excellence is selected based on the applicant’s effectiveness in helping to advance one or more of the goals set forth in the Erie Canalway Preservation and Management Plan.
Award recipients benefit from statewide recognition and the promotion of their efforts as best practices to inspire others within the Corridor. A formal presentation of awards will take place in June.
Past recipients include: Lockport Locks District, Lockport; Canal Place, Little Falls; School Street Hydroelectric Facility, Brookfield Renewable Power, Cohoes; Hudson Crossing Park, Schuylerville.
About the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves New York’s extraordinary canal heritage, promotes the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and fosters vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway.
It achieves its mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York.
Renderings courtesy of Governor’s Office: One proposal calls for lighting up the movable dams in Amsterdam and Canajoharie in the Mohawk River valley.
Posted 6 January 2020 at 12:26 pm
“Reimagine Erie Canal’ would grow tourism, reduce flooding in canal towns, and improve irrigation for upstate farmers
Press Release, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Office
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today unveiled a $300 million plan to reimagine the Erie Canal by creating recreational activities on the Canal to boost tourism, mitigating flooding, enhancing irrigation and recreational fishing and restoring wetlands.
The governor is recommending the New York Power Authority Board, which now oversees the Canal Corporation as a subsidiary, approve the $300 million investment over the next five years at the board’s January meeting.
“When the Erie Canal was created in the 19th century it set the state and the nation on a path to prosperity, and this year we will repurpose the canal to fit our state’s 21st century needs,” Governor Cuomo said. “This bold and visionary plan to transform this historic waterway will build on the success of the Empire State Trail, grow tourism across Upstate New York, improve resilience of today’s Canal communities and ensure the economic sustainability of the waterway into the future.”
A first phase of funding will start this year that will have two parts: a $100 million economic development fund to invest in communities along the Canal and a separate $65 million investment in solutions that will help prevent ice jams and related flooding in the Schenectady area.
The remaining $135 million of the plan’s funding will subsequently be allocated to research recommended by the Reimagine Task Force, as well as to solutions related to flood mitigation, invasive species prevention and ecosystem restoration.
New Economic Development Fund for Canal Communities
In the first phase of the program, a $100 million economic development fund will support projects that adaptively reuse canal infrastructure to enhance water recreation, tie the Canal’s new recreational improvements to the Governor’s Empire State Trail, celebrate historic canal structures, and develop unique canalside attractions and activities. Roughly $25 million of that will be allocated immediately to a set of initial projects:
• Connecting Communities: The “Brockport Loop” project in Monroe County will connect SUNY College at Brockport to the Empire State Trail and the village of Brockport through the transformation of a canal guard-gate into a pedestrian bridge and overlook, with a supporting grant of $2 million from the Ralph Wilson Foundation.
• Celebrating “Iconic Infrastructure”: Interactive, hydro-powered illumination of Canal “movable dams” – initially in Amsterdam and Canajoharie in the Mohawk River valley – will celebrate the Canal’s heritage and its history as an engineering marvel.
• Expanding Water Recreation: A new whitewater destination, at the north end of Cayuga Lake near Seneca Falls, will rely on existing water control infrastructure to construct an active water sports course adjacent to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, to increase eco-tourism and sport visitors to the region.
• Adapting Industrial Property for New Uses: Winner of the Reimagine the Canals competition, a canalside pocket neighborhood, will be developed by Madison County in Central New York at a former industrial property in Canastota along the Old Erie Canal – demonstrating a new model for 21st century canalside living.
• Developing Destination Accommodations: The historic Guy Park Manor, on the Mohawk River in Amsterdam, will be reborn as a hospitality destination and a pedestrian bridge constructed across the already-existing Canal lock will provide access to additional overnight accommodation along the Empire State Trail on the opposite side of the river.
To help mitigate chronic summer and winter flooding in the Mohawk River Valley, an initial allocation of approximately $65 million will be used for deploying an icebreaker and undertaking dredging and filling in certain portions of the Mohawk to prevent ice jam formation; developing an Ice Jam Monitoring and Early Warning System to better alert communities to potential flooding; and retrofitting the New York Power Authority’s Vischer Ferry power dam in Niskayuna to help mitigate summer flooding and ice jams around the Schenectady and Scotia areas, including the historic Stockade District.
At the recommendation of the Task Force further studies will be undertaken to better assess additional approaches to both reducing flood vulnerability in the Mohawk and tackling the rise of aquatic invasive species across the Canal.
Improved Irrigation for Farmers
The plan also includes establishment of an irrigation district in Western New York to enhance drought resiliency by ensuring that farmers in those counties have reliable access to water during the critical summer growing season. Guaranteed access to water is needed to expand the production of high-value fruits and vegetables, specifically in areas that today cannot access canal water.
To ensure water is available during periods of low rainfall, canal outflow infrastructure will be modernized as part of a “smart water management system” that can better respond to changing weather conditions. A new grant program operated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets will underpin additional private-sector investment in irrigation infrastructure.
World-Class Fishing and Restored Wetlands
To create world-class fishing in Western New York, the new plan recommends managing water releases from the Canal to enhance fish habitat, improve angling opportunities, and extend the fall fishing season in Lake Ontario tributaries. It also includes funding to expand public fishing access along key streams in Orleans, Monroe and Niagara counties.
In addition, it identifies a program to divert Canal water to restore and re-nourish wetlands in Central New York that were compromised a century ago by the Canal’s construction. This will allow areas in close proximity to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, a migratory stopover for more than 1 million birds each year, to be significantly enhanced to further attract naturalists, locals, and visitors from throughout the region and beyond.
Reimagine the Canals Task Force Shares Recommendations in Report
Ideas in this plan originated from the Reimagine the Canals Task Force recommendations. The Reimagine the Canals Task Force, launched by Governor Cuomo in May of 2019 to pursue a comprehensive investigation of how the 195-year-old Erie Canal could be reimagined for the 21st century, issued its full set of findings to the Governor today in an official report. The Task Force set out to:
• Identify potential new uses for the Erie Canal aimed at improving the quality of life for New Yorkers
• Evaluate how the Erie Canal can support and enhance economic development along the canal corridor
• Identify new opportunities to enhance recreation and tourism along the Erie Canal
• Assess how the Erie Canal can help mitigate impacts from flooding and ice jams to improve resiliency and restore ecosystems in canal communities, and
• Discover opportunities for using Erie Canal infrastructure to expand irrigation for Western New York farms.
The Task Force is chaired by Joanie Mahoney, New York State Thruway Authority chair and former Onondaga County Executive. Mahoney is overseeing Task Force work in Central New York. Former Lieutenant Governor Bob Duffy serves as regional co-chair in Western New York, and Joseph Martens, former Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner, serves as regional co-chair in the Mohawk River valley.
In addition to economic development and operational recommendations, the findings, detailed in the Reimagine the Canals Task Force Report released today, include solutions for strengthening storm resiliency along the waterway, improving irrigation for farmlands, expanding fishing opportunities in Western New York and restoring wetlands in Central New York.
The Task Force engaged with municipal leaders, stakeholders, local business owners, scientists and other experts, along with community members, to identify opportunities and solutions that support a new vision for future investments in the waterway. Many of the ideas that the Task Force explored came from the completed Reimagine the Canals competition, held last year by the New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corporation. SUNY’s Rockefeller Institute of Government, on behalf of the Task Force, conducted a series of outreach sessions during the summer in five canal communities – Lockport, Brockport, Schenectady, Utica and Syracuse – to solicit new ideas from the public at large. Ideas were also solicited on a Reimagine the Canals website, offering more distant canal users an opportunity to provide their views to the Task Force.
The “Reimagine” initiative builds on successful efforts by Governor Cuomo to invest in the canal corridor, including the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative and successful Taste NY program, which have stoked new industries, businesses and housing in canal communities. Harnessing the Canal’s full potential to attract more tourism and recreation is a key focus of the Initiative. Governor Cuomo and state agency and authority staff will collaborate with Empire Line communities and continue to consult with Task Force members and other stakeholders to ensure the success of projects as they move forward.
There are 1.6 million trips taken annually on the Erie Canal Trailway, the former towpath used by mules and horses to pull barges in the canals’ early days. The Trailway is part of Governor Cuomo’s Empire State Trail, which at 750 miles will be the largest state multi-use trail network when completed in late 2020. Governor DeWitt Clinton began work on the original Erie Canal on July 4, 1817.
“As an upstate New Yorker who lives near the Erie Canal and is a frequent visitor to canal communities, I know how this plan to reimagine the canal can unlock even more potential to make it a major tourism magnet,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “The canals have played a crucial role in New York’s history and growth, and with the implementation of these new exciting projects, the canals will remain a vital force and make a positive contribution to the economic well-being and quality of life in the 225 communities they travel through.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: A boat passes along the Erie Canal in Albion in this photo from Sept. 23, 2015.
Posted 19 December 2019 at 5:06 pm
Press Release, U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY-20) today announced that their amendment to raise and extend the federal funding cap for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor to $14 million has been included in the soon-to-pass end of the year budget package.
This is an increased funding cap of $2 million, without which, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor would have no longer been eligible to receive federal funding. Instead, following the members’ successful push, the Erie Canalway will continue to receive annual appropriations to help preserve this historic corridor and promote tourism and economic development throughout the region.
“The Erie Canal is a crucial economic engine for tourism in Western New York, not to mention one of the state’s greatest attractions and most impressive features. It’s incumbent on all of us, elected officials, residents, and tourists alike to preserve the history and beauty of the Erie Canal for the long-term future, so that it can be enjoyed by generations of New Yorkers and Americans to come,” said Senator Schumer. “That’s why I urged my colleagues in Congress to raise and extend the funding cap for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, allowing it to continue receiving the federal support it needs to thrive. More than ever, we have to make sure our local governments and communities in Upstate New York have the resources required to protect treasures like the Erie Canal.”
“The Erie Canal is one of New York State’s most important historic treasures. The legacy of the canal helps drive millions of dollars for Upstate New York, promoting tourism for the communities along the corridor,” said Senator Gillibrand. “It was a mistake for Congress to leave this historic waterway, which connects communities from Glens Falls to Buffalo, at risk of losing its federal support, which is why I’ve been fighting to raise and extend the funding cap for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. I’m proud that our amendment to do just that has passed the Senate, and will continue to fight to make sure the Erie Canal can be preserved for generations to come.”
“Our Erie Canalway connects us and future generations with the stories and places of the past that have shaped who we are as Americans,” said Congressman Tonko. “Not only does the Canalway provide us with an incalculable historical and cultural value, it delivers a significant economic return by bringing tourism and commerce across our region. I was proud to work to get this provision in the House Appropriations package, and am overjoyed that this raise in the funding cap will be signed into law so that we can continue to invest in and preserve this unique, national treasure.”
Congress established the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in 2000. The corridor spans 524 miles and 23 counties across the full expanse of Upstate New York, following the historic routes of the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain Canals.
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, in partnership with the National Park Service and numerous local, state, and federal partners, works to preserve and share the Erie Canal’s extraordinary heritage, to promote Upstate New York communities as a tourism destination, and to foster vibrant communities connected by the waterway through historic preservation, conservation and recreation, education, and community development.
Approximately 3.2 million New Yorkers live in the communities within the corridor, and a 2016 economic analysis found that the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor had an annual economic impact of $307.7 million in Upstate New York.
Congress has imposed cumulative funding caps on the amount of funding National Heritage Areas can receive over their lifetime, but also has the authority to increase the caps when they are about to be reached. Although the expiring statuary caps for many national heritage corridors were extended in the Lands Package earlier this year, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor was left out of the cap extension. The members previously led a push to ensure Congress raises and expands the funding cap for the Erie Canalway to preserve its legacy.
Photos courtesy of Celeste Morien: A Cooper’s Hawk is shown in this photo.
Press Release, Oak Orchard Christmas Bird Count Compiler Celeste Morien
It’s almost time for the Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count, which began in December 1968.
The National Audubon Society has been sponsoring Christmas Bird Counts for 119 years and the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge provide support for this local count.
Count compiler and Medina resident Celeste Morien would like the public to be alert for counters with spotting scopes and binoculars who will be out and about Dec. 27 on local roads, searching for birds in fields and at bird feeders.
Filling bird feeders now and keeping them stocked ahead of the count helps fulfill the count objective of counting all wild birds seen and heard within the circle.
Our Oak Orchard Swamp count is centered at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge on the Orleans and Genesee County line at Route 63. Count volunteers follow specified routes through a designated 15-mile diameter circle, which includes more than the refuge and state wildlife areas, counting every bird they see or hear all day.
It’s not just a species tally—all birds are counted all day, giving an indication of the total number of birds in the circle that day.
According to the Audubon website, “Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas ‘Side Hunt.’ They would choose sides and go afield with their guns—whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won.
A Pileated Woodpecker is at a suet feeder.
Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Society, proposed a new holiday tradition—a ‘Christmas Bird Census’ that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them.”
So began the Christmas Bird Count. Thanks to the inspiration of Chapman and the enthusiasm of 27 dedicated birders, 25 Christmas Bird Counts were held that day. The locations ranged from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California with most counts in or near the population centers of northeastern North America.
From Dec. 14 through Jan. 5 each year tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas brave snow, wind, or rain, and take part in the effort. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this long-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations, and to help guide conservation action.
The data collected by observers over the past century allow Audubon researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, it provides a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years.
The long term perspective is vital for conservationists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their habitat, and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well.
If your home is within the circle and you are at home on count day, you can report the birds that visit your feeder. Anyone can participate, but arrangements must be made with the compiler. To do so, please contact celeste.morien@gmail.com.
Please consider donating to the Christmas Count here since the Audubon Society no longer collects fees from each participant – www.audubon.org/GiveCBC.
Courtesy of Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor: The cover of the 2020 Erie Canalway Calendar features the Tugboat Erie, in this photo by Frank Forte of Little Falls.
Press Release, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
WATERFORD – The public is invited to pick up a free 2020 Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor calendar starting December 1, 2019 at selected libraries and visitor centers throughout the National Heritage Corridor. The calendar features winning images from this year’s Erie Canalway photo contest.
(Editor’s Note: Locally the calendars will be available at the public libraries in Albion, Holley, Medina, Brockport and Middleport.)
“The calendar showcases the unique beauty, history, and character of New York’s canals and canal communities,” said Bob Radliff, Erie Canalway Executive Director. “We hope it inspires people to preserve and celebrate our incredible canal heritage.”
Calendars will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, thanks to generous sponsorship by the NYS Canal Corporation.
This year’s cover features 1st Place winner Tugboat Erie by Frank Forte of Little Falls, NY.
The 2020 Erie Canalway Photo Contest opens in May 2020. The public is invited to submit images taken year-round within the National Heritage Corridor.
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York, encompassing the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments, as well as more than 230 canal communities.
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission and the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund work in partnership to preserve our extraordinary heritage, to promote the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and to foster vibrant communities connected by the waterway.
$30 million available for businesses in Orleans, 7 other counties
Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the application period for the Lake Ontario Business Resiliency Program is now open to businesses and other organizations directly impacted by the historic flooding of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River earlier this year.
The Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative Commission has made available up to $30 million to support resiliency-related capital improvement projects at affected businesses and other eligible organizations, which may qualify for reimbursement of up to 50 percent of project costs, with a maximum award of $200,000.
“The historic flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River left unprecedented damage in its wake, and we have committed significant resources to help ensure impacted businesses can make repairs, recover and once again drive our regional economies forward,” Governor Cuomo said. “As we continue to focus on regionally-significant rebuilding and resiliency efforts, it is critical to make this funding available to businesses as it will provide much needed support and financial relief and help all communities with their recovery efforts.”
Eligible applicants include most private businesses, homeowner’s associations, certain not-for profits, farms, and owners of multiple dwellings used for business purposes located in the eight-county coverage area.
Additional requirements include:
• Applicants must have been impacted by flooding between January 1, 2019 through October 31, 2019, or, if not directly damaged and sufficient funding is available, possess a demonstrated vulnerability to future flood-related damage.
• Applicants must receive a local matching contribution from their municipality totaling at least 5 percent of the program assistance funds. This contribution may include, but is not limited to:
Tax abatements and exemptions, including from an Industrial Development Authority
Local government fee waivers of the costs of ordinarily due permits and fees
Direct expenditures by local governments on project-related infrastructure costs
Eligible capital projects must reduce the applicant’s vulnerability to risks that were experienced during the high water events along the shores of Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and other nearby waterways such as flooding or erosion.
Examples of eligible projects could include:
• Elevating and or moving, landward, non-water dependent features such as offices, restrooms, stores, restaurants, parking or boat storage;
• Raising/relocating fueling facilities;
• Converting to floating docks or other docks that allow for movement with water levels (adapted to both high and low water) such that docks can raise to a minimum elevation;
• Strengthening existing dockage by evaluating and strengthening connection points between dock sections (typically the weakest point in a dock’s design); and
• Retaining and/or creating vegetated buffers along the waterfront.
Applications must be postmarked by January 31, 2020. Applications and program guidelines, including the full list of project criteria, are available on the Empire State Development website (click here).
The funding is a component of Governor Cuomo’s REDI, which includes a multi-agency commission that has been studying ways to strengthen infrastructure along Lake Ontario’s waterfront while bolstering the region’s local economies. Through REDI, the State has committed up to $300 million to rebuild the shoreline, as well as improve resiliency in flood prone regions along Lake Ontario.
Empire State Development Acting Commissioner, President & CEO-Designate and REDI Commission Co-Chair Eric Gertler said, “Businesses are a key part of a community’s vibrancy, and their resilience is essential to a region’s long-term economic success. We have partnered with all stakeholders throughout the REDI process, including the business community, to ensure the necessary expertise and resources are available to not only rebuild, but to rebuild to a higher standard of resiliency in the face of future storms.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: Waves pound the shoreline at the Yates Town Park on Oct. 23.
Posted 17 November 2019 at 3:08 pm
State seeking $50 million-plus in damages
Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Building on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s lawsuit against the International Joint Commission, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Attorney General Letitia James on Friday filed an expanded lawsuit on behalf of New York State against the IJC for failing to implement its flood protocol for the Moses-Saunders Power Dam.
Specifically, the IJC operated under a protocol known as “Plan 2014,” which required that when water levels reach extremely high levels, the dam “shall be operated to provide all possible relief to the riparian owners upstream and downstream.” As a result of the IJC’s actions and failures to act in response to flooding in 2017 and 2019, New York incurred substantial and potentially avoidable damages.
This lawsuit expands on the suit filed by DEC last month by also including damages incurred by all state agencies, including DEC, which collectively number over $50 million.
“The IJC’s mismanagement of Lake Ontario water levels wreaked havoc on vulnerable shoreline communities and the resulting damage carries a stiff price that shouldn’t be shouldered by the State of New York or by the very property owners the Commission was supposed to protect,” Governor Cuomo said. “The IJC has been wholly unresponsive to our complaints and have taken no action to make the situation better, and this expanded lawsuit will allow us to better recoup the costs of the damage and to hold the Commission accountable.”
Attorney General Letitia James said, “The International Joint Commission failed their primary mission of properly managing Lake Ontario’s water levels. We will not stand by while the IJC continues to expose New Yorkers to dangerous flooding. The individuals and families along the shoreline do not deserve the pain of having to deal with the damages to their homes and businesses—damages that could have been avoided in the first place. We are hopeful that this lawsuit will bring safety, security, and justice to those most impacted by IJC’s negligence.”
OAG is bringing this action on behalf of the departments and agencies of the State of New York, including, but not limited to the DEC; the Department of Transportation; the Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services; the Division of Military and Naval Affairs; and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Directed by Governor Cuomo, DEC initiated litigation against the IJC on October 9, 2019. Today’s action incorporates DEC’s prior complaint, as well as adding impacts to other New York State agencies.
The Office of the Attorney General and Governor Cuomo’s Office seek compensatory damages in excess of $50 million dollars for damages that include:
• Damages to state property;
• Damages consisting of monies the State spent and will spend to repair harms to property, municipalities, and residents;
• and Damages to natural resources, including the value of lost recreational activities.
Flooding on the shores of Lake Ontario in 2017 cost the State damages in excess of $4 million, which included damage to State parks, beaches, campgrounds, boat docks, and boat launches. This was disastrous for thousands of businesses and New Yorkers along the Lake Ontario shoreline in Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence counties.
Additionally, in 2019, flooding cost State property damages in excess of $2 million. The public lost the value of the use of some facilities while they were closed for repairs or remained submerged under floodwaters. An emergency was declared for the counties of Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence, and Wayne as a result of the damage caused by continued high Lake Ontario water levels. The State activated the State Emergency Operations Center for 125 days to conduct operations across eight New York counties and hundreds of miles of shoreline.
Several State agencies also incurred substantial expenses in connection with their responses to the flooding. DEC and the New York National Guard fortified public and private shorefront property with water barriers and other equipment. The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) deployed sandbags, sandbagging machines, pumps, and water barriers.
DHSES also activated the State Emergency Operations Center for 125 days to conduct operations across eight New York Counties and hundreds of miles of shoreline. The Department of Transportation oversaw sandbag filling operations and activated its incident command system. In total, State agencies’ response costs exceeded $37 million.
Additionally, the State has spent more than $100 million dollars helping homeowners, small businesses, municipalities, and others repair property damage from flooding in 2017 and 2019. These funds have been distributed through New York State Homes and Community Renewal in connection with the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence Seaway Flood Relief and Recovery Grant Program, as well as through Empire State Development and the Lake Ontario Small Business Recovery Fund.
The U.S.-Great Britain Boundary Waters Treaty, Plan 2014, the 2016 Supplementary Order of Approval, and other applicable laws impose a duty on IJC to operate the dam in a manner that safeguards the interests of riparian property owners on the New York shores of Lake Ontario and that meets a standard of reasonable care for those property owners.
This matter is being handled for the Attorney General’s Environmental Protection Bureau by Assistant Attorney General Matthew J. Sinkman, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. The Environmental Protection Bureau is part of the Division of Social Justice, which is under the supervision of Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
State considers extending the open season for lake trout on Lake Ontario
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking angler feedback on proposed fishing regulation changes for New York’s Great Lakes.
The proposed changes are designed to safeguard and expand certain fish populations while enhancing anglers’ continued enjoyment of these world-class fisheries. The majority of the proposals are a direct result of DEC’s work with anglers during the past several years to identify desired outcomes for Lake Ontario sport fishery management.
“I encourage Great Lakes anglers to share their comments on these proposed regulations, which are intended to make New York’s world-class Great Lakes fishing even better,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos.
Potential regulation changes include:
• extending the open season for lake trout on Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara River;
• decreasing the daily creel limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario;
• decreasing the brown trout daily creel limit and increasing the minimum size limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario tributaries; and
• eliminating a special Lake Erie tributary regulation now deemed unnecessary in an ongoing effort to simplify New York fishing regulations.
Following a review of public comments received and further evaluation this winter, DEC may advance these proposals for formal adoption in 2020. DEC welcomes and encourages feedback on the proposed regulation changes currently under consideration.
To view these proposals and provide input, visit DEC’s website. Comments will be accepted through Dec. 14. Comments and questions can also be directed to Steve LaPan, Great Lakes Fisheries Section Head, at: New York State DEC, P.O. Box 292, Cape Vincent, NY 13618.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 October 2019 at 12:46 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: A boater heads east in Albion last week after passing under the Ingersoll Street lift bridge.
The canal season closes on Oct. 16. The 195thannual canal season opened on May 17. There have been no tolls or fees for recreational use of the canal system this year.
The Canal Corporation waived tolls again this year for recreational vessels as the state continues to commemorate 200 years of Erie Canal history. The Erie Canal was under construction from 1817 to 1825.
The Canal Corp. also waived the tolls in 2017 and 2018. Those tolls are normally $25 to $100 for a season pass, depending on the size of the vessel.
This photo of the Canal Park in Waterford won first place in the Canal Communities category of the 14th Annual Erie Canalway Photo Contest. It was taken by Wesley Merritt, Clifton Park.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 October 2019 at 10:08 am
Image of Holley Waterfalls receives an honorable mention
The winning photos in the 14th Annual Erie Canalway Photo Contest have been announced by the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
The 12 winning images will be showcased in the 2020 Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor calendar, which will be available for free at libraries and visitor centers beginning in December.
The first place winner in “Classic Canal” shows the Tugboat Erie in Little Falls. The photo was taken by Frank Forte of Little Falls.
Judges selected first, second and third place photographs in four contest categories from nearly 250 entries. In addition, twelve photographs received an honorable mention, including one that shows the Holley Waterfalls.
“These beautiful photos showcase the dramatic landscapes, rich heritage, and vibrant communities along this historic waterway,” said Bob Radliff, Erie Canalway Executive Director. “We hope they inspire people to explore this extraordinary place and celebrate the canal that built the Empire State.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: A bicycle is dressed up with flowers to beautify the canal path in Hulberton in this photo from last week.
Posted 12 August 2019 at 9:38 am
Press Release, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
WATERFORD- Amateur and professional photographers are invited to submit entries for the 14th annual Erie Canalway Photo Contest. Photos should convey the wealth of things to do and see along the waterway and express the beauty and unique character of the canal and canal communities. Winning photos will be featured in the 2020 Erie Canalway calendar.
Entries must be postmarked by Aug. 30. Submissions must be horizontal format only. Photos must be taken within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. The Corridor spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York. It encompasses the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments, as well as more than 230 canal communities.
Judges select first, second, and third place winners based on creativity, photographic quality, and effectiveness in conveying the beauty and unique character of the Canalway. Winning images are displayed in the annual Erie Canalway Calendar.
Nearly 200 years after its construction, the Erie Canal remains an iconic symbol of American ingenuity and determination. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves our extraordinary canal heritage, promotes the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and fosters vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway. It achieves its mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation (S.5685/A.4853.A) – or Brianna’s Law – to phase in requirements that all operators of motorized watercraft must complete a state-approved boating safety course.
Brianna’s Law is named after Brianna Lieneck, an 11-year-old Long Island girl who was killed in a 2005 boating accident. The Governor also directed State Parks to launch a boating safety promotional campaign to remind boaters of the new requirement to take a safety course.
There are nearly 439,000 registered powerboats in the state, according to the 2018 state Recreational Boating Report. The law does not apply to operators of sailboats, kayaks, standup paddleboards, rowboats or canoes.
“Boating has become much more popular and our rules and our laws really have not kept pace with it,” Governor Cuomo said. “There should be a basic level of knowledge that you have before you’re given the permission to go out there and operate a boat, and making a safety course mandatory is common sense. It protects the operator of the boat and everyone that operator could come into contact with, and it will make our waters safer. It took a horrific accident to make this situation real for people, but through this law Brianna is saving lives and her love lives on.”
The measure expands an earlier law signed by Governor Cuomo that requires boaters born after May 1, 1996 to complete a safety course before operating a motorized watercraft. Under the phase-in, all motor boat operators born on or after Jan. 1, 1993 must complete a safety course to operate a motor boat beginning in 2020.
Those born after Jan. 1, 1988 must complete a safety course beginning in 2022. Those born on or after Jan. 1, 1983 must complete a safety course beginning in 2023. Those born on or after Jan. 1, 1978 must complete a safety course beginning in 2024.
The requirement would extend to all motor boat operators beginning in 2025, regardless of age. Failure to comply could result in a fine of between $100 and $250 under the new law that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020.
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which administers the law, estimates that there are nearly one million boaters who will have to take the safety courses before the end of the phase-in on Jan. 1, 2025.
The law allows for the continued acceptance of State Parks approved internet-based learning and certification to meet this new demand. Classroom courses will also continue to be available. Information about both internet and in-classroom courses can be found on the State Parks’ website.
Governor Cuomo also directed State Parks to launch a boating safety promotional campaign to ensure that boaters are aware of the new requirement to take a course online or in person and to promote safety on our waterways, including radio and social media advertisements; distribution of informational materials to law enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, marinas, boating education instructors and boating safety partners; and State Parks website updates.
State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, “New York State offers some of the best boating and fishing adventures in the country. The best way to enjoy these adventures is to do so safely. It makes sense that for every boater to learn the basics of boating safety before operating a motor boat.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 August 2019 at 11:24 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Kent Morgan, owner of Let It Ride Charters in Carlton, holds the grand prize fish from the 2018 fishing derby organized by the Albion Rotary Club. The 29-pound, 14-ounce salmon was caught by Morgan’s customer, Joseph Miller of Harrisburg, Pa. The big fish won the $4,000 grand prize.
The annual Rotary Fishing Derby starts today and continues until Aug. 18 with $8,800 in prizes available. The angler who catches the biggest fish in the derby wins $4,000.
Participants in the derby can enter fish in four divisions: Chinook salmon, brown trout, rainbow trout, and lake trout.
Besides $4,000 for the biggest fish, the four division leaders each get $500, followed by $300 for second, $200 for third, $100 for fourth and $50 for fifth.
There is also a $200 prize to the Orleans County resident who catches the biggest fish.
The derby is sponsored by the Albion Rotary Club, and proceeds go towards community projects. The Rotary Club has been organizing the derby for more than 30 years, seeing the event as a way to promote tourism businesses and the local fishing scene.
This year the derby has been rebranded as the Rotary Fishing Derby after being known as the Orleans County Fishing Derby.
Marlee Diehl, a member of the Albion Rotary Club, is chairwoman of the event and has lined up many businesses to sell registrations which are $15 a day or $25 for the entire 16-day derby. Click here to see the sites.
She wants to top at least 500 registrants for the derby.
The Rotary Club runs the derby to promote tourism and the fishing resources in the community. The derby is also a fundraiser for the Rotary Club, which uses the proceeds for community service projects.
“Orleans County is a destination,” Diehl said. “We’re fortunate to have a Tourism Department that realizes it and promotes our fishery.”
An awards celebration at 4 p.m. on Aug. 18 at the Carlton Rec Hall is open to the community. There will be sausage and hot dogs served, and a chance to see the winning fish.
The derby coincides with an initiative from Gov. Andrew Cuomo to offer free fishing on Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and the lower Niagara River from Aug. 2 through Labor Day, Sept. 2.
YATES – Beth Carpenter of Lyndonville was at a friend’s property this morning by Lake Ontario in Yates when she saw a bald eagle swoop out of a dead tree and go after an osprey that had just caught a fish.
“For me wildlife photos is all about being at the right place at the right time,” she said. “I don’t consider myself a professional. Today was one of those moments.”
She clicked away while the eagle chased the osprey, which then dropped the fish in the lake. The bald eagle then went for the fish and got it.
“I am so happy to see more eagles in our area!” Carpenter said.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Alex Morse, a researcher with the Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany, leads a group focused on Arts and Culture opportunities with the Erie Canal. About 60 people discussed ideas to better promote and use the Erie Canal during a discussion Monday at the Challenger Learning Center in Lockport. There will be another discussion today in Brockport at Cooper Hall at Brockport State College.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 July 2019 at 10:20 am
LOCKPORT – The Sate Canal Corp. wants to hear from residents in canal communities on how the state can better promote the canal to visitors and made the canal a better asset to local residents.
The Canal Corp. has scheduled a series of community engagement sessions to hear from residents. There was a meeting on Monday in Lockport, and there is another today in Brockport. (Click here to see the schedule of sessions.)
“This comes at a very exciting time,” Brian Stratton, director of the State Canal Corp.
The Erie Canal is celebrating an 8-year bicentennial of the construction from 1817 to 1825. Stratton says the Canal Corp. is developing a vision for the next century of the canal.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo last year announced the “Reimagine the Canals” initiative and two winners were picked from 145 entries in a $2.5 million competition.
One of the winners includes the Erie Armada, a group of boats passing along the canal carrying people tasting craft beers. That armada will be Sept. 20-22 at the Macedon Canal Park.
Brian Stratton, director of the State Canal Corp., said the state welcomes feedback to increase the impact of the canal in communities along the historic waterway.
The Canal Corp. also picked a plan to develop a pocket neighborhood in Canastota, turning open spaces and former industrial areas along the canal turned into space for housing and community space.
But the Canal Corp. wants more ideas and going to the canal communities for inspiration.
At the Lockport meeting, there were the following focus groups – Tourism, Parks and Public Spaces, Arts and Culture, Nature and Environment, Water Recreation, Local Business and Events and others.
About 60 people attended the session at the Challenger Learning Center.
State Assemblyman Mike Norris, R-Lockport, was among the officials at the meeting. He is pleased to see the state putting resources into the canal, and seeking feedback from the canal communities.
One of the ideas submitted includes using horse and buggy rides in canal towns.
The ideas at the sessions will be compiled by the Rockefeller Institute of Government and put into a report for the Reimagine the Canals Task Force. Former Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy, the current CEO of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is one of three co-leaders of the Task Force, with Duffy focusing on the western end of the canal.
The canal has changed from a commercial shipping hub in the 1800s to a recreational use today.
Some of the people at Monday’s meeting would like to see the canal develop heritage sites in each canal town, to help people understand and appreciate the history of the canal communities and the canal’s role in shaping them. That could include using bronze states, interpretive panels, murals and public arts projects to tell those stories.
Other ideas mentioned include:
• There is shortage of quality housing in many canal communities. Creating affordable and attractive living spaces should be a priority.
• There should be shuttle options on the canal. For example, if people take a kayak on the canal, they could then ride a bicycle back to the original destination.
• The canal is cleaner than in the past, but illegal dumping should remain a priority. Some people would like to see “fish ladders” to help fish travel in creeks and streams. Sometimes the canal is a barrier for fish in nearby creeks.
• More dining and lodging options needed along the canal.
• More festivals and events needed in canal towns.
• Making the canal more accessible to people with mobility challenges, and adding more handicapped accessible ramps for boats, canoes and kayaks.
• Some of the groups cited a lack of funding in making the projects a reality, and a difficulty in building consensus among local and state officials in what projects to pursue and then manage.
