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President's Report Page 1 September 2012 KLA Newsletter PROTECTING THE QUALITY OF THE LAKE www.keukalakeassoc.org Newsletter “Listen to the Lake” September 2012 Remember - this is your PRESIDENT’S REPORT last newsletter if you have not renewed for Bill Laffin 2012. Check the mailing label on this newsletter. If It is with honor that I have to opportunity to write my it reads “Exp. 2013”, first greeting to the Keuka Lake Association membership Then you have renewed since being elected President at the KLA‘s Annual Meeting in July. As for 2012. Yearly renewal Past President Rob Corcoran spends more time with his many other forms are sent out in volunteer activities, I look forward to leading one of the finest lake as- March. sociations in New York State. We are currently being faced by many challenges that could have DOCK PLATES & a negative impact on the lake and watershed with invasive species, NUMBERS high volume horizontal hydrofracking and changing weather patterns being just a few. Membership in our organization also seems to have Both are available through the KLA Office. See order form on hit a plateau and despite of our best efforts, we seem to continue hov- page 26 or stop in a the KLA ering around the 1800 member mark. Office, 142 Main St. Penn Yan. The KLA is run by a Board of Directors and Officers comprising We can offer you a new dock plate or help you update the some of the most dedicated and passionate volunteers for which I one you already have. could ever hope. However, the Board of Directors alone is not the on- ly volunteer base that is critical to the KLA‘s success. I know there are Newsletter Highlights other KLA members that possess talents that could benefit the organi- zation. Whether it‘s working on the annual KLA calendar, doing re- President‘s Report…..........................1 search for the tri annual membership directory, educating non mem- Hydrofracking/Well Disposal Report..2 Membership Update…………..….…..2 bers on the benefits of becoming a KLA member or participating in the Water Quality ………..…………….….3 Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) program, the KLA wants to KWIC Grant Proposal……………….4-5 New/returning members……………..5 reach out to you and ask that you call the office (315-694-7324) or Scholarship Winners…………………5 email us ([email protected]) to volunteer your skills. Lake Level Report……………………6 Navigation & Recreation………….…7 Since the Annual Meeting, your Board of Directors has been busy Sheriff‘s Wear It Campaign…………8 realigning the leadership of some of our committees. Transitions have Photo-Bill L. & Senator Gillibrand….8 KLA 2011 Directory Info…………….8 begun and will be complete by year end. You will see a few new Zebra Mussel Data…………………..9 names chairing committees like Water Quality, Membership, Nominat- Renewable Energy Options - ing and Audit. Check the year end newsletter to see the 2012-13 ros- Workshop & Tour………………10 KLA Member Ads……..………...11-17 ter. Calendar Photos………………17 & 30 The KLA is also very excited that Yates County Cooperative Ex- Critter Corner: Canada Geese...…..18 Annual Meeting Minutes……… 19-25 tension has recently named Nicole Landers as Executive Director to Annual Meeting Photos……….25 & 26 replace Peter Landre. Nicole had been serving as a part time interim Order Forms………………………....27 KLA Directors and Officers…….......27 director while the CCE search committee recruited Peter‘s permanent Calendars - Overseas replacement. With a BS from the SUNY College of Environmental Service Persons………………..21 Science and Forestry and a Masters in Plant Pathology from Michigan Business Members & Advertisers....28 KLA Logo Apparel Order Info……..29 State University along with work experience in agriculture, invasive Advertising Info………………...........29 species and plant diseases, Nicole‘s background skills will nicely sup- KLA Office Info………………..……..29 Membership Application Form…..…29 port the KLA‘s programs. Page 2 September 2012 KLA Newsletter Hydrofracking & Well Disposal Committee report - Jim Barre KLA Continues to Demand a Prohibition of Hydrofracking by the DEC in the Keuka Lake Watershed The Keuka Lake Association (KLA) is awaiting the DEC‘s release of the final Supplemental Ge- neric Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) that will specify the regulations for permitting High Volume Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing for Natural Gas (HVHF). The release of this SGEIS is ex- pected this fall. Governor Cuomo and Joe Martens, DEC Commissioner, floated the idea of initially permitting HVHF only in the Southern Tier New York Counties of Steuben, Chemung, Tioga, Broome and Che- nango. Furthermore, Governor Cuomo indicated that a Town‘s interest in HVHF would be a significant factor in the DEC‘s decision to permit an HVHF well pad. The rate of HVHF permitting would be lim- ited to the number of DEC personnel available to permit and regulate. Current DEC staffing for per- mitting and regulating appears limited and insufficient. The KLA believes that HVHF would not be initially permitted in Yates County. HVHF could be permitted in the Steuben County Towns of Pulteney, Urbana and Wayne. The Town of Wayne has adopted an HVHF moratorium; Urbana will consider a moratorium; and, Pulteney has decided to not adopt a moratorium and permit HVHF, should it be allowed by the DEC. A recent discussion with the mineral resources person in the Avon Regional Office of the DEC indicated that the steep slopes and the top of the Marcellus shale layer being 2000 feet or less below the surface in the Keuka Lake Watershed would require a ―site specific‖ approval process (SEQR) and not be permitted by the DEC‘s generic standard approval process (SGEIS). Given the above situation, the KLA‘s position remains ―No HVHF in the Keuka Lake Watershed and within a surrounding 4000 feet buffer‖. The KLA cannot over emphasize the importance of Keu- ka Lake Watershed residents and property owners to communicate their interests to appropriate town officials and to attend town meetings addressing HVHF issues and concerns. A list of local town and county contacts, their addresses, telephone numbers and websites is available on the Keuka Lake Association website. These contacts are listed under ―What‖, ―Local Resources‖, ―Local Government‖. The KLA will continue to update its membership on current activities via e-mail. If you have not provided your e-mail address to the KLA and want to be updated on actions, please advise the KLA office of your e-mail address. Membership Committee Update - Mike Gow Thank you for your support! As the 2011-2012 membership year comes to a close, we‘re extremely happy to report that this has been a record year. Year-to-date total membership is well over 1700. This is the largest number of members the KLA has ever had! Again, we thank you! The KLA strives to focus and communicate to you on topics concerning Keuka Lake that you feel are most compelling. So please, if there is something that you would like the KLA to address, please let us know. We will continue to provide updates regarding the hydraulic fracturing issue as they develop. It has been a wonderful summer on Keuka. Enjoy your Fall and help us continue to protect and preserve our waters. KLA Membership Committee: Mike Gow (Chairperson), John Hagreen, Ellen Shaw-Maceko, Sandy Pietropaoli, Page 3 September 2012 KLA Newsletter Water Quality Committee - Bill Laffin At the July KLA Annual Meeting, I was elected water testing programs. If an economical unit can be to the position of KLA President and Dennis Carlson found, the KLA is prepared to fund a grant to pur- to the position of President Elect. As a result, Dennis chase one. will be taking over as Chair of the Water Quality as LULA lives on!! The LULA Group under the soon as we can make a smooth transition. This will guidance of KWIC Chair Steve Butchko and with be my last water quality newsletter article and I have support from Yates CCE, Cornell, Keuka College, truly enjoyed attempting to keep the membership in- KLA, Genesse Finger Lakes Regional Planning formed on water quality activities and responding to Council, Southern Tier Planning Council and a few general questions on lake quality issues over the other groups have applied for a grant under the mon- past four years. iker ―Strategy for a Sustainable Keuka Lake‖ that Water sampling is pretty much on schedule for would create the necessary plans and programs to the summer months as the boat crew has been implement the recommendations of the of The Keuka thankful for the fine weather that allows for warm and Lake Watershed Land Use Planning Guide – the dry days on the lake. You will recall that the KLA product of the LULA training sessions a few years awarded the Yates County Soil and Water Conserva- back. The grant includes state money and ―in kind tion District a grant this year to allow for close in- contributions‖ from other groups like KLA. It also shore monitoring of the Asian Water Chestnut in the sets up the framework for academic internships at Penn Yan Marsh. By the end of the summer the Keuka College partnering with Cornell University. crew will have accomplished 6 trips in the Penn Yan We are pleased that Nicole Landers has been Marsh. By the end of the summer the crew will have hired as Executive Director replacing Peter Landre. accomplished 6 trips in the Penn Yan Marsh and one This is great news! Look for her biography on the in the Sugar Creek inlet. No water chestnuts were KLA website. found in the Sugar Creek area and after 3 years of The KWIC (with data analysis assistance from manual harvesting in the Penn Yan Marsh, the densi- the KLA) has “discovered” that about 200 systems ty of this invasive species seems to have plateaued.
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