LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Finger
Lakes - Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the continuing
welfare of the citizens of the State of New York is greatly enriched and
reliably served by the purposeful endeavors of organizations which are
committed to the preservation of our natural environment and the
enhancement of the appreciation of the distinctive features of our
surroundings, and to the economic well-being of the areas in which they
exist; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that
the quality and character of life in the communities across New York
State are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those
organizations and individuals who would devote themselves to the welfare
of the community and its citizenry; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the intent of this Legislative Body to
commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario
Watershed Protection Alliance, and to recognize the important role it
plays in its community; and
WHEREAS, Originally started in 1984, as the Aquatic Vegetation Control
Program, by the 1990s the program became more broadly focused to address
a myriad of water quality issues and included work in 18 counties; and
WHEREAS, In 1994, a proposal was developed by the member counties to
more explicitly identify holistic, grassroots watershed management as
the primary focus of the existing program; this proposal was implemented
during 1996, resulting in a new program name, the Finger Lakes - Lake
Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance (FLLOWPA), and a membership
including 25 New York State counties wholly or partially located within
the Lake Ontario watershed; and
WHEREAS, Today, FLLOWPA continues to be an effective and efficient
organization partnering with local stakeholders and both State and
Federal agencies to promote agriculture, tourism, recreation, economic
development and natural resource conservation in New York State; and
WHEREAS, Since 2000, FLLOWPA has cost-shared and provided technical
assistance on hundreds of water quality improvement projects based on
documented need; working with more than 175 partners across the Lake
Ontario Basin, over $15 million has been leveraged in addition to FLLOW-
PA funding to address water quality concerns relating to agriculture,
septic systems, erosion and stormwater, invasive species, habitat
protection, drinking water and more; and
WHEREAS, For 16 years, FLLOWPA has provided support to the agriculture
industry by providing complete comprehensive nutrient management plans
for 155 CAFO operators so they could comply with federal CAFO regu-
lations and reduce agricultural pollutants from over 52,975 farm acres;
and installed hundreds of Best Management Practices on farms to reduce
nutrients, pathogens and pesticides from reaching our waterways; and
WHEREAS, Moreover, FLLOWPA has managed the septic system by inspecting
8,828 septic systems, fixing 747 failing systems, consulting with 1,564
rural homeowners, and training 285 professional inspectors/code enforce-
ment officers; and
WHEREAS, FFLOWPA also helped steady the watershed by stabilizing 522
miles of road bank and 59,612 linear feet of stream bank; in addition,
this vital organization constructed 37 artificial wetlands covering 669
acres to filter stormwater, and hydroseeded 1,300 critical acres; and

WHEREAS, In 2003, Federal stormwater regulations called for stormwater
plans and erosion control measures in populous "MS4" communities and for
every construction project disturbing an acre or more of soil; and
WHEREAS, To comply with the regulations, FFLOWPA provided technical
assistance to over 65 "MS4" communities preparing mandated stormwater
management plans, conducted 110 stormwater workshops, serving 3,916
stakeholders, and worked on 485 site visits; 393 consultations with
contractors, developers, or private parties and 440 consultations with
municipalities; and
WHEREAS, FFLOWPA has also been instrumental in removing 30,475 tons of
invasive aquatic vegetation within the Finger Lakes, Fulton Chain of
Lakes, Lake Ontario, Oneida Lake/Three Rivers Area, Madison County
Reservoirs, and Tully Lakes; and
WHEREAS, FFLOWPA assesses water quality in 150 lakes and streams at
over 1,230 sampling locations annually; data is used to identify pollu-
tant sources, prioritize management actions and evaluate efficacy, docu-
ment trends, update DEC's statewide Waterbody Inventory and educate
citizens and local governments; and
WHEREAS, As part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI),
FLLOWPA was awarded $231,000 in September of 2012 to administer three
projects which will help to improve fish populations in Central New York
by mitigating barriers to reconnect habitat, to restore ecosystem func-
tion, and to improve brook trout and lake sturgeon populations in the
Lake Ontario watershed; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS),
Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office and the US
Geological Survey created three spawning beds equal to 21,600 square
feet in the Seneca River adjacent to the Montezuma National Wildlife
Refuge (NWR) in Seneca County to provide new habitat for species that
require clean rock reefs for spawning, especially Lake Sturgeon; and
WHEREAS, During subsequent spawning seasons the effectiveness of the
spawning beds will be evaluated; this milestone in collaborative native
fish restoration was reached in partnership with the Montezuma NWR, the
USFWS Region 5 Office, the Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario Watershed
Protection Alliance, the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYS DEC), and the New York State Canal Corporation; and
WHEREAS, The Great Lakes Basin Project is funded by the Great Lakes
Commission (GLC) through funds provided by the United States Department
of Agriculture Natural Conservation Service in conjunction with the
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; the GLC is an interstate compact
agency which promotes the orderly, integrated and comprehensive develop-
ment, use and conservation of water and related natural resources of the
.SO DOC A R963 RESO TEXT 2015
Great Lakes Basin and the St. Lawrence River; and
WHEREAS, In October of 2012, FLLOWPA was awarded $207,790 by the GLC
for the Critical Area Stabilization in the Lake Ontario Watershed
Project; grant funds were used by Cayuga, Onondaga, and Cortland County,
in a collaborative effort with units of local government and landowners
in New York State to implement hydroseeding and streambank stabilization
projects to reduce sediment loading and soil erosion; and
WHEREAS, The Cayuga FLLOWPA program addresses several priorities of
concern included in the Cayuga County Water Quality Management Strategy
such as water quality monitoring, invasive species control, the review
and update of watershed rules and regulations, septic system management,
streambank stabilization, and education; and
WHEREAS, Funding was used to continue watershed inspections and
enforcement of the Cayuga County Sanitary Code, conduct educational
programs and implement control measures for invasive and nuisance
species including mechanical harvesting of aquatic plants and geese

management at Emerson Park (public beach), continue sediment and nutri-
ent monitoring programs on Owasco Lake tributaries and support local
lake association participation in the Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment
Program (CSLAP), continue phosphorus education and sampling programs,
support the process of updating the Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and
Regulations, conduct streambank stabilization work on a priority tribu-
tary to Owasco Lake, and coordinate Project WET workshops in Cayuga
County and hold a Project WET festival to kick off water education in
schools, as well as support interpretive exhibits at Sterling Nature
Center and print materials on shoreline erosion and prevention tech-
niques; and
WHEREAS, Onondaga County's FLLOWPA program is guided by the County's
Water Quality Strategy which focuses on priority waterbodies and drink-
ing water protection, invasive species control, agricultural best
management practices, water quality monitoring, and stormwater manage-
ment; and
WHEREAS, FLLOWPA funding is used to collaborate with Cayuga, Madison,
and Oswego Counties and citizen groups on a multifaceted water chestnut
control program in the Oneida Lake/Three Rivers system, expand the
native plant restoration program where water chestnut has been elimi-
nated, continue to control aquatic plants in Tully Lake, Dertryter
Reservoir and Skaneateles Lake, install agricultural best management
practices in the Oneida Lake, Otisco Lake, Tully Lake, West Tioughnioga,
and Seneca River watersheds, and reduce stormwater runoff and water
quality pollution by educating the public (and constructing) rain
gardens and other techniques; and
WHEREAS, Cortland County's FLLOWPA program continues to be guided by
the County's Water Quality Strategy and focuses on identifying and miti-
gating sources of nonpoint pollution, groundwater resource protection,
and educating the public on the importance and vulnerability of the
county's water resources; and
WHEREAS, FLLOWPA funding is used to provide technical assistance to
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and other farms by imple-
menting Best Management Practices identified under whole farm planning,
hydroseed approximately two miles of road ditches or other disturbed
areas, improve road drainage programs for municipalities, assist the
Little York Lake Improvement Society and the Tully Lake Association with
implementing their management plans, continue collaborating with Tomp-
kins County and the Fall Creek Watershed Committee to monitor the Fall
Creek and Virgil Creek watersheds, continue to work with communities,
developers, contractors, and consultants to address Phase II Stormwater
regulations for construction activities, provide technical materials to
help involved parties better understand responsibilities and require-
ments and provide technical review of stormwater plans, and continue
public awareness programs to encourage local stewardship of water
resources including Conservation Field Days, River Cleanup, Rural Land-
owners' Workshop, Envirothon, Water Festival and Water week; and
WHEREAS, 2016 marks the 20th year the Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario
Watershed Protection Alliance has effectively and continuously furthered
the environmental management and preservation of its lakes and its
watershed; and
WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon all citizens to recognize and applaud
the efforts of organizations such as the Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario
Watershed Protection Alliance which work tirelessly on behalf of
protecting our natural surroundings for the benefit of present and
future generations of New Yorkers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario
Watershed Protection Alliance; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alli-
ance.