A huge debate at the heart of the effort to turn around Owasco Lake's declining health involves the establishment of a lake steward position.
Long championed by the Owasco Watershed Lake Association, a steward would serve as the key person to make sure environmental and other regulations regarding the lake are followed.
The person, depending on how it is structured, could have enforcement powers, something many lake stakeholders claim has been lax under the existing system, which includes a part-time watershed inspector employed by Auburn.
But the lake steward proposal has its detractors, whose chief argument has been that it would merely create another ineffective bureaucratic position funded by taxpayer dollars.
This concern is legitimate, but it can no longer stand in the way of establishing a stewardship program. Instead, it must be the top priority of the municipalities that would have oversight of a lake steward to ensure the person is proactively doing the job. And that job description, in the broadest sense, should have one underlying objective - to improve the health of Owasco Lake.
Though talk over Owasco's problems has been happening for years, this summer it has reached a new level. When state Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette, held an open meeting to discuss the lake earlier this summer, nearly 200 people attended.
Property owners, boaters, drinking water users, anglers and swimmers are all finding themselves increasingly turned off by the lake's growing weed and algae problem. They want to see some changes, and they want to have someone step up to be accountable for making them.
Of course a steward alone won't turn things around, but the current haphazard approach is even less effective.
A successful lake steward will need the support of local, state and perhaps even the federal government, as well as the public.
More than ever, that support is there. Nozzolio's announcement last week of $425,000 in state funds for Owasco Lake turnaround initiatives is a prime example. The senator himself has joined the list of people calling for a lake steward.
As with any type of new position, there needs to be careful attention paid to the details behind the structure of the stewardship. That's no reason to block it from happening; it's simply something to keep in mind as the process unfolds.
It's time for Auburn, Cayuga County and all of the other communities with a stake in Owasco Lake's future to make a firm commitment to take this crucial step forward.
The person, depending on how it is structured, could have enforcement powers, something many lake stakeholders claim has been lax under the existing system, which includes a part-time watershed inspector employed by Auburn.
But the lake steward proposal has its detractors, whose chief argument has been that it would merely create another ineffective bureaucratic position funded by taxpayer dollars.
This concern is legitimate, but it can no longer stand in the way of establishing a stewardship program. Instead, it must be the top priority of the municipalities that would have oversight of a lake steward to ensure the person is proactively doing the job. And that job description, in the broadest sense, should have one underlying objective - to improve the health of Owasco Lake.
Though talk over Owasco's problems has been happening for years, this summer it has reached a new level. When state Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette, held an open meeting to discuss the lake earlier this summer, nearly 200 people attended.
Property owners, boaters, drinking water users, anglers and swimmers are all finding themselves increasingly turned off by the lake's growing weed and algae problem. They want to see some changes, and they want to have someone step up to be accountable for making them.
Of course a steward alone won't turn things around, but the current haphazard approach is even less effective.
A successful lake steward will need the support of local, state and perhaps even the federal government, as well as the public.
More than ever, that support is there. Nozzolio's announcement last week of $425,000 in state funds for Owasco Lake turnaround initiatives is a prime example. The senator himself has joined the list of people calling for a lake steward.
As with any type of new position, there needs to be careful attention paid to the details behind the structure of the stewardship. That's no reason to block it from happening; it's simply something to keep in mind as the process unfolds.
It's time for Auburn, Cayuga County and all of the other communities with a stake in Owasco Lake's future to make a firm commitment to take this crucial step forward.
The Citizens' Say
There are 2 comment(s)
pseudelos wrote on Sep 17, 2006 9:17 AM:
jazzy wrote on Aug 22, 2006 12:01 AM: