Schumer pays a visit
By PATRICK L. FANELLI Special to the OBSERVER
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7/3/2007 - LAKEWOOD — It is the responsibility of the federal government rather than local and state authorities to rid Chautauqua Lake of invasive Eurasian milfoil, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said during a visit Monday to the Chautauqua Lake Association in Lakewood.
One week after he announced the acquisition of $1 million to combat invasive plant life in three water bodies across the U.S. including Chautauqua Lake, Schumer called upon the federal government to develop a long-term solution to the problem.
''For too long, we did nothing about this,'' Schumer said outside the CLA offices on Terrace Avenue. ''There are things that can be done. We've done it for other species before.''
The purpose of the trip, according to Schumer, was to witness the problem first hand. He originally hoped to tour the lake by boat but had to scrap that plan when he threw out his back.
He spoke before a moderate-sized crowd comprised of local officials and those responsible for the maintenance of Chautauqua Lake. A few minutes earlier, County Executive Greg Edwards and Chris Yates, CLA vice president, gave Schumer a brief demonstration of how the CLA's weed-cutting equipment works.
"This is a beautiful county, and one of the crown jewels is the lake," Schumer said. "We have to do whatever we can to see that the lake system is in good shape."
Because invasive species can easily spread to other lakes and waterways, Schumer considers the milfoil problem a federal one.
He is calling on the Army Corps of Engineers to develop a comprehensive plan to eradicate milfoil in Chautauqua Lake once and for all and he is also calling for a greater government role in the invasive species arena through the U.S. Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.
The group, which includes representatives from 10 federal agencies including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, is responsible for identifying and controlling harmful aquatic species. Schumer is calling on the task force to identify the ways invasive species spread and develop strategies to prevent it from happening.
Schumer is also calling on the National Invasive Species Council to create a rapid response mechanism to detect and control outbreaks, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop regulations to ensure treatment methods are effective and protect human health and the environment.
"While we've taken steps to try and minimize the reach of these weeds, it is time we look seriously at a long-term solution to terminate this invasive species once and for all," Schumer said.
While it remains unclear how much of the $1 million Chautauqua Lake will receive or what immediate impact Schumer's efforts will have on the lake, Bill Evans, Chautauqua Lake Management Commission chairman, was at least glad that the lake has received so much attention from federal authorities.
He believes it wouldn't have been possible if the numerous groups responsible for maintaining the lake banded together in recent years to form the CLMC — despite the fact that many of the groups had very different ideas on how best to protect Chautauqua Lake.
"I think the reason we're standing here ... is because we had the different groups come together and work together," Evans said. "It validates the CLMC process we started two, two-and-a-half years ago."
According to Schumer's office, Chautauqua Lake is expected to receive a large portion of the $1 million — and Schumer assured the crowd that the Army Corps of Engineers will allocate whatever is needed.
Evans indicated there is a perception among federal authorities that, of the three water bodies, Chautauqua Lake has the biggest problems and will receive the biggest amount.
How the money will be spent — whether it will be used to boost the CLA's weed cutting efforts, to dredge, to apply herbicides or to utilize another weed control method — will be up to the Army Corps of Engineers, which has been studying the weed problem this year.
One week after he announced the acquisition of $1 million to combat invasive plant life in three water bodies across the U.S. including Chautauqua Lake, Schumer called upon the federal government to develop a long-term solution to the problem.
''For too long, we did nothing about this,'' Schumer said outside the CLA offices on Terrace Avenue. ''There are things that can be done. We've done it for other species before.''
The purpose of the trip, according to Schumer, was to witness the problem first hand. He originally hoped to tour the lake by boat but had to scrap that plan when he threw out his back.
He spoke before a moderate-sized crowd comprised of local officials and those responsible for the maintenance of Chautauqua Lake. A few minutes earlier, County Executive Greg Edwards and Chris Yates, CLA vice president, gave Schumer a brief demonstration of how the CLA's weed-cutting equipment works.
"This is a beautiful county, and one of the crown jewels is the lake," Schumer said. "We have to do whatever we can to see that the lake system is in good shape."
Because invasive species can easily spread to other lakes and waterways, Schumer considers the milfoil problem a federal one.
He is calling on the Army Corps of Engineers to develop a comprehensive plan to eradicate milfoil in Chautauqua Lake once and for all and he is also calling for a greater government role in the invasive species arena through the U.S. Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.
The group, which includes representatives from 10 federal agencies including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, is responsible for identifying and controlling harmful aquatic species. Schumer is calling on the task force to identify the ways invasive species spread and develop strategies to prevent it from happening.
Schumer is also calling on the National Invasive Species Council to create a rapid response mechanism to detect and control outbreaks, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop regulations to ensure treatment methods are effective and protect human health and the environment.
"While we've taken steps to try and minimize the reach of these weeds, it is time we look seriously at a long-term solution to terminate this invasive species once and for all," Schumer said.
While it remains unclear how much of the $1 million Chautauqua Lake will receive or what immediate impact Schumer's efforts will have on the lake, Bill Evans, Chautauqua Lake Management Commission chairman, was at least glad that the lake has received so much attention from federal authorities.
He believes it wouldn't have been possible if the numerous groups responsible for maintaining the lake banded together in recent years to form the CLMC — despite the fact that many of the groups had very different ideas on how best to protect Chautauqua Lake.
"I think the reason we're standing here ... is because we had the different groups come together and work together," Evans said. "It validates the CLMC process we started two, two-and-a-half years ago."
According to Schumer's office, Chautauqua Lake is expected to receive a large portion of the $1 million — and Schumer assured the crowd that the Army Corps of Engineers will allocate whatever is needed.
Evans indicated there is a perception among federal authorities that, of the three water bodies, Chautauqua Lake has the biggest problems and will receive the biggest amount.
How the money will be spent — whether it will be used to boost the CLA's weed cutting efforts, to dredge, to apply herbicides or to utilize another weed control method — will be up to the Army Corps of Engineers, which has been studying the weed problem this year.
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