EPA's decision on LCP Bridge Street Operable Unit 2 and Wastebeds 9-15

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently decided that two contaminated areas of concern in the Onondaga Lake watershed, LCP Bridge Street Operable Unit 2 and Wastebeds 9-15, will not be remediated under the federal Superfund program. They are, however, being remediated by New York State and may in future be addressed by the Natural Resource Damages Trustee Council (Onondaga Nation, US Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation). For the full text of the EPA’s decision, click here.

Click here for a map showing the location of the two sites in relation to other contaminated areas of concern.

The Onondaga Lake federal Superfund Site is composed of 12 distinct contaminated areas (subsites), one of which is the entire lake bottom.  A complete listing of these subsites can be found on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s website.

Upcoming Community Presentations about Onondaga Lake

Free and open to the public! Please join us!

Thursday, September 22, 7:00 - 8:45 PM, in the Carman Community Room of the Liverpool Public Library (310 Tulip Street Liverpool 13088)

“Re-imagining the Future of Onondaga Lake” presentation

and Onondaga Lake Mapping Activity

Sunday, October 16, 2:00 - 3:00 PM, at the Marcellus Free Library (32 Maple Street Marcellus 13108)

“Re-imagining the Future of Onondaga Lake” presentation

Annual Open House Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection

Want to get a close-up look at what goes on at the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment facility, and learn more about what WEP is doing to help clean up Onondaga Lake? Then don't miss WEP's annual open house on Sept. 17 from 9AM to 2PM. The event will include:

• Update on Onondaga County’s nationally recognized “Save the Rain” program
• Learn more about Onondaga Lake’s recovery and view wildlife from the Lake
• Tour the state-of-the-art Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant
• View equipment demonstrations and project displays
• Learn about potential career opportunities

Location:
Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant
650 Hiawatha Blvd. W.
Syracuse, NY

Plant Tours:
Every Hour-on-the-hourFrom 9 am to 1 pm

For More Information, Contact:
Barb Liberatore
(315) 435-5402 x201

Save the Rain at Blue Rain ECOFest

Looking for a family-friendly event where you can learn more about how to Save the Rain in order to help clean the lake? Blue Rain ECOFest, Syracuse's own sustainability festival happening this weekend in Hanover Square, is just that event!

Save the Rain will be there to teach about watersheds during Saturday's Sustainability Academy in the City Hall Commons Atrium from 12-6PM, and will also host rain barrel workshops at 1:30 and 2:30PM on Sunday, as well as "How to Go Green in the 'Cuse" sessions at 2:30 and 3:30PM.

For all the details, visit the Save the Rain website at SavetheRain.us

Community Planning Sessions

Tuesday July 12^th, Wednesday July 13^th, Thursday July 21^st

6:30 PM | Solvay Public Library, 615 Woods Road, Solvay

Honeywell is inviting the public to attend any of the above community planning sessions on their Onondaga Lake initiatives.  Learn about upcoming projects and offer your input on potential community re-use and design considerations of the southwestern part of the lake such as:

• walking and biking trails
• wildlife viewing
• use of native plants
• enhancing the view of Onondaga Lake to the community

Please add your voice to the community conversation!

Harbor Brook Wetland Public Meeting

Harbor Brook Wetland Public Meeting
Rosamond Gifford Zoo
1 Conservation Place, Syracuse, NY 13204
Thursday, June 30 | 6:30 PM

Onondaga County’s “Save the Rain” program will be holding a public meeting to discuss plans for the upcoming construction of a treatment Wetland in the Harbor Brook sewer shed located from west of Velasko Road (where Harbor Brook crosses under Grand Avenue) to about Holden Street or some portion of this area. The CSO treatment Wetland will capture, treat and discharge wet weather overflow events for CSO 078 and be one of the only treatment Wetlands in the country.

Representatives from Onondaga County, CH2M HILL and CHA (County Consultants) will be on hand to give a project overview and acquire community input. Community members are encouraged to attend to learn more about the project and provide feedback.

For more information, please visit: http://savetherain.us/wetland/

Updates on Remediation Activities at the Onondaga Lake Bottom Subsite

The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) recently issued a fact sheet with updates on remediation activities at the Onondaga Lake Bottom subsite. Construction work continues on the Water Treatment Plant Building, Sediment Consolidation Area (SCA), and Sediment Slurry Pipeline. Air quality is being monitored at stations around the SCA; that data is publicly available on Honeywell’s website.

This month marks the beginning of a three-year study to address the concentration of mercury in the bodies of organisms in the lake.  (Some of the pollutants in the lake sediments build up in the tissues of organisms, including fish. There are strict limits on the amount of fish that people can eat because of high levels of contamination.) The study will investigate whether adding liquid calcium nitrate to the deep waters of the lake will help prevent mercury from entering the food chain. The injection of liquid calcium nitrate into the lake will take place at regular intervals over the next few years.

For more information, download the NYSDEC’s fact sheet.