At a stakeholder meeting for the development of updated rules and regulations for the Owasco Lake Watershed, a group of farmers talked about their role in addressing the nutrient runoff that has contributed to many problems, including the toxic algae outbreaks, in Owasco Lake.
At one point during the meeting, the concept of establishing "whole farms plans" was introduced.
Such plans would be expensive, especially for small and mid-sized farms — and in a watershed as vast and varied as Owasco’s.
It’s far too early in the process to say if whole farm plans should be part of the changes to the watershed rules and regulations, but the money question raised Thursday night needs to brought front and center to this and all other discussions about water quality issues in the region.
What’s becoming clear in central New York and in many other places around the nation is that environmental issues and aging and outdated infrastructure are presenting a clear and present threat to something almost everyone in this country takes for granted: access to potable water.
The good news is that federal and state leaders have taken some concrete steps already to invest in solutions to this problem. These measures include the $2.5 billion clean water act included in the current state budget and the $250 million amendment — introduced by central New York Rep. John Katko — recently approved by the U.S. House of Representatives to restore clean water funding in the federal budget.
Earlier this week, responding to the news that harmful algae has infiltrated one of the purest lakes one can find, Skaneateles Lake, Katko issued a statement outlining steps taken.