01-30-2007, 08:04 AM
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today that five public meetings will be held and public comments solicited on the draft "Sportfishing Restoration and Spending Plan" for the Lake Ontario system. The Draft Plan proposes ways to restore and enhance recreational fishing and fisheries in the New York waters of the lower Niagara River, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and their tributaries upstream to the first barrier impassable to fish (hereafter referred to as the Lake Ontario system).
Funds for this restoration are available from a settlement of the state's Natural Resource Damages (NRD) claim with Occidental Chemical Corporation (OCC). The settlement arose under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (federal Superfund), and state common law, and compensates the people of the state for injuries to natural resources caused by the discharge of dangerous chemicals to the environment. OCC agreed to pay the state $12 million in five equal payments over four years. The settlement was based on an assessment of the damages to the state's natural resources, in particular a loss of recreational fishing benefits, resulting from the imposition of fish consumption advisories because of the presence of contaminants in fish in the Lake Ontario system. The proceeds of the settlement will be used to restore/enhance sportfishing and the injured natural resources.
Copies of the draft plan can be viewed or downloaded from [url "http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/lkontactivities.html"]www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/lkontactivities.html[/url] or can be obtained at the DEC Regional headquarters in Watertown, Syracuse, Avon and Buffalo.
All interested parties are encouraged to use [url "http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/lkontactivities.html"]www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/lkontactivities.html[/url] for both reviewing the draft plan and for submitting comments. Written comments can be e-mailed to fwnrd@gw.dec.state.ny.us or mailed to:
Christopher J. Balk
Lake Ontario Natural Resource Damages Coordinator
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
P.O. Box 292
Cape Vincent, NY 13618
For more information, contact DEC regional offices in Watertown, Cortland, Avon, Allegheny, and Cape Vincent. A listing of regional office contact information can be found at [url "http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/about/abtrull3.html"]www.dec.state.ny.us/website/about/abtrull3.html[/url] on the DEC website.
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Funds for this restoration are available from a settlement of the state's Natural Resource Damages (NRD) claim with Occidental Chemical Corporation (OCC). The settlement arose under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (federal Superfund), and state common law, and compensates the people of the state for injuries to natural resources caused by the discharge of dangerous chemicals to the environment. OCC agreed to pay the state $12 million in five equal payments over four years. The settlement was based on an assessment of the damages to the state's natural resources, in particular a loss of recreational fishing benefits, resulting from the imposition of fish consumption advisories because of the presence of contaminants in fish in the Lake Ontario system. The proceeds of the settlement will be used to restore/enhance sportfishing and the injured natural resources.
Copies of the draft plan can be viewed or downloaded from [url "http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/lkontactivities.html"]www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/lkontactivities.html[/url] or can be obtained at the DEC Regional headquarters in Watertown, Syracuse, Avon and Buffalo.
All interested parties are encouraged to use [url "http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/lkontactivities.html"]www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/lkontactivities.html[/url] for both reviewing the draft plan and for submitting comments. Written comments can be e-mailed to fwnrd@gw.dec.state.ny.us or mailed to:
Christopher J. Balk
Lake Ontario Natural Resource Damages Coordinator
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
P.O. Box 292
Cape Vincent, NY 13618
For more information, contact DEC regional offices in Watertown, Cortland, Avon, Allegheny, and Cape Vincent. A listing of regional office contact information can be found at [url "http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/about/abtrull3.html"]www.dec.state.ny.us/website/about/abtrull3.html[/url] on the DEC website.
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