Letter to the Hon. David Pittman, Dir. of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Schumer fights for Army Corps of Engineers funding to battle Harmful Algal Blooms; senator urges Army Corps of Engineers to use boosted Fed resources to launch New York statewide effort to stop the spread of Harmful Algal Blooms plaguing Upstate NY lakes

Letter

Dear Dr. Pittman,

I write to request that you make New York the top priority when expanding harmful algal bloom (HAB) pilot programs in FY 2020 following the recently announced increase in appropriations for these programs. I worked tirelessly, along with my colleagues in Congress, to secure a $2.8 billion increase in funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in H.R. 1865, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, as well as strong language in the Senate Appropriations Committee report that accompanied this bill that instructs (USACE) to expand research and pilot programs aimed at combatting HABs.

Specifically, my colleagues and I secured a $15.4 million increase for the Aquatic Nuisance Research Program (ANRP) and a $24 million increase for the Aquatic Plant Control Program (APCP) over the administration's request. Furthermore, in the accompanying Statement of the Managers for H.R. 1865 the appropriators say, "The Corps is encouraged to explore opportunities to address HABs in the Great Lakes given the historic lake levels in the region." The impact of HABs on communities across New York has been severe, so I strongly encourage you to use your existing authorities, new funding, and encouragement from the Senate and House appropriators to expand these pilot programs across New York, as well as specifically at these lakes:

-Skaneateles Lake: For 123 years Skaneateles Lake has been an exceptionally clean drinking water source for currently 200,000 people in Onondaga County, New York. The highest of the Finger Lakes, Skaneateles Lake covers three counties at 16 miles long and three-quarters of a mile wide, with a maximum depth of 315 feet. In addition to approximately 2,000 year-round residences along the lakeshore and a booming tourism industry, 45% of the watershed is used for agriculture. Once the cleanest Finger Lake and the second cleanest lake in the United States, Skaneateles lost these titles in 2017 when a HAB outbreak was discovered in the lake's water intake pipe. During that outbreak surface water tests showed levels of algae toxins nine times higher than what the State Department of Environmental Conservations considers high levels. This HAB lasted for weeks, even stretching into October. HABs returned in 2018, with confirmed HABs on 9/13/18, 9/14/18, 9/16/18, 9/27/18, and 10/8/18. Despite research by scientists, meetings with elected officials, and new funding, HABs yet again returned in 2019 with confirmed HABs on 9/2/19, 9/9/19, and 9/21/19, and a number of suspicious blooms in September and October. In May 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey and New York state installed new technology that detects changing water conditions which could indicate the early stages of HAB formation. This technology is not only an early warning system but it also helps researchers gain a better understanding of HABs so they can develop treatment and preventive options. This or other technology could aid in preventing the spread of HABs in Skaneateles Lake.
-Conesus Lake: Conesus Lake is a major drinking water source for approximately 20,000 residents in Livingston County, New York. As the westernmost Finger Lake, Conesus is a major tourism driver for the area, promoting fishing, boating, swimming, and other recreational activities. Conesus Lake is one of the most heavily and densely populated Finger Lakes, with the majority of residents living year-round. Unfortunately Conesus Lake suffers from frequent HAB occurrences. A 2018 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) report showed that Conesus had 13 observed HABs outbreaks since 2013, resulting in 46 lost beach days and associated beach revenue. Additionally, in 2019 there have been 6 HAB occurrences. Frequent HAB outbreaks, combined with the presence of excessive nutrients like phosphorus, have led to Conesus being designated as an "Impaired Waterbody." Conesus is also one of the shallower Finger Lakes with a maximum depth of 66 feet.
-Lake George: Dubbed the "Queen of American Lakes" by Thomas Jefferson, Lake George has immense historical standing and is a key driver of New York's upstate economy accounting for 42 percent of the region's tourism sales. Indeed, Adirondack tourism is a $1.4 billion industry supporting over 21,300 jobs. Lake George is also classified as an AA special water body suitable for drinking. New York has listed Lake George as high-risk for algae bloom, which would be devastating to the tourism industry. A recent study by the Jefferson Project showed algae growth in part of Lake George and scientists pointed to nutrient levels and fears that HABs could become an occurrence in Lake George.
-Seneca Lake: The largest and deepest of the Finger Lakes, Seneca is a source of drinking water for nearly 100,000 people, as well as a driver of the regional economy. Seneca is surrounded by more than 50 wineries--as a result, the lake is a regular location for tourist activities, increasing the possibility of HAB exposure to humans and pets. This year marks the fifth year in a row that cyanobacteria have been confirmed in Seneca Lake, with at least 24 separate blooms reported in September 2019 alone. According to NYSDEC, on September 8, 2019 there were multiple reports of HABs with confirmed high levels of toxicity.
-Chautauqua Lake: Used by lake residents and visitors as a source of drinking water, and the most important economic asset for the surrounding area, Chautauqua Lake has experienced more than 298 reported HAB occurrences since 2012. Alarmingly, there were 82 confirmed HABs in 2017 with 14 confirmed as highly toxic. Since 2017, these HAB outbreaks have caused 22 beach closures and led to a total of 286 lost beach days. With 1,515 commercial farms, 15,500 acres of grapes, and eight wineries, recent studies have shown that pesticide run-off is a contributing factor to HABs. These HABs have a major impact on local community as there are 14 municipalities that are within Chautauqua Lake's watershed -- all economically dependent on the lake. This lake is listed as a National Historic Landmark, a huge draw for tourists, and it is consistently plagued by HABs. In the Water Resources Development Act of 2018, I was pleased to authorize a study of Harmful Algal Blooms at this lake. Now the time has come to allocate funding to begin study of this alarming environmental, health, and economic problem.
Canandaigua Lake: As a drinking water source for approximately 70,000 people, Canandaigua Lake has 21,000 people living along the Lake's shoreline. The fourth largest of the Finger Lakes is 15.5 miles long, 1.1 miles wide, and 276 feet deep at its deepest point. In 2019 alone, Canandaigua Lake had 35 reported HAB occurrences which led to the closure of public swimming areas and private beaches. As with Seneca Lake, these HABs continue to be a blight on the community.
-Owasco Lake: As a drinking water source for approximately 44,000 people, Owasco is the sixth largest of the Finger Lakes at 1.3 miles wide and 11.1 miles long with a maximum depth of 177 feet. Due to its shallow nature, the lake is a popular tourist spot in the summer as the water tends to warm up early and stay warm longer into the year. This tourist draw has been dampened in recent years as HABs have become a public health risk for the lake. For example, in 2016, HABs were detected in treated drinking water from Owasco Lake for the first time. HABs were detected along the shoreline of the lake in 2017, 2018, and this year.
-Honeoye Lake: With over 100 confirmed HABs since 2012, Honeoye Lake has felt the negative impacts of HABs on its tourism industry. The lake is a popular destination for boating, swimming, and other recreational activities, but HABs have led to over 100 lost beach days. With 24 HAB outbreaks reported in 2019, HABs have become a regular occurrence at the lake.
-Croton Falls Reservoir: This reservoir is part of the New York City watershed and a source of water for NYC, home to over 8.5 million people. As a reservoir that has been plagued by HABs, this could be a possible location to test ANSRP's Operational Strategies for HAB Management in Inland Reservoirs program.

These are only a fraction of the many freshwater bodies that Upstate New York holds that are plagued by HABs. From a scientific perspective, the Finger Lakes represent a unique opportunity to study HABs in a controlled environment. Located close together geographically, but also relatively isolated from each other, these freshwater bodies are an ideal candidate for USACE's next round of pilot programs within the ANRP and the APCP. I urge you to follow the committee's direction and bring these opportunities to address HABs to New York.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact my staff.

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