A map from the SEIS scoping document showing the proposed 1000 acres of Chautauqua Lake that would be treated with herbicide. The DEC recently ruled that only 180 acres, about 20 percent, of the area could be treated.
LAKEWOOD – While permits to use herbicides in areas of Chautauqua Lake have been approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the application of herbicides is still up in the air due to a lack of funding.
That’s according to the Jamestown Post-Journal, which says the Chautauqua Lake Partnership is saying it still doesn’t have the funding necessary to pay for the application.
The CLP was the organization pushing for herbicide use on nearly 1000 acres of the lake and that worked with several municipalities to apply for a state permit. The state eventually approved herbicide use in about 180 acres of the lake.
CLP officials are now targeting the first week of June to apply the herbicides — most likely either June 4-5 or June 5-6, but that hinges on weather or not it can raise about $300,000 for the effort.
The organization has requested funding from both the Chautauqua County Legislature and New York State. The legislature meets Wednesday in Mayville for its monthly meeting but it’s the funding issue is not on the agenda. However, it could still be introduced by any member of the legislature under new business.
The legislature meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public.
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