News
Lake Ontario Residents Optimistic Over New Tool That Could Reduce Flooding Risks
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“It’s like a program or code based on historical water supply records that can simulate what could happen from different decisions.”
Angela Riley
Veolia Maintenance Contract Approved For Binghamton-Johnson City Wastewater Treatment Plant
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The vote comes hours after Mayor Rich David announced an agreement to “formally end” privatization plans
Environment
Aboard The Lake Guardian, Scientists Fish For The Story Of Lake Ontario
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When the ice melts each spring, the ship visits each of the five lakes to measure basic water quality and sample the “lower food web” — the tiny animals, plants, and algae that support fish and other aquatic life.
Energy
Injection Wells Exist To Hold Fracking Wastewater, But The Water Can Move. Here’s how
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Salty wastewater produced by fracking for oil and gas has to go somewhere. Often, it’s injected into disposal wells deep underground. But sometimes that wastewater can find its way back to the surface and cause environmental problems.
Government
A Growing Number Of PA Municipalities Adopt Stormwater Fees
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“A lot of these storm pipes are undersized. So they become overwhelmed with stormwater particularly after significant rain events and flooding.”
App NEWS
PA Finds PFAS In A Third Of Public Water Systems; None Exceeded EPA Limit
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Critics push PA to set enforceable drinking water levels to protect public health
App NEWS
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Could Threaten The Finger Lakes
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If the hemlocks are killed off, or even severely damaged, they could tumble into gorges, bringing severe erosion into many of the watersheds feeding the lakes, and in turn the lakes themselves.
App NEWS
Cayuga Nation Raises Funds To Repurchase SHARE Farm
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“As we have gone through the last year of understanding about systematic racism and historic trauma, it’s time for us to address these historic harms within New York State and within Haudenosaunee territory.”
News
Lake Ontario Regulators Ease Outflows Amid Favorable Conditions
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“The risk of flooding on Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River has declined from moderate in December 2020 to low.”
App NEWS
Schumer, Gillibrand Want Potential Risks Evaluated At Proposed Schuyler Co. Waste Facility
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“We have already seen the terrible consequences of poor water quality on communities across New York and we can’t afford to repeat our mistakes.”
Environment
Pennsylvania Pays $34 Million For Water Cleanup
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Of the 149 projects granted money from the Growing Greener program, 43 in south central Pennsylvania will get $12 million.
Government
Despite ‘Plan 2014’, Outflows From Lake Ontario Increase Next Month
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“I mean it’s huge for us. We have been trying to recover from the damage from 2017 and 2019 so to know that this will help alleviate the chances of flooding for 2021 means a great deal.”
Government
Facing Large Water Supply, Lake Ontario Residents Want More Outflows This Winter
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“In January when the shipping season is over, do exactly what you did last winter – physically let out as much water as you can because you don’t know what’s going to happen next spring.”
App NEWS
Schuyler Co. Legislature Passes Vote Opposing Cayuta Recycling Facility
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The vote was 7-1.
Education
Participants Sought To Help New York Rate Creeks, Streams
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“And the really cool thing is when you fill out a survey on your smartphone, it geolocates you. We’re able to go back to that exact same spot and we’ll do the water quality testing.”
Government
GAO Report Calls For Better Communication Efforts By Great Lakes Commission
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“They’re not being transparent enough, they’re not engaging the stakeholders and the shoreline communities and they’re not getting the data they need from the appropriate sources like the shoreline communities.”
Advocates, New York Lawmakers Raise Concern About Drinking Water Quality
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State legislators, local elected officials, and environmental advocates called for stringent standards on three toxic chemicals that have polluted drinking water across the state: PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane.
Featured in Category
Forest Schools: An Alternative To In-Classroom Or Remote Learning
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The Walden Project is an example of an outdoor independent learning program that is a possible alternative for immunocompromised students or others who can’t or don’t want to return to a traditional classroom setting during the coronavirus pandemic.
How To Clear Invasive Species? Get Goats!
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“They’re tipping the balance towards a more diverse ecosystem. The result will be beauty and color in the landscape, new homes for butterflies improved water quality and a stronger web of life.”
Birding While Black: Jason Ward On Racism And His Passion For Birds
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Jason Ward, host of the video series “Birds of North America,” explains that being a black birder means having to take precautions to stay safe while pursuing a passion for nature.
Environment
With Lake Ontario Below 2019 Levels, IJC Resumes Adherence To “Plan 2014”
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By lowering the outflows from Lake Ontario, the Board hopes to make navigation in the St. Lawrence River safer and raise the water levels in Lake St. Louis.
App NEWS
Coronavirus Delays Conservation Efforts In Pennsylvania
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“The whole spring season is basically lost.”
News
Weather Factors Ease Flooding Concerns Along Lake Ontario’s Shoreline
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Water levels throughout the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River System are expected to peak below the record-high levels seen in 2019.
Government
Erie Canal Summer Recreation Up In The Air
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Repairing the locks, which allow boats to travel from one neck of the waterway to another, was deemed nonessential work.
Study Commences On Planned 80-Mile Southern Tier Trail
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“As we begin to rethink and restart the economy, projects like this can really help transform communities in a very positive way.”
Government
For Outdoor Recreation, Pennsylvania Asks Citizens To Stay Close To Home
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“Think about the backyard, think about the neighborhood, think about the local park, think about a local trail, think about the closest state park or forest area and how to recreate safely there.”
App NEWS
Sugar Maple: A New York Native With A Treat
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Sugar Maple is New York’s state tree and has one well-known, particularly sweet feature: syrup.
Great Lakes Levels Have Lake Ontario Communities Concerned For Spring
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The Army Corps of Engineers reports that four of the five Great Lakes were at record-high water levels this week.
Designed To Protect Lake Ontario’s Shoreline, 20 Sites Listed For Dredging Project
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“What the dredging does is it increases the access and capacity of creeks, inlets, et cetera. And it uses the dredging material, in this situation, to increase a barrier to keep the high water from affecting the shoreline.”
App NEWS
Budget Proposal Boosts Staff At PA’s Departments Of Environmental Protection, Conservation and Natural Rresources
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In annual budget address, Wolf talked about need for pipeline reform
App NEWS
Yellow Birch: An Old NY Native That Tastes Like Root Beer
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The lower layer of the bark contains a compound that tastes and smells like wintergreen or rootbeer. Twigs from smaller trees can be snapped off and chewed up for a tasty treat on the hiking trail.
App NEWS
Helping Homeless Pets Through Better Training
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“We’re definitely helping to prevent some rehoming events, for sure. We often get calls from people who are at the end of their rope; they don’t know where to turn next with their pet.”
App NEWS
PFAS Chemicals Detected In Water Supplies Nationwide
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In Philadelphia, the survey found two of the most commonly researched PFAS chemicals at levels far below the EPA’s recommended limit.
Energy
PA Orders Range Resources To Clean Up Its Act On Lycoming County Well
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DEP quietly withdrew the fine for faulty drilling after the company promised to fix the problems.
App NEWS
Christmas Fern: An Evergreen New York Native
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The Christmas fern gets that name because the leaflets’ shape is similar to a Christmas stocking hung over the fireplace.
binghamton
White Deer Bus Tours Ending At Former Seneca Army Depot
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One of Seneca County’s better known attractions, the white deer at the former Army Depot, will lose one of the tourism efforts that has sprung up in recent years.
Environment
A Third Of PA Drinking Water Samples Contained Toxic Chemicals. The State Says There’s ‘No Widespread Contamination’
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Amid federal inaction, there’s no consensus on how much of the PFAS class of chemicals is too much.
App NEWS
Witch Hazel: A NY Native That Extends Pollinators’ Season
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Witch Hazel is a small tree with multiple smooth trunks and flowers that look otherworldly, burgundy with yellow petals bursting out that look like crinkled yellow ribbons.
App NEWS
Maidenhair Fern: A Protected NY Native
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The Maidenhair fern is not as common as some other ferns, but it can still be found in damp, shady woods, especially down by ravines.
App NEWS
Most Plastics Break Down Into Tiny Pieces Before They Reach The Great Lakes. This PA Researcher Studies Them Before They Degrade
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Plastic doesn’t go away, but it breaks down in the environment. One bottle can degrade into hundreds, even thousands, of tiny pieces of plastic the size of a grain of sand, which can be eaten by birds or fish.
App NEWS
Changing Climate Means State Birds Could Disappear From PA And NJ
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A new report by the National Audubon Society says Pennsylvania’s state bird the ruffed grouse and New Jersey’s American goldfinch could disappear from the state.
App NEWS
Smooth Blue Aster: A NY Native Blooming Now
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The flower blooms for about a month between September and October.
Government
New Report Says PA Park Funding Hasn’t Kept Pace With Inflation
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“The result has been a decrease in the ability of staff to adequately maintain physical infrastructure…manage natural and cultural resources and address numerous environmental challenges.”
App NEWS
Environmentalists Want Lower Maximum Levels For PFOA And Other Drinking Water Contaminants
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“This is not 1970, where we can have the concept that because of economic reasons, we can have acceptable levels of materials like this in our drinking water.”
App NEWS
House Committee Passes Delgado-Backed PFAS Bill
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Congressman Antonio Delgado (NY-19) sponsored the bill, which requires some companies to report their usage of PFAS to the EPA.
App NEWS
Binghamton Mayor Predicts No Sewer Rate Increase In 2020
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Rates will differ across Broome County and still could go after 2020.
PA Vineyards Facing An Insect Invasion May Turn To Aliens For Help
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A stowaway from China, the spotted lanternfly, is eating its way across Pennsylvania, killing trees and grapevines. Scientists are considering importing the bug’s natural enemies from back home.
App NEWS
PA Business Advocates Celebrate Trump’s Clean Water Rollback
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Meanwhile, environmental groups like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation say the move is an “assault” on clean water.
App NEWS
On Cayuga Lake, Researchers Fight Hydrilla
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Army Corps of Engineers surveys the lake, looking for noxious weed.
App NEWS
New York DEC Will Fight Constitution Pipeline
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State says Trump Administration is overstepping.
Government
Congressman Continues Call For Changes In Lake Ontario Management Plan
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“While there are shipping interests and energy interests and environmental interests, the human interest, specifically, the residents and business owners along the shore are first and foremost in my mind.”
App NEWS
Rabid Skunk Captured in Ithaca
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It was seen on 2nd and Cascadilla Streets before it was captured by Tompkins County Animal Control.
Sewage Released From Village Treatment Plant in Tompkins County
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The county wants anyone who might drink untreated water or who swims in the lake to be aware of the discharge.
App NEWS
Paddlers Plan Protest On Cayuga Lake
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Activists plan to take to Cayuga Lake early this morning to protest seismic tests by Cargill. The company has salt mines below the lake.
Rabies Vaccine Airdrops Underway In Western New York
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Bait laced with the vaccine will be dropped in areas where wild animals known to carry rabies may be lurking.
Environment
New Report Highlights Restoration Of The Great Lakes
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A new report titled “Great Lakes Revival” tells the story of how Buffalo and other rust-belt cities reclaimed their waters.
App NEWS
Lake Sturgeon Considered For Endangered Species List
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“This is a species that was incredibly abundant and then were overfished for many years, then impacts of dams and pollution. Now they still persist, but they’re about 1% of their historic numbers.”
Environment
New York Sea Grant Works To Help Homeowners Rebuild Shoreline
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“Maybe if they have the right conditions, they can do a nature-based shoreline approach, where they work in shoreline plants and rock rubble.”
Government
Federal Watchdog Agency To Review Regulations For Lake Ontario
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The federal government’s congressional watchdog agency is taking a look at a controversial plan that helps adjust water levels on Lake Ontario.
App NEWS
Group Calls For National Monitoring Standards For Algal Blooms
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The Environmental Working Group wants a standardized monitoring system across the U.S. to better inform the public about harmful algal blooms.
Environment
Senator Says USDA Wrongly Halted Research Into Honeybees
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“At this time, when our bees are dying off, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has done a very quiet but very dumb thing. They’ve stopped collecting critical scientific data on honeybees.”
Health
Lyme Disease Reaches ‘New Normal’ In Finger Lakes
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Lyme disease has been spiking in the Finger Lakes over the last few years, but the latest data show it might finally be stabilizing.
App NEWS
What Do We Really Know About What Causes Harmful Algal Blooms?
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“Sometimes while you’re doing this job, you do think, ‘Wow, I am the luckiest guy to be paid to go out on the lake.’ Even though there are some problems on the lake, it’s still wonderful to be out there.”
News
Proposed Study Would Look At Higher Precipitation Levels In Great Lakes Region
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“We recognize that the storms will happen more and more often, become more and more severe – so this is going to be the new normal. What’s not clear yet is how intense it will be.”
Environment
National Group Goes After Invasive Mussels In The Great Lakes
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Quagga mussels have few natural predators, and have been successful in the Great Lakes and other lakes across North America since being carried here by ships from Europe in the 1980s.
News
Environmental Group Asks To Stagger Shipping On The St. Lawrence River
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It wants a shipping suspended several days a week this summer to allow more water to go through the Moses Saunders dam near Massena.
News
A Rare Butterfly Found Refuge At An Unlikely Place: A PA Military Base
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The training center welcomes hundreds of people each summer who want to see the “regals.”
Government
Great Lakes Commission Adds New Members To Lake Management Board
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“The idea here is to make sure that people who live along the shorelines of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, make sure that they have a voice.”
App NEWS
PA Officials Ask For Public’s Help Combating Spotted Lanternfly
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Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined Gov. Tom Wolf Tuesday for a tour of an area in Harrisburg infested with spotted lanternflies’
App NEWS
Heat, Early Rain Create Fertile Conditions For Harmful Algal Blooms
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Several bodies of water in central New York have reported harmful algal blooms in recent weeks. With temperatures heating up after a wet spring, conditions are ripe for the blooms.
App NEWS
Invasive Species Are Focus Of Week Of Activities In New York
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In Tompkins County, educational activities and games were organized by FORCES, Friends of Recreation, Conservation and Environmental Stewardship.
Government
State Officials: Great Time For Fishing On Lake Ontario
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The Department of Environmental Conservation reports “record-breaking” fishing continues on those bodies of water, with the potential to catch huge fish from a wide variety of species.
Government
Congressman Praises New York’s Water Contaminant Standards, Wants Action From EPA
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Earlier this week, the state said it will set the nation’s lowest allowable level for industrial chemicals that have contaminated some communities’ drinking water.
binghamton
Lake Ontario’s Shoreline Communities Welcome Proposed Marine Sanctuary
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All week long, New Yorkers have been weighing in on a proposed project that would help preserve some of the oldest shipwrecks in the Great Lakes.
App NEWS
Hearings Set This Week For Proposed Lake Ontario Marine Sanctuary
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NOAA wants to protect, research, and improve public access to shipwrecks and other maritime heritage resources. The designation doesn’t mean that NOAA would regulate fishing, water quality or other natural resources of the area.
New York Man Suffers The Longhorned Tick’s First Documented Bite In The U.S.
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The parasite carries potentially lethal pathogens in Asia as well as Australia and New Zealand. Now it’s in North America. We ask tick specialists to weigh in.
When Invasive Plants “Got Their Goat,” New York Officials Hired A Herd
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Since June 1, a half-dozen goats have been used to target and eat unwanted plants or brush that have overrun a waterway.
Government
Great Lakes Commissioners Survey Flooding In Rochester and Buffalo
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“Is this the new normal? Or is this just an extended flooding event, like we had in 1993 or in the 1970s?”
agriculture
If You Spot A Swarm, Here’s What You Can Do To Help Honeybees
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“If a beekeeper is able to take a honeybee swarm, they can care for them and manage them if they need it, instead of having these colonies kind of inhabit people’s homes.”
Environment
PA, NJ, Delaware Governors Pledge To Cooperate On Delaware River Basin Environment
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also represented on the Delaware River Basin Commission, was invited to the event but was unable to attend
Health
Rather Than DIY, Doctors Urge Professional Tick Removal
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“You can certainly try to remove the tick yourself. The problem that you can run into is if you leave parts of the tick embedded.”
Environment
PFAS Chemicals Contaminate 17 PA Sites, Data Show
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“When a water system is contaminated with PFAS, treatment will lower the concentration but not completely remove it. So the contamination is still there.”
Energy
Maid Of The Mist Launching New Electric Boats
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“It seems natural for us to do that, with the hydroelectric power generation that goes on here.”
Cornell Scientists Find Natural Fungi That Kill Invasive Spotted Lanternfly
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The spotted lanternfly eats away at the bark of trees. It’s a threat to some commercial crops that are big in New York like grapes and apples.
App NEWS
For The First Time In Decades, Boaters Will Have Access To Onandaga Lake
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“It’ll change the fortunes of this lake forever. What doomed it, was cutting it off and industrializing it and not having that connection with communities.”
How New York Researchers Might Save The American Chestnut Tree
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To save the American chestnut tree, New York researchers want to release genetically engineered trees into the wild to reproduce. It would be a first.
New York Governor Mobilizes Resources In Case Of Lake Ontario Flooding
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With concerns about rising levels on Lake Ontario, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday that he has directed state agencies to begin deploying resources to protect communities along the lakeshore.
Environment
Snot Otter? Lasagna Lizard? By Any Name, It’s PA’s Official Amphibian
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It may not be pretty, but supporters of the Eastern hellbender say it’s a vital reminder to keep streams and waterways healthy.
Snot Otter Emerges Victorious In Vote For PA’s Official Amphibian
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The Eastern hellbender salamander may not be a looker. But its sensitivity to pollution and changing water conditions makes the creature a useful indicator for water quality in rivers and streams.
Government
Public Comment Period Open On Proposal That Makes Parts Lake Ontario A Marine Sanctuary
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This effort was spearheaded by the counties along the shore of Lake Ontario, which pushed for recognition and protection of the lake’s shipwrecks.
News
Spring Offers Opportunity To Cull Invasive Species
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The lanternfly lays its eggs in masses that look like smears of mud on trees, vehicles, and outdoor furniture.
Cornell Researcher: Big Cities, Bright Lights, A Billion Bird Collisions
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When birds migrate, they can become attracted to and disoriented by artificial lights. The result: they end up colliding with New York’s skyscrapers.
App NEWS
Finger Lakes Land Trust Acquires 11 Acres On Canandaigua Lake
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“We’re working with willing landowners who are interested in selling their property to acquire these and dedicate them to conservation rather than development.”
Health
Advice On Avoiding Tick-Borne Illnesses This Spring
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Experts say there are at least 17 different tick species found in New York state. Some people and animals that are bitten by an infected tick can get any of a number of illnesses, including Lyme disease.
App NEWS
New York Officials Worry IJC Vacancies Could Affect Lake Ontario
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Right now the IJC has only two members – two short of the quorum needed to make decisions.
News
Schumer Calls For Vote On Nominees To International Joint Commission
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Typically the IJC is responsible for overseeing lakes and rivers bordered by the U.S. and Canada.
binghamton
April The Giraffe Gets Another Moment Of Fame Online
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More than 300,000 watched live as April gave birth to a healthy male calf at around 12:45 p.m., the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York said.
Economy
Romulus Residents Eager For NYS Senate To Ban Finger Lakes Incinerators
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“We are really, really thrilled,” said Mary Anne Kowalski, Seneca Lake resident. “I think the fact that is impressing me most is that we’ve got bipartisan support on this bill.”
Small Farmers, Rural Homeowners File Petition, But Re-Zoning Process Continues In Town Of Ulysses
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Small farmers and rural homeowners argue they set aside too much land for preservation.
Featured in Category
PA Looks For New Ways To Fight Spotted Lanternfly
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Pennsylvania is looking for new ways to fight the invasive spotted lanternfly, nearly five years after it was first discovered in Berks County.
News
Federal Lawmakers Criticize Lake Ontario Water Level Management
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A number of federal lawmakers are concerned that high water levels on Lake Ontario will result in a repeat of the flooding seen along the lake shore in 2017.
Energy
Report: Coal Ash Contamination Widespread In PA
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A new report finds coal ash pollution is leaking into groundwater at nine power plants around Pennsylvania and over 200 nationwide. West Pa. site has arsenic 372 times the ‘safe’ level
Environment
PA’s Health Dept. Hires Scientists To Study PFAS Chemicals In Drinking Water
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The state Department of Health wants to hire 10 scientists to learn more about the health risks of the PFAS group of chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other illnesses.
News
Erie Canal Corporation Wraps Up Embankment Work This Summer
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Renovations on the Erie Canal have been causing a rift between some canal side residents and the state’s Canal Corporation for about a yearnow.A final set of public meetings will be held Monday & Tuesday ahead of the last phase of the project.
binghamton
Schumer Calls For Reauthorization Of Funding For Some Finger Lakes Attractions
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Senator Chuck Schumer was in the Finger Lakes region Monday, urging members of the House to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Schumer says it provides critical funding that protects water resources and historical sites in every county across the U.S.
Environment
PA To Begin Its Own Process Of Setting Limit For 2 PFAS Chemicals
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Pennsylvania will begin the process of setting its own health limits for two toxic PFAS chemicals because it’s unclear when the federal government will set national standards, the Department of Environmental Protection said late Thursday.
economy
Will Tench Be The Next Great Lakes Invasive-Species Problem?
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Canadian researchers are studying how to help prevent the spread of this fish
Hungry Deer May Be Changing How Things Sound In New York’s Forests
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Sound travels differently through open fields than the woods. When deer eat up bushes, small trees and other forest plants, it affects the transmission of bird calls and other natural sounds.
Education
Now Lead-Free, Water In Some Ithaca Schools Will Soon Flow Again
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It’s been over three years since water fountains in some Ithaca area schools could offer students a drink. In 2015, water systems in all 12 Ithaca City Schools were shut off after tests showed elevated lead levels. However, within two weeks, the water will be turned on again at some elementary schools.
Government
Bill To Lift Sunday Hunting Ban Is On The Move In The PA Senate
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A legislative fight may be looming on an issue near and dear to many rural Pennsylvanians’ hearts: hunting on Sundays.
Environment
Public Hearing Held On Feasibility Of A Public Beach Along Onondaga Lake
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Onondaga County continues taking the steps it needs to build a swimmable beach along the northern shore of Onondaga Lake. That includes a series of public meetings showcasing what it would take to create a beach along what was once called the most polluted lake in the country.
Featured in Category
Freshwater Mussel Hatchery Aims To Provide Natural Filters For PA Rivers And Streams
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Freshwater mussels once thrived in rivers, streams and lakes across Pennsylvania. They provided a natural filter, cleaning up muddy water and allowing more sunlight into the waterways, which in turn provided a healthier ecosystem for aquatic life.
News
SUNY Nears Completion Of Blight-Resistant American Chestnut Trees
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Scientists at SUNY ESF have been trying to bring back the American chestnut tree for decades. Three to four billion of the trees were destroyed by blight in the first half of the 20th century, but researchers are now getting close to bringing back an American chestnut resistant to blight.
2018 legislative session
For Some New York Lawmakers, Stopping The Romulus Incinerator Is A Priority In 2019
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The New York legislature returns to work this morning and Finger Lakes Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R-C-I) sees it as another chance to kill a proposed trash incinerator in the town of Romulus.
News
The Seneca White Deer Get A Few Moments In The Spotlight
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It was literally their 30 seconds or so of fame, several of the white deer that make their home at the former Seneca Army Depot, were the focus of the nature segment that usually ends each episode of the program CBS Sunday Morning.
binghamton
How You Can Recycle Your Christmas tree
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Scientists from Cornell have a few tips for those of you who cut down Christmas trees, now that the holiday is behind us. Brian Eshenaur is the lead arborist for Cornell Botanic Gardens and says there are plenty of ways to recycle those trees.
Government
New Yorkers Dealing With Contaminated Drinking Water Want Tougher State Action
|
The state’s Drinking Water Quality Council has issued what it considers to be safe levels for exposure to toxic chemicals, including PFOAs and PFOS that have been found in high quantities in some of New York’s drinking water supplies.
Environment
In 2018, Harmful Algal Blooms On Cayuga Lake Increased Five-Fold Over The Year Before
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Significantly more harmful algal blooms were reported on Cayuga Lake this year than in 2017. A local non-profit reports the 2018 blooms were more likely to contain toxins harmful humans and small mammals, like cats and dogs.
Environment
Health Fears Have Hunters Shifting To Copper Bullets
|
Frank Femia runs Klubfunstore Guns and Ammo in Henrietta, where the popular ammunition this season is copper bullets. “It’s been hard finding them because everyone’s been sold out of them and it’s been hard to keep in stock,” Femia said.
Crime and Justice
Trooper Rescues Canadian Lynx From Pick-Up Truck, Arrests Driver
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State Police say a trooper who stopped to help a driver with a flat tire near Elmira over the weekend found out the call was anything but routine.
Environment
Gillibrand Calls On Federal Government To Implement Changes In Airport Firefighting Foam
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Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for the implementation of a law that would allow airports to stop using toxic chemicals that are said to poison local waterways.
News
Invasive Beetle Threatens Cornell University’s Ash Trees
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Cornell University says it will cut down more than 2,000 ash trees in the next few years because of an invasive beetle.
News
Deer Crash Season Peaks In November
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – AAA has researched crash data, and they’ve found that by far, November is the worst month for deer crashes in New York. In November 2016, for example, there were nearly 45-hundred deer crashes – that’s one every ten minutes.
Energy
Natural Gas Operator Fined For Causing Leak Into Monongahela River
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA — State environmental officials have fined natural gas operator EQT for drilling into an old mine in 2017 and releasing 4 million gallons of abandoned mine drainage into the Monongahela River and surrounding wetlands in Allegheny County.
Environment
PA Audit Knocks Susquehanna River Commission’s Spending
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HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — A state audit of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission has uncovered more than $20,000 in food expenses and employee perks it labeled “extravagant,” and “questionable” from summer 2016 to this year.
environment
The Love and Lore of Lake Erie’s Wetlands
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By the time dawn’s first vermilion fingers tickle the east’s black sky, hunters in a dozen-plus marshes have slogged, sometimes chest-deep, through marshes to arrive at blinds – often constructed, sometimes mostly natural – to await the arrival of ducks, large and small, drab and bright, slow and fast.
Parents In Caroline, NY Ask For An Update From Ithaca School District On Lead In Their Water
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“There’s been a long time passing without much information about what the remediation was,” said Alan Karasin, treasurer of the PTA. “We would get periodic reports that things were being replaced but we didn’t exactly know what or when.”
Energy
PA Awards Water Quality-Related Grants Funded By $12.6M Penalty Against Sunoco
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA — Remember the $12.6 million penalty on Sunoco for dozens of permit violations during construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline? The Department of Environmental Protection said at the time it would turn that penalty into grants for projects related to water quality, watershed restoration and stormwater management. The DEP just put out a list of where that money is going.
Featured in Category
Environmentalists Win Battle For ‘Exceptional’ Streams In The Poconos
|
A group of resort owners had challenged DEP’s new classification of headwater streams in Monroe County.
Oysters On The Half Shell Are Actually Saving New York’s Eroding Harbor
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More than 70 New York City restaurants are pouring their discarded shells into the Billion Oyster Project, through which students recycle and transform them into healthy reefs in once-toxic waters.
Decades Old Chemicals, New Angst Over Region’s Drinking Water
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Around New York and Pennsylvania, communities are learning their drinking water is polluted with a potentially harmful group of chemicals. The Trump Administration is working on a plan to manage them.
binghamton
Land Acquisition Expands Outdoor Education Opportunities In The Finger Lakes
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Students and staff at the campus of Finger Lakes Community College are welcoming the addition of 33 acres of land to the East Hill Campus for outdoor recreation and education.
environment
Wolf Sets Up Government Panel To Study PFAS Chemicals
|
Advocates: Move is a positive step but won’t protect public unless health limits are set
binghamton
Warm And Humid End Of Summer Could Diminish New York’s Fall Colors
|
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – A hot and humid end of summer could result in dampened fall colors in parts of New York this fall.
Environment
As Public Concern On PFAS Rises, EPA Urged To Set Enforceable Health Standard
|
At Congressional hearing, advocates say federal government needs to address contamination concerns
binghamton
Nine Killed In Drowning Incidents Across Great Lakes During Holiday Weekend
|
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, nine people drowned in the Great Lakes over Labor Day weekend, including one unidentified man found in Lake Ontario near Wilson, NY.
Government
Trump Nominates New Great Lakes Commissioners
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There may soon be some new faces at the helm of the International Joint Commission, which helps protect and regulate the Great Lakes. The White House has announced the names of the three new commissioners for the IJC.
Environment
Advocates Say New Drinking Water Legislation Would Tighten Federal Control Over Chemical Contaminants
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Legislation aims to improve detection, spur cooperation between federal and state governments
Featured in Category
Centuries-Old Plant Collections Could Answer Questions About Impact Of Urbanization
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Hundreds of thousands of preserved plants will be made available online
binghamton
Water War Along Upper Delaware Pits New York Against Downstream Environmentalists
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Environmentalists call for new agreement to manage flows; NYC says accord was agreed between itself and four states
Environment
After EPA Warning, PA Hikes Fees On Water Systems To Hire More Inspectors
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – Nearly two years ago, the EPA told Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection that its water program was so under-staffed and under-funded, it was failing to enforce federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards.
Energy
Fracking Industry Water Use Rises As Drills Extend, Study Says
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Marcellus region shows smallest increase in water use but quadruples frack waste from 2011-16
News
Study: Climate Change Hinders Summer Fun On Lake Erie
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – Increased water quality problems tied to global climate change are affecting the way people fish, boat, and swim on Lake Erie, according to a paper published last month in the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration.
binghamton
Lyme Disease Spiking In Finger Lakes Region
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Lyme disease is continuing its westward march across New York state.
binghamton
Algae Toxins No Longer Detected In Skaneateles Lake
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – According to data from the Onondaga County Health Department, no toxins have been detected at the water intake pipes in Skaneateles Lake for the last three days.
binghamton
Algae Toxins Detected In Skaneateles Lake, None In Treated Water
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – A low level detection of algae toxins, 0.3 parts per billion of toxins known as microcystins, have been found in Skaneateles Lake, according to local and state health officials. The toxins were detected in untreated water during weekly testing. None were found after the water was treated.
Environment
A Missing Gene Could Make Marine Mammals More Vulnerable To Common Pesticides
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Organophosphates drain off farms and make their way to the ocean, where they could be harming sea creatures like whales, dolphins and manatees
Lyme Disease Spreads Across The USA And Pennsylvania Leads The Pack
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The most cases were in Pennsylvania, but the disease is also becoming more common in places like Florida and California.
environment
In The Poconos, A Fight Simmers Over ‘Exceptional’ Streams
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – A battle is brewing over how to protect streams in the Poconos.
Energy
Natural Gas Development In PA State Forests Has Slowed Significantly
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – The build out of natural gas infrastructure in Pennsylvania’s state forest system has slowed dramatically in recent years, according to a new report from the Department of Conservation and Natural resources.
Health
PA Officials Warn Of Possible West Nile Outbreak
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HARRISBURG, PA (WITF) — The state Department of Environmental Protection is warning against a possible outbreak of West Nile Virus. Secretary Patrick McDonnell said 2018 has been a perfect year for mosquitoes that carry the disease, with a wet spring and mostly-dry summer.
News
Ideal Conditions Lead To Firefly Boom
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Whether you call it a lightening bug or a firefly or perhaps by its scientific name, Lampyridae, chances are you’ve had some experience with the tiny flying insect that flashes and blinks its way through summer evenings.
binghamton
Fewer, Smaller Harmful Algal Blooms Predicted For Lake Erie This Summer
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Researchers predict less algae on Lake Erie this year compared to last, but that doesn’t mean no algae.
Government
Algal Blooms: New York State Wants To Upgrade Septics, Stop Invasive Species, Increase Funding
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released action plans for 12 waterbodies affected by harmful algal blooms. The state is partnering with local communities to reduce and eliminate the blooms.
binghamton
Cornell Researchers Developing Speedy Test For Bacteria In Beach Water
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – A group of researchers at Cornell University has developed a new, faster test to determine whether bacteria are present in beach water.
Featured in Category
Spotted Lanternfly Battle Is On: Can PA Stop This Invasive Threat To Trees And Plants?
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The pest has spread to 13 southeastern counties. The rush is on to kill it
News
Report Explains Causes Of 2017 Lake Ontario Flooding
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – A new report attempts to explain the causes of last year’s flooding along the south shore of Lake Ontario.
Environment
Toxic Chemical Study EPA Is Accused Of Blocking Just Came Out. It Calls For Stricter Drinking-Water Limits
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – A federal agency released recommendations on Wednesday on how to protect the public from a class of chemicals that are linked to a range of illnesses including some cancers, immune system problems, decreased fertility, and thyroid disease.
Energy
Delaware River Basin Commission Urged To Pull the Mariner East Pipeline Permit
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Delaware Riverkeeper Network says Sunoco has violated conditions on drilling and water pollution
Environment
Changing Species, Flooding, Wildfires Among Climate Priorities On PA-Owned Land
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – Pennsylvania conservation officials have released a plan to confront climate change on public land as flooding, wildfires and warmer bodies of water pose threats to wildlife, landscapes and recreation.
Energy
Study: Bradford County Water Quality Improving Despite Shale Gas Drilling
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STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – Groundwater quality in rural Bradford County has slightly improved since the 1980s despite the introduction of Marcellus Shale gas development, according to a newly released study out of Penn State.
Featured in Category
Lake Ontario Levels Expected To Decrease Throughout Summer
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – It looks like Lake Ontario may have already reached its peak high for the season, which is good news for lakefront home owners and business owners.
Featured in Category
Building A Better Bat Cave
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THE ALLEGHENY FRONT – To save the bats of Pennsylvania, Greg Turner wants to build a better bat cave.
Featured in Category
Virus Linked To Smallmouth Bass Deaths In Susquehanna
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Illness seen as a key piece of the puzzle in population decline
News
Great Lakes Research Consortium Awards Funds To Address Harmful Algal Blooms
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is expected to soon release its management plans to combat harmful algal blooms in 12 lakes, some in central and northern New York.
Economy
Sen. Chuck Schumer Opposes Proposed Trash Incinerator In Finger Lakes
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New York Senator Chuck Schumer is the latest politician to speak out against a proposed trash incinerator in the town of Romulus on Seneca Lake.
News
Spring Birdsong Could Change With Changing Climate
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A warming planet means some migrating birds miss mealtime.
health
New York’s Fighting Tick-Borne Illnesses
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – The state is stepping up efforts to control the tick population in an attempt to reduce the spread of Lyme disease.
News
Will The Public Swim In Onondaga Lake?
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Onondaga County lawmakers want to make it clear that a potential study that outlines the possibility of a beach along Onondaga Lake, doesn’t mean there will be swimming there anytime soon.
News
New York, Pennsylvania Officials On The Lookout For A New Invasive Insect
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – There’s a new invasive insect that state officials want to keep out of New York. It’s called the spotted lantern fly, and it has the potential to cause great damage to crops like grapes, hops and apples.
Lyme Disease Is On The Rise In PA. Here’s How To Prevent It
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The tick-borne illness is spreading north and south — about 300,000 U.S. cases a year. As scientists work on better diagnostic tests and surveillance tools, you can take steps to cut your risk.
Environment
The Stink Bug Meets Its Match
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Maybe you’ve seen it in your home; the oval-shaped brown marmorated stink bug. It’s hard shell looks like a shield. It gets its name from the strong scent it releases as a defense against predators. Some compare it to the aroma of cilantro.
News
Lake Ontario Levels Above Average, But Below 2017 Record Highs
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – A year ago, Lake Ontario began an unprecedented climb that resulted in record water levels and catastrophic flooding for those on its shoreline. The lake’s levels are currently 16 inches below where they were in May of 2017, but still eight inches above the long-term average.
Environment
Agencies Bet Millions That Restoring Mussels In The Delaware River Basin Can Improve Water Quality
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TATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – Freshwater mussels function as nature’s water treatment plants. Each animal can filter up to 600 gallons of water per month. Working together, they can dramatically clean the water of the rivers they live in.
News
Emergency Work Continues On Erie Canal Embankments
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – If you’re heading down to the Erie Canal trail to enjoy some of the nicer weather, you might notice a small detour in the Perinton section of the path.
Can These Hungry Beetles Save Hemlocks In PA And New York?
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An invasive insect is attacking hemlock trees in Michigan and along the East Coast. The hemlock woolly adelgid is an aphid-like bug, and it can kill hemlocks.
Little Eggs And High Waves: A Piping Plover Rescue Story From Pennsylvania
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Piping plovers are little shorebirds, and they’re an endangered species in the Great Lakes region. But they’re making a comeback thanks to conservation efforts and even some heroics. Last year was pretty exciting for Mary Birdsong. She’s a shorebird monitor at Presque Isle State Park, on the Pennsylvania side of Lake Erie. “Previously I had only reported the presence of piping plovers, and this last year I got to actually watch over the first successful nest in more than 50 years,” she says.
Featured in Category
Algal Bloom Battle Gets Funding In New State Budget
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – New York’s new budget sets aside money to combat harmful algal blooms that have closed some of the state’s lakes and threatened the municipalities that use them for drinking water. The funding would be a welcome relief for several communities in central New York that have been battling the blooms for years.
Environment
Finger Lakes Lawmakers Introduce Law to Stop Romulus Incinerator
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Opposition is growing against a proposed trash incinerator in the town of Romulus. In recent months several Finger Lakes municipalities have voted resolutions opposing the proposed incinerator in the town of Romulus. Article Ten allows for state review for proposals like this. Now, lawmakers have proposed a law eliminating trash or waste incinerators from the Article Ten process. When the project faces strong local opposition the company withdrew it’s application for local permitting. They said they would bypass local permission and seek a permit from the state under Article Ten instead.
environment
Canadians Visit New York Forests, Searching For Information On Invasive Pest
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) As the invasive species the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid continues to spread across New York, our neighbors to the North are trying to get ahead of the problem.
So 2 Goats Were Stuck On A Beam Under A Bridge In Pennsylvania …
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They were about 100 feet above the ground. They had been there for hours. And they didn’t know how to get down. Operation Goat Rescue begins!
Environment
Emergency Repairs To Erie Canal Not Sitting Well With Neighbors
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – With recent emergency repairs announced along parts of the Erie Canal, already disgruntled neighbors are speaking out again.
Government
$1.3 Trillion Federal Spending Bill Could Mean Good Things For PA Waterways
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KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – Last week’s 2,200-page omnibus congressional spending bill nearly doubled funding for construction work led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Exactly how the money will be allocated is still being determined by Army Corps’ headquarters.
News
Series Of Summits On Algal Blooms In New York Lakes End
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Several experts from across the state and the country held a summit Monday evening at Monroe Community College to try to come up with solutions to the state’s algal bloom problem.
Environment
Emerald Ash Borers Take Up Residence In Ithaca
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ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – The emerald ash borer has infested several trees in the City of Ithaca. Just a week after one tree in Cornell’s Arnot forest was found to have ash borers, entomologist Mark Whitmore confirmed them in a tree in downtown Ithaca. Whitmore calls this is big news.
Featured in Category
Congress Continues Funding For Great Lakes
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GREAT LAKES TODAY – Key federal funding for the Great Lakes has survived again thanks to Congress. This is the second time President Trump proposed a big cut to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. And Congress restored it full: $300 million for the 2019 budget year. Since 2009, the initiative has funded thousands of projects that help the Great Lakes by cleaning up pollution, combating invasive species, and protecting wetlands. And it has received support from Democrats and Republicans in Congress.
News
Residents Along Lake Ontario’s Shoreline Fear More Floods
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GREAT LAKES TODAY – Water is being let out of Lake Ontario at record rates, but it’s doing little to relieve high water on the south shore, in New York. Last year, flooding caused millions of dollars in damage to residences and businesses, and in some areas drove people from their homes for months. One neighborhood in Hamlin, New York, was hit particularly hard. Now, residents there say they fear another harsh flood season. Bobby Jones stands on a sandy beach looking out over Lake Ontario.
Government
Plan To Balance Books At PA’s Fish And Boat Commission Strokes Controversy
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HARRISBURG,PA (WITF) — A recent proposal to cut costs at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has drawn some controversy.
News
Destructive Emerald Ash Borer Found In Tompkins County
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SYRACUSE, NY WRVO) – As the Emerald Ash Borer continues its decimation of ash trees in New York state, it has turned up this winter for the first time in Tompkins County near Ithaca.
Energy
On Pipeline Route, Some Well Owners OK With Sunoco’s Water; Others Are Wary
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A field outside Bob and Deborah Hoffman’s Delaware County home is filled with orange construction fencing, a 20-foot industrial curtain blocking their view of some surrounding houses, and hundreds of yards of steel pipeline waiting to be laid as part of the controversial Mariner East project.
