Contacts:  

Mary Penney, NY Sea Grant, E: mp357@cornell.edu, P:315-312-3042

Kara Lynn Dunn, Publicist, E: karalynn@gisco.net, P: 315-465-7578


Oswego/Rochester, NY, July 26, 2013 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York Sea Grant will host two public forums in August about environmental issues affecting Lake Ontario and the work being done under the Lakewide Action and Management Plan (LAMP) to address these issues.
 
Lake Ontario watershed residents, birders and beach enthusiasts, anglers, boaters, and anyone interested in the Lake Ontario ecosystem are invited to attend these forums, where scientists and managers will provide updates on the status of restoration efforts, research, and environmental issues affecting Lake Ontario.
 
The meeting details are as follows:

•  Rochester: Thursday, August 15, 6:00-8:00 PM, Port of Rochester Terminal Building, 1000 North River Street, Rochester, NY 14612.
  
  
•  Oswego: Thursday, August 22, 6:00-8:00 PM, SUNY Oswego, Campus Center Room 132, Oswego, NY 13126. Visit the SUNY Oswego Web site for an interactive campus map.

Presenters from DEC, the U.S. Geological Survey, the NY Natural Heritage Program, key universities, and county and local watershed organizations will offer presentations on water quality in Lake Ontario, the quality of Lake Ontario beaches, the lake's food web, restoration of native fish species, research on toxic contaminants in fish, and monitoring and research of the lake's coastal wetlands. A Question and Answer session will follow the presentations.
 
Agendas and additional meeting information are available on the temporary meeting Web site.
 
Note: The Lake Ontario Ecosystem Forums will not address Lake Ontario water level regulation. The International Joint Commission is conducting separate events this summer to discuss water level regulation.


Rotting weeds along the Lake Ontario shoreline. Photo courtesy of Save Our Sodus.

 
These free public forums are funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a federally funded, multi-year, multi-agency program to restore the health of the Great Lakes. Begun in 2010, it represents the largest investment in the Great Lakes region in 20 years. Learn more by visiting EPA's GLRI Web page.
 
The Lake Ontario LAMP is a binational, cooperative plan to restore and protect the health of Lake Ontario by reducing chemical pollutants and addressing the biological and physical factors impacting the lake. The LAMP guides the activities of U.S. and Canadian federal, state and provincial government agencies, and diverse stakeholder organizations. Learn more by visiting EPA's Lake Ontario LAMP Web page and DEC's Lake Ontario LAMP Web page.
 
Other local lake-related activities will occur during the afternoon before each of the Lake Ontario Ecosystem Forums. In Rochester, the Seneca Park Zoo will hold their first Lake Sturgeon Weigh-In at 3:00 PM, along with interactive displays by the Water Education Collaborative highlighting the role of stormwater in fish health and water quality. In Oswego, the new U.S. Geological Survey research ship the RV Kaho will be open to the public to tour at 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM, at the Lake Ontario Biological Station. The temporary meeting Web site has more information about these events as well.