Where We Stand
The commitment of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network to the protection and improvement of the water quality of Cayuga Lake and its creeks, streams, wetlands, and waterfalls is demonstrated by the formal positions it has adopted, and its major documents and presentations. These document the environmental challenges CLWN has tackled.
CLWN Formal Comments and Positions
2026 – Comments on Cayuga Power Plant SPDES and Water Withdrawal Permits. January 2026
2026 – Comments to US EPA urging keeping current definition for Waters of the United States and to refrain from further weakening federal clean water protections. January 2026
2025 – Comments to NYS DEC requesting public hearing for Cayuga Operating Plant, LLC SPDES and Water Withdrawal permit. December 2025
2025 – Comments to NYS DEC on Cayuga Operating Company LLC SPDES Permit and Water Withdrawal Permit application. November, 2025.
2025 – Support for the Town of Lansing’s Proposed Local Law No.7: Establishing a temporary moratorium on land use development reviews and approvals and land use development actions for 365 days.
2025 – Comments to NYS Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation to evaluate efficacy of the state’s monitoring and management of HABs May, 2025.
2025 – Community Science Institute Written Testimony on HABS for May 21st Public Hearing May, 2025.
2025 – Comments to NYS Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electrical Transmission on Yellow Barn Solar Project Application Permit #23-02986. February, 2025.
2025 – Comments to DEC on Cargill’s Application to Renew and Modify its Mined Land Reclamation Permit for the Cayuga Salt Mine. January 2025
2024 – Comment to Seneca County Planning & Community Development on Seneca County Draft Local Solid Waste Management Plan (dLSWMP). November 2024
2024 – Letter to NYS Governor Kathy Hochul, “Require complete environmental review of Cargill’s Cayuga Salt Mine including public participation and long-term protections for Cayuga Lake”, January 2024,
2023 – Comments to DEC regarding the Draft NYS Solid Waste Management Plan, June 2023
2023 – Joint CLWN and CWIO Letter to DEC requesting completion of the final Cayuga Lake TMDL for Total Phosphorus Clean Water Plan, April 2023
2023 – Statement in Support of US EPA Prioritizing Coal Combustion Residuals as a National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative, March 2023.
2023 – Statement in Support of the Cayuga County Board of Health Request that NYS Dept. of Health Complete Review of Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations, March 2023.
2022 – Cayuga Lake Watershed Network supports protecting clean water and creating jobs by passing NYS Prop 1: The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act. November 2022. https://voteyescleanwaterandjobs.com/our-coalition/
2022 – Comments to DEC on Draft 2020 -2022 Clean Water Act Section 303 (d) List of Impaired/TMDL Waters, January 2022.
2021 – Statement of Support for Protection of the Bell Station Land as a Public-Access Preserve, September 2021.
2021 – Comments to US EPA on Redefining WOTUS (Waters of the United States), September 3.
2021 – Comments to NYS DEC on the draft TMDL to Reduce Phosphorus in Cayuga Lake, July 8.
2021 – Statement in Support of the Proposed Finger Lakes National Heritage Area, to the National Park Service, June 1.
2020 – OpEd: Environmental Protection, Going Forward. Hilary Lambert, Network News 4/20, December:
2017 – CLWN Board Position Statement in Support of Full Environmental Review of Cargill Salt Mine Modifications and Expansion, See p. 1
2015 – CLWN Board Comments Requesting Public Hearing for the Cayuga Power Plant, See p.4-5
2013 – CLWN Board Comments Submitted Regarding Repowering Future of Cayuga AES Power Plant, See p. 8-10
2012 – CLWN Board Approves Position Statement, Submits Letter on Hydraulic Fracturing Impacts to the Cayuga Lake Watershed, See pp. 3-5
2012 – CLWN Board Comments on the Revised Draft SGEIS on Well Permit Issuance for Horizontal Drilling and High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing, and the High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Proposed Regulations. Submitted to NYS DEC. See p. 1
White Papers, Documents, Publications
2021 – A Homeowner’s Guide to Lake Friendly Living, produced for the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network by the Seneca County Soil & Water Conservation District. Publication of the Lake Friendly Living program, established 2020 by Ed and Nancy Currier and Jenn Tufano.
2020 – Lakeside Living in a Changing Climate Handbook. Written, designed and published by Abbey Yatsko and John Abel.
2020-21 – White Paper: Hydrilla on Cayuga Lake. Roxy Johnston, City of Ithaca, and Hilary Lambert, CLWN. In draft form, available via Roxy Johnston. The impetus provided by this draft helped spur the 2021-24 Hydrilla Management Plan for Cayuga Lake, available from Catherine X McGlynn, NYS DEC.
2020 – 2021-24 – Strategic Plan, Cayuga Lake Watershed Network. Approved by the CLWN Board of Directors, October 2020.
2016-8 – Smart Steps for Clean Water.
2017 – Cayuga Lake Watershed Restoration & Protection Plan. Edited and compiled by Hilary Lambert for the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization.
2016 – Wetlands Map of Tompkins County. This two-year research project by Nicholas Hollingshead was funded by the Park Foundation and Tompkins County, and coordinated by CLWN.
