MakingWaves - News From the Division of Water

In This Issue:

• Public Meeting Announced for Bay Park Conveyance Project
• Public Meetings on 1,4-Dioxane in Household Cleansing, Personal Care, and Cosmetic Products
• Request for Comments on Draft Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan
• New Measures Announced to Reduce Flood Risk Statewide

Public Meeting Announced for Bay Park Conveyance Project

DEC and the Nassau County Department of Public Works will hold a virtual public information meeting on Thursday, November 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. regarding the Bay Park Conveyance Project. This project will reduce nitrogen in the Western Bays of Long Island by conveying treated water from the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant to the Cedar Creek Water Pollution Control Plant’s ocean outfall pipe. Over time, this will give the local ecosystem a chance to regenerate and become a healthier habitat for aquatic life, while also improving the bays’ resiliency to withstand severe storms and high water events. The Federal Emergency Management Agency completed an Environmental Assessment for this project in October and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact.

Go to the Bay Park Conveyance Project website for project details and meeting information.

Public Meetings on 1,4-Dioxane in Household Cleansing, Personal Care, and Cosmetic Products

Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) (Articles 35 and 37) establishes the amount of 1,4-dioxane that can be present in household cleansing, personal care, and cosmetic products offered for sale in the state. DEC will present topics for discussion related to implementation of the recently enacted law at two virtual public meetings:

• November 18 at 2:00 p.m.: Presentation
• December 2 at 2:00 p.m.: Participant discussion

Registration is required to attend these WebEx meetings. Information about the law, as well as meeting and registration details, are available on DEC's website.

Contact 1-4d.hcpccproducts@dec.ny.gov with any questions.

Request for Comments on Draft Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan

The Chesapeake Bay Program is soliciting public input on the draft Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP). The Conowingo WIP was developed collaboratively by a steering committee consisting of representatives from the Chesapeake Bay Commission and each Chesapeake Bay watershed jurisdiction—Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia—and supported by the Center for Watershed Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

WIPs are detailed strategies that outline actions to be taken to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollutants flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. Each watershed jurisdiction has developed their own WIP detailing how they plan to meet their pollutant reduction targets under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (Bay TMDL). The Conowingo Reservoir is located in the lower portion of the Susquehanna River basin.

Interested parties can offer input by submitting comments to the Center for Watershed Protection at CWIP@chesapeakebay.net by Monday, December 21, 2020. Any questions related to the draft WIP may also be directed to this email address. An informational webinar will be held November 24 at 1 p.m. 

New Measures Announced to Reduce Flood Risk Statewide

DEC has announced new measures being deployed by State agencies during project planning to better assess and prevent flooding from sea-level rise, storm surges, and other natural flood causes. Four flood-risk management guidance documents were prepared to help incorporate proven mitigation methods in project siting and design. DEC's guidance, developed in consultation with the NYS Department of State (DOS) and other partners, will direct implementation of the Community Risk and Resiliency Act (CRRA) and promote the effective use of natural resources and natural processes to reduce the risk of flood. 

DOS also prepared model local laws that provide guidance on specific measures that localities can take to reduce flood risk by managing development in high-risk areas and preserving natural features like wetlands and dunes that provide protection again flooding.