We have some good news to report… The NYS DEC approved all 370 acres requested for herbicide application for Eurasian milfoil. That’s great. We are in preparation for the application process. The communications many of you sent to the DEC in the last week or so were critical to this approval – THANK YOU! We only received permit approval for 105 acres out of 340 acres requested for the curly leaf pondweed, so the approval for the Eurasian milfoil is huge – especially in view of the condition of the lake. The herbicides will be applied Monday and Tuesday. We will have final maps for herbicide application after application of the herbicides.
The costs associated with the application of the herbicides for curly leaf pondweed and Eurasian milfoil will exceed $375,000. We are fortunate to have received money from the local foundations through the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance, Chautauqua County, and the local townships; but the total cost will exceed those donations. That’s where the money you have donated to the Chautauqua Lake Partnership (CLP) will be used. The CLP will donate the difference and cover all of the administrative costs associated with the herbicide process (public notice, monitoring, mailings. Your donations will help pay for the herbicides and the associated costs. Thanks!