Editorial from the Auburn Citizen on Sunday, October 12th, 2014.
I have been a member of OWLA (Owasco Watershed Lake
Association) for eight years. It has been frustrating to observe the
exasperation of the many hard-working people who have spearheaded it’s very
important mission. It appears that their yeoman efforts are finally bearing
fruit. Kudos and thanks to the Auburn Citizen for their many recent articles
relating to the water quality of Owasco Lake. It is a much-deserved
front-and-center issue!
Last winter’s “factory farm” dispersion of large quantities
of manure that ended up in Owasco Lake and the recent blue-green algae reports
has spurred the interest of many lake denizens to step forward and engage in
this grassroots effort to save our lake . The most recent OWLA meeting was
highlighted with a very large crowd who expressed a very large concern relating
to the ongoing problem of water quality of the lake. Eileen O’Connor, of the
Cayuga County Health Department was the guest speaker, and she did a brilliant
job of fending off the anger of the many people who demanded action.
Action will only occur when the appropriate government
representatives have been informed that their job future can be directly
related to their legislation to curb toxic waste entering the lake and their
enforcement of such legislation. There are approximately 1,000 landowners with
Owasco Lake frontage, yet there are only 280 dues paying members of OWLA (
http://www.owla.org/) . Clearly, to be more
effective, OWLA needs a larger membership. The economic value of Owasco Lake to
the surrounding communities is a value that is hard to quantify. The tourism
factor will tumble; The Bass Pro Outlet might pull up stakes, etc. ad infinitum,
if the lake’s water quality continues to deteriorate. Do not be complacent regarding this powerfully
important issue for Cayuga County citizens and Auburnians in particular; join
OWLA ASAP and start a letter-writing crusade to elected officials.
Sincerely yours,
Allen Morris
(see some of the articles Allen refers to here on this blog listed under "Recent news stories about Owasco Lake:")
