Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello, left, explains tenets of the newly unveiled Memorandum of Agreement for the Chautauqua Lake Weed Management Consensus Strategy developed by the county government along with Ecology and Environment to bring lake stakeholders together to focus on comprehensive treatment of Chautauqua Lake. P-J photo by Eric Zavinski

MAYVILLE — Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello called the near future a “new era for Chautauqua Lake.”

By ushering in a Memorandum of Agreement for the Chautauqua Lake Weed Management Consensus Strategy, Borrello, backed by other county officials, delivered a plan for collaboration and cooperation. He started in good faith by signing onto it on behalf of the county government, and the county legislature made it official by voting to join the agreement Wednesday night.

“Today marks the day that we will show the taxpayers, funders and donors that we can collaborate to use our limited resources effectively and efficiently to maximize their positive impact,” Borrello said.

During the press conference Wednesday morning, the memo — which was created to plan a course of action to manage “nuisance aquatic weeds” along public and private property, hotels, parks and beaches — was unveiled with crucial sticking points all lake organizations and municipalities that sign on will be expected to follow.

For instance, signatory organizations will be expected not to file legal action against each other as long as all groups are following the policy guidelines of the memo. Additionally, the county maintains a right to remove an organization from the memo if it violates the agreement, which could significantly impact funding from the county and the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance.

It was also stated that herbicides, when used to treat lake waters, will be used in a maximum 25 percent of the littoral zones.

Representatives from lake groups, including the Chautauqua Lake Association, Chautauqua Lake Partnership and Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, declined to give initial reactions Wednesday as they all said they wanted to share in-depth thoughts on the memo at a later date.

All potential signatory organizations have until April 17 to sign onto the agreement. In about three weeks, the picture of cooperation might look drastically different.

“This is to show we can all work together,” said Borrello, who added that he thinks the time frame is an even balance between giving organizations enough time to mull it over and coming up with collaborative funding and practical in-lake solutions before spring and summer treatments, from herbicide applications to weed harvesting, begin.

It was also announced that Burtis Bay would be the focal point for a pilot project in which a collaboration among lake organizations is projected to reveal how best to handle that area of the lake, which was home to a fish kill in November due in part to invasive weed species.

Different areas of the lake are planned to be observed in this way every year. For now, the memo begins in May and is set to expire April 30, 2021, with projected renewals planned afterward. The memo will also be reviewed annually.

“What could we do differently and how could we work better together?” Dave McCoy, county watershed coordinator, asked as he presented project ideas.

The strategies, in part outlined through the work of Buffalo-based Ecology and Environment, are crafted to help answer those questions.

The memo includes other specific tenets:

¯ creation of a centralized lake authority to implement a Comprehensive Lake Management Strategy

¯ utilization of science-based decisions with monitoring and sampling accomplished before, during and after in-lake treatments in accordance with the Chautauqua Lake Macrophyte Management Strategy

¯control of algae

¯ protection of fish habitat, and

¯ promotion of drinking water safety

Chautauqua Institution President Michael Hill applauded Borrello, Ecology and Environment, and the other players on the county level who helped organize the memo.

“Chautauqua Institution supports Borrello’s proposed consensus strategy as it offers the precise solution we’ve been advocating for: an independently-sourced science-based, comprehensive approach to lake conservation including invasive weed management,” Hill said.

Ellicott Town Supervisor Patrick McLaughlin represented those affected by the Eurasian water milfoil in Burtis Bay and elsewhere along town shores.

“They wanted to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” McLaughlin noted and said most who have talked with him are aware this will be an ongoing effort to clean up the lake and by no means a quick fix.

Arden Johnson, Ellery Town Supervisor, also expressed optimism following the conference.

“I think this is going to stop (lawsuits),” Johnson said.

Last year, the town of Ellery, as lead agency overseeing herbicide applications, was sued along with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation by Chautauqua Institution for what was criticized as an antiquated and unclear environmental review process for permitting the chemicals.

During a conference call with regional media, Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, acknowledged Borrello for leading the initiative and said he would continue advocating for funding for wastewater treatment to limit nutrient loading in the lake.

“This agreement will be a beacon to those who are sitting on sidelines now, unwilling to ‘choose sides’ (so) they can dedicate resources and technology to assist us without fear or hesitation,” Borrello said. “This show of unity will open the door to new resources and funding.”

Organizations that were interviewed early this year by Ecology and Environment and that will be expected to make a decision on whether to become a signatory organization include the Chautauqua Fishing Alliance, Chautauqua Institution, CLA, Chautauqua Lake Fishing Association, CLP, CWC, town of Busti, town of Chautauqua, town of Ellery, town of Ellicott, town of North Harmony, village of Celoron and village of Lakewood.

For more information regarding the memo and its tenets, one can contact the county executive’s office at 753-4211.

The full text of the memo can be found on the county executive’s website at www.co.chautauqua.ny.us/186/County-Executive

Follow Eric Zavinski at twitter.com/EZavinski