FY 1993 - 1994 Project Summaries
Projects funded by the Great Lakes National Program
Office and the
Water Divisions of USEPA Regions 2 and 3
PART III: LAKE-SPECIFIC PROJECTS [LAKE
ONTARIO]
This Part includes project descriptions for 12 projects in FY93
and 16 projects in FY94 totaling $1,730,600 and $1,827,606, respectively,
which are principally focused on activities within the Lake Ontario
Basin and its Areas of Concern. Funding for Lake Ontario pollution
prevention and outreach projects is included in the section on
Region 2 CEM funding.
Habitat
Protection/Restoration - Ontario
FY93
Wilson Hill Management Area Drawdown Water Regulatory
Control Structure (GL99544801-0: $202,500)
Recipient: NYSDEC
Project Officer: Robert Beltran (312-353-0826) or
beltran.robert@epamail.epa.gov
The nature of this project was complete restoration of
habitat lost during the development of the St. Lawrence Seaway
Project through the installation of a water control structure to
establish stable water levels. Protection of waterfowl during
nesting season, increased biodiversity of submerged and emergent
aquatic plants, and enhanced capability for seasonal drawdown
resulted from the project.
Eastern Lake Ontario Conservation Initiative ($160,000)Part
of TNC Ecosystem Cluster (GL995819-02-0)
Recipient: The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Project Officer: Romy Myszka
This initiative will identify key resources and ecosystem
stresses, initiate land protection activities, develop
partnerships with state, local, and citizen's groups active in
the area, conduct outreach, and develop an initial conservation
plan with specific protection, stewardship, and outreach
programs. The results of this work will be improved knowledge of
how to protect these ecosystems, development of key
public-private partnerships, initial protection and outreach
activities, and a preliminary conservation plan for these
systems.
Biodiversity of New York's Great Lakes Shoreline
($67,000)Part of TNC Ecosystem Cluster (GL995819-02-0)
Recipient: The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Project Officer: Romy Myszka
The purpose of this project is to review relevant sources for
pertinent information and organize existing biodiversity data
into a more useable format. Data can then be mapped using a
geographic information system, analyzed to identify priority
areas of statewide and basinwide significance for biodiversity
conservation, and used to identify data gaps and focus future
field surveys in a cost effective manner. TNC will convert any
important biodiversity data in the manual files of New York
State's DEC's Significant Habitat Unit into computerized
databases of the New York Natural Heritage Program Biological
and Conservation Data System. A major TNC activity will be to
disseminate information on biodiversity of the New York Lake
Plain to county planning boards in the Great Lakes Basin.
FY94
Lake Ontario Barrier Beach/Wetland Habitat Restoration
(GL995663-01-0: $181,000)
Recipient: NYSDEC
Project Officer: Robert Beltran (312-353-0826) or
beltran.robert@epamail.epa.gov
The applicants will attempt to restore and enhance important
wetland and dune-wetland habitats in 3 Great Lakes sites, Deer
Creek Marsh, Buckhorn Island Marsh, and the Lakeview Wildlife
Management Area. Two sites are in a single barrier beach-lagoon
complex along the eastern shore of Lake Ontario and one is in
the Niagara River. The demonstration project also highlights
educational opportunities for local residents, schools, and
wetland managers.
Genesee River Critical Habitat Protection (GL00995655-01-0:
$144,000)
Recipient: The Headwaters Charitable Trust
Project Officer: Dan Lawson
This project will reduce nonpoint source pollution of
sediment and nutrients in the upper Genesee River resulting in
improvements of instream habitats. It will also improve the
overall ecological resources and diversity of the river basin,
specifically regarding critical habitat for the spotted darter.
Educational aspects will be planned to promote improvements.
Contaminated Sediment Assessment/Remediation - Ontario
FY93
Olcott Harbor and Eighteenmile Creek (GL995405-01-0:
$92,000)
Recipient: NYSDEC
Project Officer: Diane Dennis-Flagler
Eighteenmile Creek has been designated by the IJC as an Area
of Concern due to high levels of conventional pollutants, heavy
metals and organic pollutants in the water column, sediments and
biota. There is a significant lack of ambient data to fully
characterize the extent of the problem in the harbor. Therefore,
this study will provide initial screening levels of organic
chemicals and trace metals in the bottom sediments of Olcott
Harbor and Eighteenmile Creek.
FY94
Oswego River Sediment Study (GL995660-01-0: $115,721)
Recipient: NYSDEC
Project Officer: Diane Dennis-Flagler
This study will provide initial screening levels of organic
chemicals and trace metals in bottom sediments of the Oswego
River and Harbor. The goal is to draw general conclusions
regarding contaminant concentrations in the areas sampled. A
benthic bioassessment and an evaluation of the toxicity of the
bottom sediments within the study area will also be performed.
The matrix of techniques employed should prove useful for
evaluating contaminated sediments in other AOCs.
No FY93 Projects funded, but see
"Multiple-Lake Projects."
FY94
Atmospheric Deposition Sites on Lake Ontario (GL995232-03-0:
$28,606)
Recipient: Research Foundation of SUNY
Project Officer: Jacqueline Bode
The purpose of this grant is to close down the existing Great
Lakes Atmospheric Deposition sites on Lake Ontario.
Precipitation samples were collected at this site and mailed to
our laboratory in Chicago for analyses of concentrations of
selected metals and nutrients.
Measurement of Stewardship Indicators in the Lake Ontario
Ecosystem (GL995436-01-0: $33,854)
Recipient: Cornell University
Project Officer: Paul Bertram (312-353-0153) or
bertram.paul@epamail.epa.gov
This project will develop potential stewardship indicators
measures for the Lake Ontario basin, including identification of
concepts to measure, development and implementation of a pilot
survey instrument, and selection of effective indicators.
Region 2
CEM Funding - Lake Ontario and Niagara River
FY93
Block Grant for Lakes Erie and Ontario and Niagara River
(GL002967-01: $1,209,100)
Recipient: New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation
Project Officer: Charles Zafonte (212-264-7678)
This block grant supports the projects described below and
one Lake Erie project (see that section).
Niagara River Organics Trackdown
Confirm loadings and locate sources of PCBs and mercury
(pesticides and PAHs if presence suspected) in Niagara River
area tributaries and CSOs.
Niagara River Point Source Critical Substance Identification
and Trackdown
Confirm presence or absence of NRTMP/LOTMP critical
substances in municipal permits or compliance monitoring
programs and their potential for significant loading.
Niagara River Point Source Enhanced Compliance Monitoring
Additional or enhanced compliance monitoring at targeted
discharges and reporting.
Genesee River Fish Population and Toxics Study
Analyze Genesee River fish (kept stationary in cages) for
accumulation of toxics. Determine location of sources of
pollutant discharges.
Substance Bans
Develop substance bans in the Division's Water Quality
Enhancement and Protection Policy. Goal is virtual elimination
of the discharge of certain toxics.
Development and Implementation of RAPs
Support development and implementation of RAPs for AOCs in
NYS. Includes annual reports documenting actions for reductions
at Buffalo River, Niagara River, Oswego River, St. Lawrence
River at Massena.
Great Lakes Program Computer Network
Development of NYSDEC computer network capability to share
compliance data on dischargers, pretreatment program facilities,
ambient monitoring data, etc., and produce annual loadings
estimates on a more timely basis.
Fish Consumption Education Project
Conduct person-to-person contact in metropolitan areas
adjacent to waterways containing fish with elevated chemical
contaminant concentrations. Goals: establish direct
communication of health risks associated with consuming
contaminated fish; develop more effective written and verbal
messages related to health risks; evaluate effectiveness of
modified messages on the person-to-person contact method of
informing public at risk.
FY94
Block Grant for Lakes Erie and Ontario and Niagara River
(GL002967-02: $1,328,425)
Recipient: New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation
Project Officer: Charles Zafonte (212-264-7678)
This block grant supports $40,000 in travel as well as the
projects described below and one Lake Erie project (see that
section).
Fish Tumor Investigation ($36,000)
Analyze fish samples collected at NY AOCs to assess whether
presence of fish tumors is an appropriate impairment indicator.
The results will help track the progress of remediation at RAP
sites.
Great Lakes Contaminated Sediments ($200,300)
Develop an inventory of contaminated sediments in NY. Develop
chemical and biological procedures for prioritization of
contaminated sediments for remediation.
Great Lakes Nonpoint Source Liaison ($11,804)
Assign a Soil and Water Conservation Service (SCS) employee
to NYSDEC to coordinate non-point source (NPS) activities on the
state and local levels.
Demonstration of Reevaluation of BPJ Technologies for BCC
Concerns ($100,000)
Evaluate EEQ of SPDES facilities with effluent limits
authorizing BCC discharge. If EEQ is consistently achieved at
levels lower than corresponding SPDES limits, reduce limits to
represent achieved EEQ. The objective is virtual elimination of
persistent toxics.
Lake Ontario Basin GIS network ($90,000)
Establish a GIS network to evaluate geography-based watershed
information. The network will provide access to technical
information from digitalized databases.
Niagara River Hazardous Waste Site Sampling ($165,450)
Collect samples of the 18 NRTMP substances from hazardous
waste sites to estimate potential loadings.
SPDES Permit Review/Modifications for Loadings
Determinations ($155,000)
Develop a protocol for SPDES permit modifications to enhance
PCS' ability to generate reliable loading information.
Enhanced Toxics Sampling ($100,000)
Conduct enhanced sampling at targeted facilities to identify
chemicals not currently addressed in facility SPDES permits.
Lake Guardian Sampling of Lake Ontario ($235,000)
Collect samples of chemicals of concern in water column and
bottom sediment with the Lake Guardian (September 1994).
Characterize the degree of contamination in Lake Ontario.
Pollution Prevention Inspections ($75,000)
Conduct inspections of facilities responsible for point
sources of priority toxics to identify pollution prevention
opportunities.
Dioxin Sampling in Tributaries ($115,871)
Collect water column samples, bottom sediments, and fish
tissues for dioxin analysis. Establish a database to support
problem identification and source trackdown/cleanup.
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