BILL NUMBER: S4243A

SPONSOR: MURPHY
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the executive law, in relation to
designating Little Whaley lake, Nuclear lake, Sunset lake, Sylvan lake,
Whaley lake and Willow lake as inland waterways for purposes of water-
front revitalization

 
PURPOSE:

Designates Little Whaley, Nuclear, Sunset, Sylvan, Whaley and Willow
lakes as inland waterways for purposes of waterfront revitalization.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section 911 of the
executive law, regarding the definition of "inland waterways", by adding
the following lakes: Little Whaley, Nuclear, Sunset (in the county of
Dutchess), Sylvan, Whaley and Willow.

Section two establishes the effective date.
              

 
JUSTIFICATION:
The Fishkill Creek watershed is the second largest in Dutchess County.
Situated between the Tenmile River Basin, the only part of New York that
drains into the Housatonic River (which empties into the Long Island
Sound) to the north and east and the Great Swamp Basin, the headwaters
of the New York City's water supply to the south and east, it is one of
the most environmentally sensitive watersheds in New York State. The
creek is also a popular recreational tourism and fishing destination and
is interconnected to the groundwater system throughout Dutchess County.

Within the watershed, there are also around 1,575 acres of lakes. Its
largest, Whaley Lake, is also the largest in Dutchess County, while its
second largest, Sylvan Lake, is the deepest in the county. Both are
popular recreational fishing and boating locations surrounded by local
development. The Department of Environmental Conservation's Waterbody
Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List, as well as the Natural Resources
Management Plan For The Fishkill Creek Watershed developed by the Fish-
kill Creek Watershed Committee, have identified both significant and
minor impacts in the Fishkill Creek basin at these lakes and others
including Little Whaley Lake, Nuclear Lake, Sunset Lake and Willow Lake.

High chloride concentrations, increased sewage inputs, impacts on aquat-
ic life from cold water fishery, a lack of adequate stormwater runoff
infrastructure and mesotrophic conditions, which sometimes approach
eutrophic levels due to the over-abundance of nutrients, are just a few
of the issues that plague these lakes, which are critical to the econom-
ic and ecological health and vitality of the municipalities in which
they are located.

By designating these important lakes as inland waterways, municipalities
can align their use with the State's Coastal and Inland Waterway Poli-
cies, and will be able to pursue our shared goals of improved water
quality, preservation of open space and wildlife habitat, promotion of
tourism and economic development opportunities, as well as combating the
aforementioned threats to the Fishkill Creek watershed.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2017: S.4243

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None of the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.