P-J file photo

There will be permits to use herbicides on Chautauqua Lake, possibly by the time this story hits newsstands today.

However, there may not be money for the Chautauqua Lake Partnership to use them.

“It’s possible we could be all set and ready to go with permits in hand and all the resolutions and all the contracts and everything in place without adequate funding,” said Jim Wehrfritz, Chautauqua Lake Partnership vice president. “That’s possible.”

PERMIT CONFUSION

There was some confusion Monday about the status of the herbicide permits. The Chautauqua Lake Partnership had applied for nine herbicide application permits from the Department of Environmental Conservation covering roughly 980 acres of Chautauqua Lake in the towns of Ellery, North Harmony, Busti, Ellicott and the village of Celoron. On May 15, the partnership received three permits approving herbicides in about 180 acres of the lake, but word quickly spread Monday that the permits had either been rescinded or were being reworked.

CLP officials confirmed Tuesday that the permits were never rescinded, but are being revised after inaccuracies were found.

“An example of it was there was one permit issued to actually four towns,” Wehrfritz said. “They really can’t action that as four towns because any individual town really can’t take responsibility for the conditions relative to another. So, that was a significant change that had to be made for the permits to be usable.”

Initial plans were to apply herbicides in early- to-mid-May at the latest. DEC approval of permits on May 15 forced CLP officials to change that initial timeline, though the colder and wet spring may mean the delay won’t have much impact on the effectiveness of the three herbicides being used. CLP officials are now targeting the first week of June to apply the herbicides — most likely either June 4-5 or June 5-6.

Wehrfritz and Dr. Jim Cirbus, Chautauqua Lake Partnership president, said they don’t expect the DEC to increase the herbicide treatment area from the 180 acres approved in the original permits. Navigate, Aquathol K and Renovate3 will be used depending on the zone of the lake stipulated in the permit.

FUNDING CONCERNS

The bigger short-term issue is funding. Chautauqua Lake Partnership officials spoke during the public comment portion of April’s Chautauqua County Legislature meeting and requested $500,000 from the legislature.

That money would have paid a portion of the CLP’s planned herbicide treatment of roughly 980 acres of Chautauqua Lake. The request was whittled down to $300,000 after discussions with some legislators.

Neither funding number was discussed by any of the legislature committees last week, which is a usual pathway for requests to make it to the legislature floor.

“We may need to identify other resources,” Wehrfritz said. “We may wait until tomorrow to see what happens at the legislature meeting. We’re going to have to find money elsewhere. With the diminished acreage the cost goes way down. And, ultimately, it will be split up between the towns and the village. With those smaller numbers there may be some other options.”

Dr. Jim Cirbus, Chautauqua Lake Partnership president, said organization officials have been in touch with state and federal officials as well, but CLP officials have largely been told there won’t be funding available within the next couple of weeks.

“They’re saying we can’t get it this quickly for you,” Cirbus said. “There may be money later in the year for some other projects that you have. That was Schumer’s answer right now, but not for the immediate need.”

LAKE RALLY

CLP officials will host a Chautauqua Lake Rally from 8-10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Village Casino in Bemus Point. Coffee, juice and danish will be provided. Partnership officials will discuss the proposed herbicide treatments and the partnership’s ongoing plans.