To The Reader’s Forum:

I understand in principal the concerns of the Chautauqua Institution in the lawsuit filed against the DEC and the Town of Ellery. What confuses me is that most of their concerns have already been addressed in the current SEIS, in public forum, in research conducted nationwide approving the use of these specific herbicides, by routine use in other NY State lakes and ponds (public and private), and in lakes across the Midwest and Southern states! No chemicals were applied within miles of the Chautauqua Institution.

As has been stated on numerous occasions, the CLP (Chautauqua Lake Partnership) is simply adding a “tool” to battle the devastating effects of invasive species weeds. The people of Celeron, along the Stow shoreline, and miles of similar shallow water properties have been suffering way to long, and the Chautauqua Institution now seeks to delay future herbicide use and prolong the positive impacts the CLP’s and Town of Ellery have achieved. I have never believed that the CLP or Town of Ellery viewed herbicide use as a “one size fits all” solution (nor could they afford to!).

On Labor Day weekend more than 350 took time out of their final Summer Holiday to attend a rally at the Village Casino! The Town of Ellery, many communities around the lake, corporate and hundreds of private donors see the herbicide program as a positive step towards improved lake quality. Another TOOL in the bag! And now, rather than have a community wide approach and civil discussion, many of those same supporters will spend moneys that could be going to improve the lake to defend the Institutions lawsuit. In my opinion that’s a shame and meets the same modus operandi of herbicide use for years on Lake Chautauqua! File a lawsuit!

I want to thank the volunteers of the Chautauqua Lake Partnership and the Town of Ellery for their valiant efforts. I also want to thank The CLA (Chautauqua Lake Association) for their harvesting efforts this summer, particularly in the Stow area! I know that the effects of the herbicide use has made their job easier and allowed for a more concentrated effort in other untreated areas of the lake!

David Groth

Stow