Councilman Bill Reynolds, R-Ward 5, brought the issue of the DEC Freshwater Wetlands Act before city council again on Monday, adding that there is a symposium about it coming up this weekend. Screenshot courtesy of the City of Jamestown’s website

The Chautauqua Lake Watershed and Management Alliance is the latest organization to oppose the coming implementation of new watershed regulations that will affect Chautauqua Lake.

Concerns surrounding the Freshwater Wetlands Act locally come following Governor Kathy Hochul signing into law revisions to it in 2022. The act was originally enacted in 1975 to regulate activities near larger wetlands, greater than 12.4 acres, and smaller wetlands considered to be of unusual local importance. The new law eliminates the use of old and inaccurate maps and says that all wetland areas greater than 12.4 acres will be subject to Article 24 regulations and will be monitored by the state DEC. Besides Jamestown, local municipalities surrounding Chautauqua Lake and Findley Lake have expressed concern.

The alliance joins several towns and villages around the lake opposing the implementation of the new regulations, while City Council member Bill Reynolds, R-Ward 5, has twice discussed having Jamestown pass its own resolution opposing the regulations.

During Wednesday’s Chautauqua County Legislature meeting, Jim Wehrfritz of the Chautauqua Property Owners Association spoke about the alliance’s resolution opposing the new regulations and told legislators he hopes Gov. Kathy Hochul follows the recommendations of most elected officials in the region and delays implementation.

“We hope the governor will act prior to the regulations’ planned implementation on January 1, 2025,” Wehfritz said. “In the meantime we’ll be gathering resources and preparing for litigation to protect property and business owner and lake user interests when the NYSDEC begins enforcement of the regulations.”

Reynolds brought the issue to the council for the first time at the work session at the beginning of November, and brought it up again at Monday’s work session. He also invited those interested to attend a public forum Saturday at the Lawson Center in Bemus Point.

“It does affect the Chadakoin River in the city and McCrae Point,” Reynolds said. “We should seriously take a look at that. There’s a symposium in Bemus this Saturday from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Lawson Center. … If anybody is interested in attending to learn more about how the Freshwater Wetlands Act will affect the wetlands in our city, I would behoove somebody to do that,” Reynolds said.

Saturday’s meeting will include discussion of opposition to the watershed regulations, what the general permits the DEC is considering could look like and what’s next as the Army Corps of Engineers begins its work on Chautauqua Lake. There will be presentations from Wehrfritz and Chautauqua Property Owners Association board members.