Storm Water Regulations Proposed for Lake George
Lake George’s main regulatory agency is proposing new rules to curb runoff from lakeside development.
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Timber harvesting notification requirements and conservation/erosion control plans
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Fertilizer application prohibitions within 50 feet of all water bodies and wetlands in the Lake George Park
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Existing property storm water retrofit requirements for all new development projects that require LGPC storm water permits
According to David Wick, the park commission’s executive director, the commission didn’t have the “horsepower” to deal with runoff from leaking septic systems. The storm water regulations deal with pollution that runs across the surface of the land and towards the lake and its tributaries, reported the Adirondack Explorer.
Some of the regulations that require homeowners to curb runoff could cost up to $4,000, reported Lake George Park Commission. The commission has regulated runoff into the lake since fall 1990, but the regulations have not been updated in over a decade.
The commission is working on a separate but related set of rules that prohibit activity near streams. The commission is accepting comments from the public through Sept. 27.
“One of the largest threats to Lake George’s pristine water quality is pollution from storm water runoff,” said the Lake George Commission. “The Commission has been working with our local municipalities and partners around the Lake George Park to discuss these issues and ultimately update the stormwater regulations in a reasonable way, with the intention of hindering the slow decline in the lake’s water quality.”
