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Onondaga Creek

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The Clean Water Act ( CWA ) is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution . Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters; recognizing the responsibilities of the states in addressing pollution and providing assistance to states to do so, including funding for publicly owned treatment works for the improvement of wastewater treatment ; and maintaining the integrity of wetlands .

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109-545: Onondaga Creek is a major tributary of Onondaga Lake which is located in Onondaga County, New York . The headwaters of the creek originate 27 miles (43 km) south of the city of Syracuse near the hamlet of Vesper, in the town of Tully, New York . The creek flows north through the Tully Valley and through the city of Syracuse where it empties into Onondaga Lake. The major tributaries of Onondaga Creek are

218-597: A 15-year multi-stage program completed in late 2017, allowed the lake to reach criteria required by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the United States Environmental Protection Agency . This includes implementing a long-term operation, maintenance, and monitoring program to ensure the effectiveness of the remedy. The lake is included in an ongoing land rights action filed by

327-533: A 9% increase . The association was stronger in those over 75 than in the population aged 65–74. This example is a small reflection of residents of the United States remain at risk of waterborne gastrointestinal illness under current water treatment practices. Reproductive problems refer to any illness of the reproductive system . New research by Brunel University and the University of Exeter strengthens

436-703: A Record of Decision that outlined the remediation plans of Onondaga Lake. The Federal Court approved a Consent Decree in 2007, obliging Honeywell International, Inc. to implement the NYSDEC/EPA cleanup plan for the contaminated sediments in the bottom of the lake. Honeywell signed the Consent Decree that same year and began the Remedial Design and Remedial Action for the Onondaga Lake Bottom Site. The cleanup plan called for

545-468: A budgetary procedure known as " earmarking ." Section 301 of the Act prohibits discharges to waters of the U.S. except with a permit. ( See Title IV for discussion of permit programs.) Recreational vessels are exempt from the permit requirements, but vessel operators must implement Best Management Practices to control their discharges. ( See Regulation of ship pollution in the United States .) Under

654-790: A complete inquiry of social and economic costs and benefits of achieving goals of the Act. Under section 309, EPA can issue administrative orders against violators, and seek civil or criminal penalties when necessary: States that are authorized by EPA to administer the NPDES program must have authority to enforce permit requirements under their respective state laws. Military bases, national parks and other federal facilities must comply with CWA provisions. Section 316 requires standards for thermal pollution discharges, as well as standards for cooling water intake structures (e.g., fish screens ). These standards are applicable to power plants and other industrial facilities. The 1987 amendments created

763-399: A correlation between high arsenic levels and children who lived in the southern and eastern areas near the bottom of Onondaga Lake. Approximately 18 miles (29 km) south of Syracuse, the Tully Valley has unique hydro-geological features called mudboils . These mudboils are the cause of the excessive sedimentation of Onondaga Lake. The sediment enters Onondaga Creek, which flows north into

872-514: A demonstration grant program at the EPA to expand the research and development of non-point controls and management practices. Congress created a major public works financing program for municipal sewage treatment in the 1972 CWA. A system of grants for construction of municipal sewage treatment plants was authorized and funded in Title II . In the initial program, the federal portion of each grant

981-563: A high incidence of malaria , the lake's water level was lowered after its outlet to the Seneca River was dredged . The low-lying swampy area, located in what is now the northern end of downtown Syracuse, was drained. The completion of the Erie Canal through New York State in the mid-1820s and the commercial production of salt brought an increase in settlement of the area. The lake's western shore became increasingly industrialized as

1090-791: A higher rate of Parkinson's. The risk was 90 percent higher for those who had private wells near fields sprayed with widely used insecticides. Unlike water supplies in large cities, private wells are mostly unregulated and are not monitored for contaminants. Many of them exist at shallow depths of less than 20 yards, and some of the crop chemicals used to kill pests and weeds can flow into ground water. Therefore, private wells are likely to contain pesticides, which can attack developing brains (womb or infancy), leading to neurological diseases later in life. A study led by UCLA epidemiology professor Beate Ritz suggests that "people with Parkinson's were more likely to have consumed private well water, and had consumed it on average 4.3 years longer than those who did not have

1199-448: A lawsuit against Allied-Signal, Inc. for its part in contamination of Onondaga Lake. New York State and Allied-Signal, Inc. signed an interim Consent Decree detailing the elements of a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study to be undertaken of the lake. In compliance with the Consent Decree, the study was conducted by Allied-Signal, Inc. which became Honeywell, Inc. in 1999. Non-salt-producing companies also became established along

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1308-569: A sewer district and built the Metropolitan Sewage Treatment Plant ("Metro") on the south shore of the lake. In 1987, Atlantic States Legal Foundation (ASLF), a Syracuse-based organization providing legal and technical assistance to citizens and organizations dealing with environmental problems, filed a lawsuit against Onondaga County alleging that Metro and the combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges were violating federal water pollution standards established under

1417-636: A surface area basis), and a little more than 70 percent of the nation's coastlines, and 90 percent of the surveyed ocean and near coastal areas were also impaired. The primary mode of informing the quality of water of rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, estuaries, coastal waters and wetlands of the U.S. is through the National Water Quality Inventory Report. Water quality assessments are conducted pursuant to water quality standards adopted by states and other jurisdictions (territories, interstate commissions and tribes). The report

1526-603: A surface area of 642 square kilometers (248 sq mi), encompassing Syracuse, Onondaga County except the eastern and northern edges, the southeastern corner of Cayuga County and the Onondaga Nation Territory , and supports approximately 450,000 people. Onondaga Lake has two natural tributaries that contribute approximately 70% of the total water flow to the lake. These tributaries are Ninemile Creek and Onondaga Creek . The Metropolitan Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant (METRO) contributes 20% of

1635-575: A system of construction grants. The 1972 CWA provided that federal funds would support 75% of project costs, with state and local funds providing the remaining 25%. In 1981 Congress reduced the federal funding proportion for most grants to 55%. The construction grant program was replaced by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund in the 1987 WQA ( see Title VI ), although some local utilities continued to receive "special purpose project grants" directly from Congress, through

1744-771: A three-tiered anti-degradation program. Anti-degradation procedures identify steps and questions that need to be addressed when specific activities affect water quality. "Tier 1" requirements are applicable to all surface waters. These requirements maintain and protect current uses and the water quality conditions to support existing uses. Current uses are identified by showing that fishing, swimming, and other water uses have occurred and are suitable since November 28, 1975. "Tier 2" requirements maintains and protects water bodies with existing conditions that are better to support "fishable/swimmable" uses pursuant to CWA section 101(a)(2). "Tier 3" requirements maintain and protect water quality in "outstanding national resource waters" (ONRWs), which are

1853-650: Is a multi-year program designed to improve the water quality of Onondaga Lake while achieving full compliance with state and federal water quality regulations by December 1, 2002. ACJ projects are divided into three main categories: wastewater treatment, collection system, and lake and tributary monitoring. In January 1998, a federal judge approved the ACJ and in September 1999, the Onondaga Lake Management Conference approved and endorsed

1962-450: Is conveyed to Congress as a means to inform Congress and the public of compliance with quality standards established by states, territories and tribes. The assessments identify water quality problems within the states and jurisdictions, list the impaired and threatened water bodies, and identify non-point sources that contribute to poor water quality. Every two years states must submit reports that describe water quality conditions to EPA with

2071-671: Is diluted by water. Methodology of mixing zone procedure determines the location, size, shape and quality of mixing zones. Variance policy temporarily relax water quality standard and are alternatives to removing a designated use. States and tribes may include variance as part of their water quality standard. Variance is subject to public review every three years and warrant development towards improvement of water quality. The "Low Flow" policy pertains to states and tribes water quality standards that identify procedures applied to determining critical low flow conditions. Most NPDES permittees are required to collect samples of their wastewater and analyze

2180-622: Is located in the Cold Springs Mud Lock section of Onondaga Lake Park. It is open from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week year round. Dogs are allowed to exercise without leashes in a 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m ) fenced-in area which includes an exercise area with tunnels, jumps and bridges complete with red fire hydrants. Entrance to the park is located at 49 Cold Springs Trail in Liverpooloff NYS Route 370 . Suggested donation of $ 1 per person at

2289-404: Is municipal sewage. For years, Syracuse dumped human waste into the lake with little or no treatment. Before European settlement and the growth of a large population in the area, the lake was oligo-mesothropic, meaning that it contained low levels of aquatic plant blooms. The high levels of ammonia and phosphates due to the dumping of sewage wastewater have led to excessive algae growth in

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2398-585: Is near the Finger Lakes region, it is not traditionally counted as one of the Finger Lakes. Onondaga Lake is a dimictic lake , meaning that the lake water completely mixes from top to bottom twice a year. The lake is 4.6 miles (7.4 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide making a surface area of 4.6 square miles (12 km ). The maximum depth of the lake is 63 feet (19 m) with an average depth of 35 feet (11 m). Its drainage basin has

2507-492: Is stored in the reservoir and later released back into the creek when the water recedes. Onondaga Lake Onondaga Lake is located in Central New York , immediately northwest of and adjacent to Syracuse, New York . The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it

2616-645: Is the birthplace of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, a Confederacy of Indigenous Nations made up of the Mohawk , Onondaga , Oneida , Cayuga , and Seneca , and after 1772, the Tuscarora . The names of the Nations are directly connected to their ancestral homelands in current northwest New York State. Mohawk translates to people of the flint, Onondaga to people of the hills, Oneida to people of

2725-542: Is water quality criteria which serves as a basis for limiting the toxicity of waste discharges to aquatic species. A biological criterion is based on the aquatic community which describes the number and types of species in a water body. A nutrient criterion solely protects against nutrient over enrichment, and a sediment criterion describes conditions of contaminated and uncontaminated sediments to avoid undesirable effects. The water quality regulations include an anti-degradation policy that requires states and tribes to establish

2834-598: The Clean Water Act of 1972 . The state of New York joined as a plaintiff with allegations that Onondaga County had also violated the New York State Environmental Conservation Law. In 1988, ASLF, the state of New York, and Onondaga County reached a settlement outlined in a Consent Judgement which required the county to pay Upstate Freshwater Institute to create water quality models for the lake. These models would then form

2943-515: The Nonpoint Source Management Program under CWA section 319. This program provides grants to states, territories and Indian tribes to support demonstration projects, technology transfer , education, training, technical assistance and related activities designed to reduce nonpoint source pollution. Grant funding for the program averaged $ 210 million annually for Fiscal Years 2004 through 2008. Congress amended

3052-509: The Onondaga Creek valley from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. Many of these companies drilled wells into the underlying sand to obtain water for cooling purposes. They were protecting dairy products and beer, storing perishable goods, and regulating temperature in office and storage buildings by such water use. Once used, the water was disposed of in nearby streams that drained to Onondaga Lake. This practice increased

3161-796: The Safe Drinking Water Act , Resource Conservation and Recovery Act , and the Superfund act. Contamination of drinking water supplies can not only occur in the source water but also in the distribution system. Sources of water contamination include naturally occurring chemicals and minerals (arsenic, radon, uranium), local land use practices (fertilizers, pesticides, concentrated feeding operations), manufacturing processes, and sewer overflows or wastewater releases. Some examples of health implications of water contamination are gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, pregnant women,

3270-588: The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA) to provide an expanded credit program for water and wastewater infrastructure projects, with broader eligibility criteria than the previously authorized revolving fund unter CWA Title VI. Pursuant to WIFIA, EPA established its Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center in 2015 to help local governments and municipal utilities design innovative financing mechanisms, including public–private partnerships . Congress amended

3379-459: The "functional equivalent of a direct discharge" to navigable waters, such as in this case, the injection of wastewater into groundwater injection wells . As of the time of the case's decision, this was not an area the EPA has established regulations for, and the Court instructed the EPA to work with the courts to define such functional equivalents. The Court wrote that this would likely depend most on

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3488-436: The 1972 act EPA began to issue technology-based standards for municipal and industrial sources: As of 2023 the effluent guidelines and categorical pretreatment standards regulations have been published for 59 categories and apply to between 35,000 and 45,000 facilities that discharge directly to the nation's waters,129,000 facilities that discharge to POTWs, and construction sites. These regulations are responsible for preventing

3597-527: The Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ). It incorporated the ACJ into its 1993 Onondaga Lake Management Plan entitled, A Plan of Action. The final stage for ammonia discharge improvements occurred in 2004. The biological aerated filter (BAF) system allows for year-round nitrification of wastewater. In 2004, Metro's annual ammonia discharge was reduced to 152 metric tons and by 2005, the annual discharge fell to 21 metric tons. The ACJ also led to

3706-600: The CSO volume generated during heavy rain and snow melt. In 1989, the State of New York filed a lawsuit against Allied-Signal, Inc. The lawsuit sought to compel the company to clean up the hazardous wastes that it and its predecessors had dumped into and around the lake. In 2005, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued

3815-584: The Iroquois" located on the eastern shore of Onondaga Lake. The site is currently planning to repurpose the facility into a Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Heritage Center named Skä•noñh Center – Great Law of Peace Center. Skä•noñh, is an Onondaga welcoming greeting meaning Peace and Wellness. The Salt Museum was built around a still-standing boiling block chimney. It opened in 1933 during the Great Depression. One major source of pollution for Onondaga Lake

3924-564: The Nations together on the shores of Onondaga Lake, where he united them under the Great Law of Peace and formed the Haudenosaunee Confederacy The Haudenosaunee, or people of the longhouse, was founded as a conscious league based on principles of mutual respect and peaceful communication. The Onondaga Nation website describes this event as the formation of “the first representative democracy in

4033-506: The Onondaga Nation, which seeks the return of its ancestral homelands to promote environmental protection in conjunction with affirming Haudenosaunee sovereignty: “Onondaga Lake is the birthplace of Haudenosaunee democracy. Subsequently and consequently, the lake is the founding site of democracy for the U.S. people and, as such, should be protected as a national treasure instead of the chemical cesspool it has become.” Onondaga Lake

4142-590: The Onondagas revealed their presence to French explorers. Jesuit missionaries visiting the Syracuse region in the same time period were the first to report on salty brine springs around the southern end of what they called "Salt Lake," known today as Onondaga Lake. The brine springs were reported to have extended around much of the lake for a distance of nearly 9 miles. They extended from the present-day towns of Salina through Geddes and from Liverpool to near

4251-725: The Original Instructions of Skyholder, or the Creator, who mandated that humans cultivate the land and live alongside “all things that grow" and game animals. Included in the Original Instructions was the Thanksgiving Address, or Ohenton Kariwatehkwen. Water, including Onondaga Lake, is central to the Thanksgiving Address: “We give thanks to all the Waters of the world. We are grateful that

4360-735: The Supreme Court rejected the "significant nexus" test in Sackett v. EPA and established the current definition. The CWA introduced the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), a permit system for regulating point sources of pollution. Point sources include: Point sources may not discharge pollutants to surface waters without an NPDES permit. The system is managed by EPA in partnership with state environmental agencies. EPA has authorized 47 states to issue permits directly to

4469-484: The TMDL determines load based on a Waste Load Allocation (WLA), Load Allocation (LA), and Margin of Safety (MOS) Once the TMDL assessment is completed and the maximum pollutant loading capacity defined, an implementation plan is developed that outlines the measures needed to reduce pollutant loading to the non-compliant water body, and bring it into compliance. Over 60,000 TMDLs are proposed or in development for U.S. waters in

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4578-424: The U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve runoff management practices on farms. See Natural Resources Conservation Service . Stormwater runoff from industrial sources, municipal storm drains , and other sources were not specifically addressed in the 1972 law. EPA had declined to include urban runoff and industrial stormwater discharges in its initial implementation of the NPDES program, and subsequently

4687-638: The United States." In 2006, in Rapanos v. United States , a plurality of the US Supreme Court authored by Justice Antonin Scalia held that the term "waters of the United States" "includes only those relatively permanent, standing or continuously flowing bodies of water 'forming geographic features' that are described in ordinary parlance as 'streams[,]... oceans, rivers, [and] lakes.'" The concurrent written opinion of Justice Anthony Kennedy defined

4796-681: The WIFIA program in 2015, 2016 and 2018. This Act has six titles. Title I includes a Declaration of Goals and Policy and various grant authorizations for research programs and pollution control programs. Some of the programs authorized by the 1972 law are ongoing (e.g. section 104 research programs, section 106 pollution control programs, section 117 Chesapeake Bay Program ) while other programs no longer receive funds from Congress and have been discontinued. To assist municipalities in building or expanding sewage treatment plants, also known as publicly owned treatment works (POTW), Title II established

4905-599: The West Branch of Onondaga Creek, Hemlock Creek and Rattlesnake Gulf. In the late 1940s, the Army Corps of Engineers built a flood control dam and reservoir within the Onondaga Nation Reservation for the purpose of regulating the peak flow that reaches the city of Syracuse . The structure influences the creek's flow pattern only in the event of a large runoff when a portion of very high flow

5014-851: The West.” The event was recorded with the creation of the Hiawatha Belt , a wampum whose design would later be used as the Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy . This belt conveys the guiding principles of the Haudenosaunee, the story of the Great Peacemaker, and the founding of the league at Onondaga Lake. Onondaga Lake remains a sacred site for the Haudenosaunee, which King directly connects to Haudenosaunee environmental protection and sovereignty: “The value of water and

5123-563: The agency was sued by an environmental group . In 1977, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that stormwater discharges must be covered by the permit program. Research conducted starting in the late 1970s and 1980s indicated that stormwater runoff was a significant cause of water quality impairment in many parts of the US. In the early 1980s, the EPA conducted the Nationwide Urban Runoff Program (NURP) to document

5232-402: The ambient water quality standards for ammonia. It was officially de-listed for that particular parameter in the State's 2008 list of impaired bodies of water. The ACJ achieved other successes. Between 1993 and 2006, the phosphorus discharges from Metro were decreased by 86%. Regarding contamination via CSOs, the ACJ required that by 2010 the county eliminate or capture for treatment 95% of

5341-510: The annual flow. No other lake in the United States receives as much of its inflow as treated wastewater . The other tributaries, which include Ley Creek, Seneca River, Harbor Brook, Sawmill Creek, Tributary 5A, and East Flume, contribute the remaining 10% of water flow into the lake. The tributaries flush the lake out about four times a year. Onondaga Lake is flushed much more rapidly than most other lakes. The lake flows to

5450-424: The banning of ice harvesting as early as 1901. In 1940, swimming was banned, and in 1970 fishing was banned due to mercury contamination. Mercury pollution is still a problem for the lake today. Despite the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1973 and the closing of the major industrial polluter in 1986, Onondaga Lake remained one of the most polluted lakes in the United States until several initiatives, including

5559-442: The basis for discharge limits imposed on the county's Metro facility. In 1990, the U.S. Congress created the Onondaga Lake Management Conference (Public Law 101-596, section 401). It ordered the group to develop a comprehensive revitalization, conservation, and management plan for Onondaga Lake that recommends priority corrective actions and compliance schedules for its cleanup. The Conference also called for coordination of implementing

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5668-412: The chemical pollution of Onondaga Lake. The surface water was found to be contaminated with mercury whereas the sediments are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides , creosotes , heavy metals ( lead , cobalt , and mercury ), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorinated benzenes, and BTEX compounds ( benzene , ethylbenzene , toluene , xylene ). In Onondaga Lake

5777-509: The chlorinated benzenes are located in the southwest portion, in the form of a dense oily liquid that has settled into the sediments. These chemicals were intentionally dumped into the lake or unintentionally seeped in from upland toxic waste sites or from the Solvay wastebeds located at the southwest end of Onondaga Lake. Approximately 6 million pounds (2.7 kt) of salty wastes made up of chloride , sodium , and calcium were dumped into

5886-692: The cleanup plan was $ 451 million; an estimated $ 414 million in order to construct the remedy, followed by an annual maintenance cost of $ 3 million. Dredging began in July 2012. The sediments were hydraulically dredged from the bottom of the lake and piped to a sediment consolidation area in Camillus, New York . The dredging was completed in November 2014, a year ahead of schedule, having removed approximately 2.2 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment. Clean Water Act The Clean Water Act

5995-400: The creation of an ambient monitoring program (AMP) to track the effectiveness of the improvements made to the wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure. The AMP is designed to identify sources of materials to the lake, evaluate in-lake water quality conditions, and examine the interactions between Onondaga Lake and Seneca River. Since 2007, Onondaga Lake has been in full compliance with

6104-583: The direct discharge of Solvay waste material into the lake. As Syracuse's population began to grow in the 20th century, a surplus of pollution hit the lake hard. This lake was so close to the city that the effects of people's sewage, exhaust fumes, and dumping of unnecessary products all caused the lake to decline in popularity, fishing, and even swimming. In 1920, the Solvay Process Company merged with four other chemical companies, forming Allied Chemical and Dye Corporation . In 1950 it began

6213-762: The discharge of almost 700 billion pounds of pollutants each year. EPA has updated some categories since their initial promulgation and has added new categories. The secondary treatment standards for POTWs and the effluent guidelines are implemented through NPDES permits. (See Title IV .) The categorical pretreatment standards are typically implemented by POTWs through permits that they issue to their industrial users. The CWA requires states to monitor their water bodies and establish Water Quality Standards for them. Water Quality Standards (WQS) are risk-based requirements which set site-specific allowable pollutant levels for individual water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands. States set WQS by designating uses for

6322-521: The discharging facilities. The CWA also allows tribes to issue permits, but no tribes have been authorized by EPA. In the remaining states and territories , the permits are issued by an EPA regional office. (See Titles III and IV .) In legislation prior to 1972, Congress had authorized states to develop water quality standards, which would limit discharges from facilities based on the characteristics of individual water bodies. However, those standards were to be developed only for interstate waters, and

6431-594: The disease." Under the current Supreme Court rule issued in 2023, all waters (such as streams, oceans, rivers and lakes) with "a continuous surface connection" to "navigable waters" are covered under the CWA. The 1972 statute frequently uses the term "navigable waters" but also defines the term as "waters of the United States, including the territorial seas." Regulations interpreting the 1972 law have included water features such as intermittent streams , playa lakes , prairie potholes , sloughs and wetlands as "waters of

6540-597: The distance the pollutants traveled and time to reach navigable waters, with consideration for the material that the pollutants traveled through, any physical or chemical interaction of the pollutants with components in the ground, and how much of the pollutant makes it to the navigable water. In July 2021, following the Supreme Court decision, the Hawaii District Court determined that the Maui County sewage treatment plant's groundwater injection of sewage

6649-443: The dredging of up to 2.65 million cubic yards of contaminated sediments to a depth that will allow for a cap to be built without losing any lake surface area. The plan also called for the installation of a barrier wall made of steel on the southwest corner of the lake to prevent contamination from the wastebeds from getting into the lake. In 2011, Honeywell completed second-phase construction on this barrier wall. The estimated cost of

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6758-559: The dumping of mercury into the lake. It is estimated that Allied Chemical was dumping approximately 25 pounds (11 kg) of mercury into Onondaga Lake per day. In 1981 Allied Chemical Corporation become Allied Corporation; in 1985 it changed its name to Allied-Signal, Inc. when it merged with the Signal companies. The company announced that it would close its operations in Syracuse because of changes in environmental laws, and in 1986 began dismantling its facility. In 1989, New York State filed

6867-520: The east and west flanks of the valley. Soda ash production began in 1884. The company was producing about 20 tons of soda ash per day, dumping most of its waste material directly into Onondaga Lake. Eventually wastebeds were built along the southwest perimeter of the lake to contain the by-products of soda ash production. In 1907, the New York State Attorney General threatened the Solvay Process Company with legal action over

6976-577: The eastern shore of the lake and has its offices at 6790 Onondaga Lake Trail in Liverpool . The park offers seven miles of shoreline, with a variety of areas for family picnics, including developed areas in Willow Bay and Cold Springs. The Onondaga Lake Park Marina is located on Onondaga Lake Parkway in Liverpool. The Wegmans Good Dog Park was the first of its kind in Central New York and

7085-410: The elderly are at highest risk for gastrointestinal disease. In a study investigating the association between drinking water quality and gastrointestinal illness in the elderly of Philadelphia, scientists found water quality 9 to 11 days before the visit was negatively associated with hospital admissions for gastrointestinal illness, with an interquartile range increase in turbidity being associated with

7194-449: The elderly, and people whose immune systems are compromised because of AIDS, chemotherapy, or transplant medications, may be especially susceptible to illness from some contaminants. Gastrointestinal disorders include such conditions as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, perianal abscesses, anal fistulas, perianal infections, diverticular diseases, colitis, colon polyps and cancer. In general, children and

7303-782: The extent of the urban stormwater problem. The agency began to develop regulations for stormwater permit coverage but encountered resistance from industry and municipalities, and there were additional rounds of litigation. The litigation was pending when Congress considered further amendments to the CWA in 1986. In the Water Quality Act of 1987, Congress responded to the stormwater problem by defining industrial stormwater dischargers and municipal separate storm sewer systems (often called "MS4") as point sources, and requiring them to obtain NPDES permits, by specific deadlines. The permit exemption for agricultural discharges continued, but Congress created several programs and grants, including

7412-405: The highest quality waters in the US with ecological significance. States and Native American tribes also adopt general policies pertaining to water quality standards that are subject to review and approval by the EPA. Those provisions on water quality standards include mixing zones, variance, and low flow policies. Mixing zone policy is defined area surrounding a point source discharge where sewage

7521-490: The key raw materials for the production of soda ash, used to make the industrial products of glass, chemicals, detergent, and paper. The abundance of salt brine and limestone in Onondaga Lake's watershed area attributed greatly for the industrialization along the lake's shoreline. Beginning in 1838, New York State authorized the drilling of deep wells at several locations around the lake. The wells were intended to locate

7630-473: The lake before Allied Chemical closed in 1986. Mercury contamination has been a major pollution issue. Between 1946 and 1970, 165,000 pounds (75,000 kg) of mercury was discharged into Onondaga Lake by Allied Chemical and Dye Corporation. In 2002, the findings from the remedial investigation conducted by successor Honeywell, Inc., with the supervision of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), reported that mercury contamination

7739-402: The lake's shoreline, as it was a destination of great beauty. The Onondaga Nation continues to have a religious and cultural presence on the shores of the lake, today. With the industrialization of the region, much of the lake's shoreline was developed; domestic and industrial waste , due to industry and urbanization , led to the severe degradation of the lake. Unsafe levels of pollution led to

7848-645: The lake. When these excessive algae growths die, bacteria decompose the dead algae using large quantities of oxygen, which causes eutrophic and low-oxygen conditions. The low oxygen levels lead to the choking out of fish and plants, especially in the deeper areas of the lake. Eventually anoxic (oxygen-free) conditions set in parts of the lake and anaerobic decomposition takes place which emits harmful and foul-smelling gases like hydrogen sulfide . Combined sewer overflow (CSO) also contributes pollution. In some areas of Syracuse, sewers carry both sanitary sewage and stormwater. During dry weather, these sewers carry all

7957-569: The lake. Sediment loading is a problem because it degrades water quality, decreases water clarity, and reduces habitat for aquatic insects, fish spawning, and plants. The first steps taken to control sewage pollution occurred in 1907 with the creation of the Syracuse Interceptor Sewage Board. It served to address sewage-related problems in Onondaga Creek and Harbor Brook. In 1960, Onondaga County established

8066-436: The lake. The article, "Exposure to Arsenic and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in 9- to 11-Year-Old Children, Syracuse, New York, " explores the relationship between urinary arsenic, a heavy metal, and cardiovascular disease risk factors including blood vessel, and heart ventricle thickness. The study, done with 9-11 year old children, demonstrated a correlation between cardiovascular disease and high arsenic levels, as well as

8175-772: The land they belonged to.” According to Joyce Tekahnawiiaks King, a Mohawk Turtle Clan member who served as a political administrator, Federal Justice of the Peace, director of the Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force, and advisor to the New York State Department of Conservation Environmental Justice Committee throughout her career, the Haudenosaunee have responsibilities to the land and water they came from: “We speak in terms of responsibilities with respect to water, not in terms of water rights… From time immemorial, we have held

8284-453: The main gate. The park is maintained with private donations. The Old French Fort at the Mission of Sainte Marie was the site of an early attempt by French Jesuits and colonists to establish a base in Central New York . In the 1930s, the remains of the original fort were replaced with what was claimed to be a "replica" or reconstruction of the site. Subsequent research has revealed that it

8393-482: The meaning of water law for the Native American called the Haudenosaunee cannot be separated from a yet-more foundational discussion on Haudenosaunee sovereignty and the right to protect land and Creation must be understood… Views on sovereignty are dependent upon the level of regard one has for the land itself (water, of course, included).” Europeans began to learn about salt springs in the area in 1654, when

8502-558: The mouth of Ninemile Creek . European settlers, mostly trappers and traders, followed the Jesuit missionaries and French explorers into the Syracuse area during the 17th and 18th centuries. After the French and Indian War , British traders replaced the French, but encounters were limited. British-American colonists began salt production in the area in the late 18th century. Following

8611-803: The name of the law is the Federal Water Pollution Control Act . The first FWPCA was enacted in 1948, but took on its modern form when completely rewritten in 1972 in an act entitled the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 . Major changes have subsequently been introduced via amendatory legislation including the Clean Water Act of 1977 and the Water Quality Act (WQA) of 1987. The Clean Water Act does not directly address groundwater contamination . Groundwater protection provisions are included in

8720-647: The next decade and a half. Following the issuance of a TMDL for a water body, implementation of the requirements involves modification to NPDES permits for facilities discharging to the water body to meet the WLA allocated to the water body (see Title IV ). The development of WQS and TMDL is a complex process, both scientifically and legally, and it is a resource-intensive process for state agencies. More than half of U.S. stream and river miles continue to violate water quality standards. Surveys of lakes, ponds and reservoirs indicated that about 70 percent were impaired (measured on

8829-406: The nineteenth century progressed. Onondaga Lake also became a popular resort area. By the late 19th century, its shoreline was dotted with hotels, restaurants, and amusement parks. The area was so popular that people traveled by railroad from as far as New York City to visit the lake. Fish from the lake were harvested and served in restaurants across the state. Salt brine and limestone were

8938-731: The northwest and discharges into the Seneca River which combines with the Oneida River to form the Oswego River , and ultimately ends up in Lake Ontario . The lake is sacred to the Onondaga Nation . The Onondaga people had control of the lake taken from them by New York State following the American Revolutionary War . During the late 19th century, European-Americans built many resorts along

9047-412: The permit. The 1972 act authorized continued use of the water quality-based approach, but in coordination with the technology-based standards. After application of technology-based standards to a permit, if water quality is still impaired for the particular water body, then the permit agency may add water quality-based limitations to that permit. The additional limitations are to be more stringent than

9156-658: The plan. The largest responsibility of the Onondaga Lake Management Conference was the completion of the Onondaga Lake Management Plan. In 1997, New York State, Onondaga County, and ASLF reached an agreement, the Onondaga Lake Amended Consent Judgement (ACJ), on municipal wastewater collection and treatment improvements. The ACJ called for a schedule to attain compliance with the Clean Water Act. The ACJ

9265-423: The point source definition in the 1972 CWA and was unclear on the status of some other sources. Such sources were therefore considered to be nonpoint sources that were not subject to the permit program. Agricultural stormwater discharges and irrigation return flows were specifically exempted from permit requirements. Congress, however, provided support for research, technical and financial assistance programs at

9374-425: The production of chlorine by mercury cell in 1950. Mercury-contaminated waste was also dumped directly into Onondaga Lake. Allied Chemical and Dye Corporation became Allied Chemical Corporation in 1958. Its continued practice of allowing mercury into the lake led to the federal and state governments banning fishing in 1970, due to mercury contamination of the fish. The US Attorney General sued Allied Chemical to halt

9483-544: The relationship between water pollution and rising male fertility problems. Study identified a group of chemicals that act as anti-androgens in polluted water, which inhibits the function of the male hormone, testosterone, reducing male fertility. Neurological disorders are diseases of the brain, spine and the nerves that connect them. The new study of more than 700 people in California's Central Valley found that those who likely consumed contaminated private well water had

9592-422: The salinity of the surface-water system. Long Branch Park is a public park in Onondaga County, New York , located in the town of Liverpool at 3813 Long Branch Road near NYS Route 370 and John Glenn Boulevard. The park is located on the northern shore of Onondaga Lake near Onondaga Lake Park, but it has no formal relation to it and is operate separately. Onondaga Lake Park is another county park. It hugs

9701-620: The samples using test methods specified in their permits. EPA publishes analytical methods that are used by the permittees. The procedures identify chemical compounds and microbiological components of wastewater, as required by the act. Some of the chemical compound test procedures include the chemical detection of trace elements such as cancer-causing metals. Some microbiological test procedures use microbial source tracking (MST) techniques to calculate and identify biological and chemical trends that may support new regulatory limits on pollutants. Congress exempted some water pollution sources from

9810-559: The sanitary sewage to Metro for treatment; however, during times of heavy rain or melting snow, the amount of water is greater than the capacity of the sewers. They overflow and discharge a combination of runoff and sanitary sewage into Onondaga Creek and Harbor Brook. Through these tributaries, the CSO eventually reaches Onondaga Lake. CSO has been generating concerns about bacteria. In the 1960s, Syracuse had ninety points where CSO could reach Onondaga Creek , Harbor Brook, or Ley Creek. The Allied Chemical Corporation contributed greatly to

9919-469: The science to support that process (i.e. data, methodology) was in the early stages of development. That system was not effective, and there was no permit system in place to enforce the requirements. In the 1972 CWA, Congress added the permit system and a requirement for technology-based effluent limitations. In the 2020 Supreme Court case County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund , the Court also validated that some discharges may not be point sources, but are

10028-428: The section 303(d) list of water bodies not meeting standards. Water bodies on the 303(d) list require development of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive and still meet WQS. The TMDL is determined after study of the specific properties of the water body and the pollutant sources that contribute to the non-compliant status. Generally,

10137-467: The source of the brine, but no source was located. The Solvay Process Company , incorporated in 1881, began drilling deep test holes in the area south of Syracuse in 1883. The company's main product was soda ash, integral to several industries. Eventually Solvay found halite deposits at a depth of 1,216 feet (371 m) below land surface in the southern end of Tully Valley. From 1890 to 1986, more than 120 wells were drilled into four halite beds on

10246-402: The standing stone, Cayuga to people of the marshy area, and Seneca to people of the great hills. According to Grand River Mohawk scholar Susan M. Hill, “Among the Haudenosaunee, the names that the nations call themselves (and each other) denote key geographical features of their home territories… The recognition of geographic identity demonstrates the relationship to the land the people came from,

10355-482: The technology-based limitations and would require the permittee to install additional controls. Water quality standards consist of four basic elements: 1) Designated uses; 2) Water quality criteria; 3) Antidegradation policy and 4) General policies. The water quality standards regulations require states and federally recognized tribes/nations to specify appropriate uses for water bodies in their jurisdiction. Identification of appropriate water uses takes into consideration

10464-497: The term more broadly, including wetlands with a "significant nexus" to traditionally-defined navigable waters. Since Rapanos , the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have attempted to define protected waters in the context of Rapanos through the 2015 Clean Water Rule , but this has been highly controversial. The agencies considered the CWA to cover bodies of water with a "significant nexus" with traditional navigable waters, according with Justice Kennedy's definition. In 2023,

10573-597: The usage and value of public water supply, protection of fish, wildlife, recreational waters, agricultural, industrial and navigational water ways. Suitability of a water body is examined by states and tribes/nations usages based on physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. States and tribes/nations also examine geographical settings, scenic qualities and economic considerations to determine fitness of designated uses for water bodies. If those standards indicate designated uses to be less than those currently attained, states or tribes are required to revise standards to reflect

10682-463: The use must be designated. States and federally recognized Indigenous Nations protect their designated areas by adopting water quality criteria that the EPA publishes under CWA section 304(a), modifying the criteria to reflect site-specific conditions or adopting criteria based on other scientifically defensible methods. Water quality criteria can be numeric criteria that toxicity causes are known for protection against pollutants. A narrative criterion

10791-465: The uses that are actually being attained. For any body of water with designated uses that do not include "fishable/swimmable" target use that is identified in section 101(a)(2) of CWA, a "Use Attainability Analysis" must be conducted. Every three years, such bodies of water must be re-examined to verify if new information is available that demand a revision of the standard. If new information is available that specify "fishable/swimmable" uses can be attained,

10900-461: The victory of the United States in the American Revolutionary War , it made the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1788 with supposed Haudenosaunee negotiators who were unauthorized by the Nations. Among its provisions was the transfer of the lands around the lake from the Onondaga Nation to local salt producers on the condition that the salt would be produced for the common use of everyone. By 1822, due to

11009-488: The view that the ‘law of the land' is not man-made law, but a greater natural law, the Great Law of Peace. This law, in our view, is divine. The Haudenosaunee have a deep respect for the waters of the Earth.” For the Haudenosaunee, law is made in cooperation with land and water. Onondaga Lake is central to The Great Law of Peace, or Kayaneren’kowa. According to Haudenosaunee histories, the five Nations had fallen away from

11118-526: The water body (e.g., recreation, water supply, aquatic life, agriculture) and applying water quality criteria (numeric pollutant concentrations and narrative requirements) to protect the designated uses. An antidegradation policy is also issued by each state to maintain and protect existing uses and high quality waters. If a state fails to issue WQS, EPA is required to issue standards for that state. Water bodies that do not meet applicable water quality standards with technology-based controls alone are placed on

11227-525: The waters are still here and doing their duty of sustaining life on Mother Earth. Water is life, quenching our thirst and providing us with strength, making the plants grow and sustaining us all. Let us gather our minds together and with one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Waters.” The Nations, who had “lost sight of the harmony and balance provided for in the Original Instructions” split into warring factions. The Peacemaker brought

11336-605: Was a poor imitation. In the 1980s, a decision was made to replace the structure with a historically accurate reconstruction. In addition, a visitor's center was built. This is used for the display of archeological artifacts recovered from the area, in a more accurate and "hands on" living museum . As of January 1, 2013, the Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) took over management of the Onondaga County facility known as "Sainte Marie among

11445-667: Was found throughout the lake: the most elevated concentrations were in the sediments of the Ninemile Creek delta and of the southwestern portion of the lake. A fishing ban was imposed in 1970 due to mercury contamination. In June 2023, a scientific article was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association's (JAMA) Open Network Journal, which explored the association between arsenic levels and cardiovascular disease in children who lived near

11554-496: Was one of the United States' first and most influential modern environmental laws . Its laws and regulations are primarily administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in coordination with state governments, though some of its provisions, such as those involving filling or dredging, are administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers . Its implementing regulations are codified at 40 C.F.R. Subchapters D, N, and O (Parts 100–140, 401–471, and 501–503). Technically,

11663-422: Was the "functional equivalent of a direct discharge" and required the plant to obtain an NPDES permit. The 1972 CWA created a new requirement for technology-based standards for point source discharges. EPA develops those standards for categories of dischargers, based on the performance of pollution control technologies without regard to the conditions of a particular receiving water body . The intent of Congress

11772-460: Was to create a "level playing field" by establishing a basic national discharge standard for all facilities within a category, using a " Best Available Technology ." The standard becomes the minimum regulatory requirement in a permit. If the national standard is not sufficiently protective at a particular location, then water quality standards may be employed, and the permit authority (state or EPA) will include water quality-based effluent limitations in

11881-459: Was up to 75 percent of a facility's capital cost , with the remainder financed by the state. In subsequent amendments Congress reduced the federal proportion of the grants and in the 1987 WQA transitioned to a revolving loan program in Title VI . Industrial and other private facilities are required to finance their own treatment improvements based on the polluter pays principle . Congress passed

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