Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney and New York State Commissioner Peter Grannis announced an outline for the new plans to clean Onondaga Lake. The announcement comes on the heels of U.S. District Judge Frederick Scullin’s decision to amend a consent order between the county, the State Department of Environmental Conservation and Atlantic States Legal Foundation to prevent pollution of Onondaga Lake. The new consent order will use a combination of traditional gray solutions – which include storage facilities and pipes - and green solutions –that will include natural systems - to capture storm water and prevent run-off. The new agreement will replace plans to build large regional treatment facilities (including one in Armory Square), across the city.
At a press conference on Onondaga Lake Parkway, the County Executive talked about the long road to this new vision: “Since my first day in office, I have made it my personal mission to change the course of the Onondaga Lake cleanup," County Executive Joanie Mahoney said. "I am proud to be here today to announce that we have been successful. Judge Scullin's signature allows our community to move forward in a responsible way that all County residents should be proud of”.
Neighborhoods around Syracuse can expect to see more trees, more plants and more environmentally friendly solutions as part of a new “green” landscape designed to manage stormwater runoff. Green infrastructure includes the use of systems like tree trenches, rain gardens, green roofs, rain barrels and porous pavement to catch and absorb storm water, preventing it from flowing into sewer systems. This volume reduction can help mitigate the amount of untreated water that makes it way to Onondaga Lake and its tributaries. “When you look at the tremendous opportunity we have to marry this initiative with some of our neighborhood restoration programs, it’s definitely a win-win for our community” said Jean Smiliey, Deputy County Executive for Physical Services.
By eliminating proposed construction of three additional neighborhood treatment facilities, the County would save money that could then be used to provide funding for green infrastructure projects. The projects would help to revitalize several areas and establish environmentally sustainable projects throughout Syracuse. Additionally, the plan would call for the construction of a 3.7 million gallon storage tank in Armory Square and 3.2 million gallon tank near State Fair Boulevard to temporarily hold water runoff from overflowing sewers.
The new plan also provides an opportunity for Onondaga County to take a lead role in the use of green infrastructure. "This can make the Syracuse area one of the national leaders in the emerging green infrastructure movement," Commissioner Grannis said.