Calling Plan 2014 an utter disaster for Lake Ontario taxpayers and communities, Congressman Chris Collins this week assured local officials and Lake Ontario home-
owners that he will work with the Trump Administration to reform the International Joint Commission and repeal Plan 2014 as soon as possible.
On Tuesday, April 25, Collins inspected property damage along the Lake Ontario shoreline in Niagara County. “Both the property damage and overflow of debris into Lake Ontario … could have been avoided,” Collins said.
Congressman Collins worked with local leaders to fight the implementation of Plan 2014 which occurred earlier this year. The plan was adopted by the International Joint Commission late in 2016 and allows for higher peak water levels and lower low water levels on the lake to re-establish wetlands.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers says current water levels in Lake Ontario are already 19 inches higher than average and are expected to climb another 11 inches by May 14.
“The IJC’s inability to release water into the St. Lawrence River until the lake’s ‘trigger level’ has been reached has created significant property damage to businesses and communities along Lake Ontario’s southern shoreline,” Collins said.
Town of Hamlin Supervisor Eric Peters says residents along the lake, “Need to plan for the worst – that is the reality right now – no one will step in and save the day.”
Supervisor Peters says residents with property along the lake are seeing both erosion and damage from wave action. “Then the wind comes in and there is not much you can do, the waves are higher than the break walls.”
He says even if the IJC moved to release water now, he’s not sure the effort would bring lake levels down enough to help. “The whole plan is hurting everybody,” Peters says. “The damage caused by high water levels was downplayed by the IJC, it’s like they’re slapping us right in the face.”
Peters says it’s frustrating that concerns raised by local leaders have fallen on deaf ears. He is also disappointed Governor Cuomo has not stepped in and recognized this is a major problem. “He hasn’t done a whole lot, it’s disconcerting,” Peters says.
Governor Cuomo on April 23 directed state agencies to prepare for possible flooding on Lake Ontario and deployed sandbags to the region. “While there is no current danger to residents in the surrounding areas, I am directing state agencies to assist our local officials and for those who live in the area to prepare for potential flooding and stay tuned to weather forecasts,” the Governor said in a news release. He attributed the high water levels to higher-than-usual rates of precipitation and run-off.
States of Emergency have been declared in Orleans, Niagara and Wayne counties as well as many towns along the lakeshore due to high water levels. Local law enforcement agencies have asked boaters to stay at least 500 feet away from shore to avoid creating waves and additional damage.
Kendall Town Supervisor Tony Cammarata lives on the lakeshore and says waves are going over break walls. “There is some water on property, but not a lot of flooding,” he said Tuesday afternoon, April 25. “Sandbags are being used behind break walls to prevent puddling of water.”
On April 21, Orleans County Emergency Management reported that private marina areas as well as many jetties into the lake in Kendall were under water.
Cammarata says the IJC should have considered property values and the safety of residents before adopting and implementing Plan 2014. “The south shores of Lake Ontario have been impacted by this decision. It needs to be retracted, we can no longer continue to put a thumb in the dike.”
Kendall, Hamlin and towns all along the lakeshore have made sandbags available to residents, but Cammarata says that is only a stop-gap measure. He says local leaders have contacted Senators Gillibrand and Schumer to ask for their help in petitioning the Trump Administration for assistance.
Local leaders – who met the week of April 16 – said they planned to travel to Washington, D.C. in early May to personally seek assistance.
Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey says the high lake levels are a disaster for local residents and businesses. “We are beyond beyond … people need to be prepared to move out, it’s going to get worse. People will have to evacuate their homes,” he warns.
Godfrey says residents along the lake shore need to heed the warnings as the high lake water, “increases seriously the threat to life and property. People need to exercise caution on water and land, boaters need to watch for collapsed lake banks.”
He says local leaders will continue what he describes as a three-fold fight: rescinding Plan 2014; obtaining funding to help residents protect themselves and make repairs; and more cooperation from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation in easing regulations which make it difficult for residents to obtain permits allowing them to take measures to protect themselves from changing lake levels.
“We are going to sink this thing once and for all,” he says of Plan 2014.
Both Godfrey and Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson worked for the past several years to stop the adoption and implementation of Plan 2014, warning that higher and lower lake levels would adversely affect residents and businesses.
Johnson says the Obama Administration would not listen to their concerns and neither would Governor Cuomo. She said Congressman Collins did work on the behalf of local residents. “With the disastrous effects (of Plan 2014) I hope they will hear us now,” she says.
Congressmen Collins and John Katko wrote a letter to President Trump dated April 24 urging the President to stop the implementation of Plan 2014 by withdrawing the United States from the agreement.
“With this plan already causing millions of dollars in damage to our shores, it is imperative that the United States withdraws from this agreement immediately before further damage is caused,” the Congressmen wrote. They are also asking that three new U.S. representatives be appointed to the International Joint Commission.
Additionally, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley recently called on Governor Cuomo to declare a State of Emergency in addition to the county and municipal States of Emergency which already exist.
“I am requesting that you declare a State of Emergency to provide further resources and possible financial relief to municipalities, homeowners and businesses along the shore,” Hawley wrote in a letter to the Governor.
“There is no doubt that the water will continue to rise over the next several days and the devastation from flooding will be irreversible,” he wrote. “Residents will be forced out of their homes. Businesses will be forced to close. Municipal infrastructure will be overwhelmed. The fishing and tourism industry will also suffer.”
