FL-PRISM Steering Committee Minutes

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015

9:30am-11:30am, Finger Lakes Institute, Geneva, NY

In attendance: Bruce Gilman (FLCC),Emily Staychock (Yates Co. CCE), Hilary Mosher (FLI),Terry Gronwell, (HLWTF), Dorothy Gronwell (HLWTF), Web Pearsall (DEC), Pauline Burnes (NYS DOT), Lisa Cleckner (FLI), Don Cook (FLRWA), Miranda Reid (LCPD)

Meeting Facilitator: Hilary R. Mosher

Meeting objective: Review Strategic Plan goals and objectives,review and adopt work plan,review website data collection, and storage

AGENDA- Steering Committee
Topic / Lead
1 / Welcome and meeting objective
2 / Announcements and updates
Bruce- lots of starry stonewort- estimate 15-20 ha of Canandaigua Lake, already in Oneida Lake, Keuka, Cayuga, Owasco, and Seneca Lakes- a lot of info from MI and WI- impacts to nearshore plant structure- can get dense- mounded in growth- start to reduce open spaces to fish habitats- it is an annual- suggested there is longevity in sediment- more research needed on the spp.
Bob wakeman- WI DNR- WI is going to let’s wait and see what the impact is on this spp. instead of doing any control-sensitive to some of the herbicides… they quarantined a boat launch because of SS- 140 posters for viewing at RAS with 210-
Miranda-Cathy Young- updating the invasive species plan for Conesus Lake- legislative updates- revisit the spp ranking system. Conesus Lake Association has been given a grant for a boat washing station, $50,000 for a 2-year program that involves the infrastructure and personnel cost of running the program- wcs would be able to do the washing stations, too.Can CCE justify the E&O portion of the program to be allowed to use the boat washing station- East Lake Road boat launch- State Parks will be the agency that will have – will also build a shed for storage of the unit- Chinese mystery snail has been potentially found in Conesus Lake- waiting to hear confirmation regarding the observation point. Wester Finger Lakes have been surveyed for invertebrates-
Terry- DEC TMDL in progress- public meeting in August for Honeoye Lake- 2 personnel changes for project managers- Honeoye TMDL didn’t have enough $$ to finish project- DEC water quality improvement grant- publically owned land, etc. with Ontario Co. Soil and Water- HAB for three whole days, also off and on from Aug 23-Oct-
Honeoye Lake Task Force Meeting tonight
Emily- Wrapping
Web- Sea Lamprey control- normally a 12-hr control Seneca Lake and Catherine Creek- 500 dead (high population) Keuka Lake outlet was not treated- agreement with FWS out of VT- experts from Lake Champlain- Hydrilla in Monroe County- permit given for 16 grass carp- round goby is everywhere in Cayuga Lake- what is the effect on Lake Trout- EEDV virus was sampled where in Seneca Lake for Lake Trout virus- results are not in for this – found it in one Lake Trout in Seneca Lake 2 years ago.
Don- October 16th we had a regional meeting for WNY NYSFOLA- Mike Greer gave an update of the Tonawanda Canal Hydrilla infestation- getting closer to the Niagara River- had to knock out an infestation from the River- 1/2mi from the river! Short-term demonstration project in WNY- Hydrilla will potentially outlast the management in this location. Senator OMara- enforcing the transportation law- Gov. provides the direction- if Gov. is not pushing, then there will be no action. Three volunteer stewards- needs to be more use of the weed harvester at the launch to clean the launch so people are less likely to carry the weeds out of an area. Strong feeling on the part of the boating community to remove the biomass of the weeds at a launch.
Lisa- opportunity to get create about how we get things off the boats- went to PRISM meeting and saw the stations in the ADKs- an RFP will come out from the NYS for boat washing stations and established programs. Strong collaboration between the PRISM and Paul Smith’s College for boat washing stations- need to roll out program from the Gov.- it was an impressive program that came to fruition on such a short timeframe.
Miranda mentioned a study of the boat traffic to and from the ADKs
Terry asks if there is an effectiveness aspect of the boat washing stations? How to evaluate whether the stations are valuable? Don asked if the point was to be a demonstration project and not a real study? Trying to prove a negative- how to quanify cost avoidance of prevention of invasive. Terry asks that if boat washing stations are voluntary or if towns are mandating- ADKs are still voluntary. We don’t want to impede recreation and access- looking for regionally placed boat washing stations- access points are overused anyway- retention ponds? Permits needed, etc. looking at regionally placed boat washing stations- what is available now? There are currently a lot of car washing stations or ‘do-it-yourself’ stations to wash your vehicle. Any venue to use e&o- that is the best use of $$- biggest bang for your buck-
Pauline- DOT deals with invasive species in different ways- 4 target spp. Jap knot, giant hogweed, purple loostrife, -- maint by contract project- vendor paving- i86 where we are not financially able to chase stands of knotweed- control them in areas where contractors are disturbing the areas- treat them by various means- 2009- in order for the contractor to be paid for the work, they need item numbers- square feet- DOT is proactive in the area of invasive species- controlling invspp: with herbicide, by pulling, by excavation, disposal of materials with inv spp., equipment cleaning, Pauline reviews utility work in highway- in one project, it would have been 500,000 dollars to treat knotweed-EAB- tom merkle- part 141 – reuse the ash trees in buffer areas- pulling ash trees in project limit areas-
Firewood- detail for Watkins Glen for firewood and EAB-
Hilary—EAB update of quarantine
3 / Old Business
  • Minutes
  • Review Strategic Plan Draft for review- tabled

4 / New Business
  • Review of FL-PRISM 2015 Work Plan – Review of status
  • 2016 Priority Funded Projects- RFP language, prioritizing projects and funds

5 / Agency Activity Report/Updates
6 / FL-PRISM Updates and Working Group Reports
7 / OTHER
8 / Adjourn –
Next MEETING DATE/TIME:
Action Items-
Status Update: Action Items
Tabled Items
Creation of bylaws for FL-PRISM
Review Strategic Plan Draft for review- tabled

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