“Having been a resident of the Town of Greece since 1959, this proposed regulation plan makes me extremely concerned for the safety and well-being of the families who reside along the lakeshore in the Town of Greece.
My concern regarding the commission’s proposed changes is the trigger levels for Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River; they are too high on the ‘high water side’ and too low on the ‘low water side.’ The entire purpose of being able to regulate the water levels is to maintain a balance between ideal water level, public safety, minimal shore damage, and what is acceptable for general commerce. Since the proposed plan is to now allow water levels to go to further extremes, we have wasted years and spent countless taxpayer dollars studying and implementing an infrastructure that regulates water levels.
The potential problems associated with this plan are numerous: the effect that natural or man-made climate change has on coastal shorelines; seasonal tides; wildlife; the environmental aspect of raising and lowering water levels; and the concerns of the Board of Controls and the International Joint Commission.
We need to rethink any plan that lengthens extreme levels and work toward an acceptable lake level for various times of the year with minimal deviations in trigger levels. This is something that can be accomplished with the current technology existing today. I suggest that a responsible conversation regarding lake level regulation take place to guarantee that the environmental conservation, homeowner safety, and commerce of this area will endure for future years.”