The International Joint Commission heard our call for hearings on a modern water levels plan and has scheduled public and technical hearings on Plan 2014 (described as Plan Bv7 with deviations). We believe these hearings, one of which will be held at Bonnie Castle, July 17th at 6:00pm, will provide a clear path to the adoption of a plan.

From our initial review – it looks like Plan 2014 is the plan that our communities have been waiting for. Citizens who love Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River finally have some action from decision makers toward a modern, protective water levels plan. The International Joint Commission (IJC) has characterized Plan 2014 as Plan Bv7 with deviations, so we will examine the deviation policy very closely.

While Bv7 wasn’t a perfect plan it was a good plan in its recognition of the need to take environmental impacts into account (and, we have said all along, a healthy environment supports a healthy economy in the North Country), so, if the deviations in Plan 2014 do not take away the environmental benefits, Save The River, should be able and willing to support Plan 2014.

Come back here for updates.

Tell Governor Cuomo and the IJC “We need hearings now!”

Over 600 people who live, work and play on or just love Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River have sent telegrams. Here’s the story from North Country Public Radio.

If you’re among that number- Thank You!. If you’re not the simple message is: It’s not 1958 anymore. We need our governments to finish the job and implement Plan BV7 now. 1950’s era water policy is not good enough.

Click Here to send a telegram to Governor Cuomo or the IJC urging support for Plan Bv7 now.

When you are on the Telegramstop™ website

Copy and paste one of these messages, or write your own:

• The science is in, Plan Bv7 essential to healthy environment, vibrant tourism economy for Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River. No more 1958D!
• New water levels plan needed to replace 1958D. Fifty year old plan has caused Northern Pike populations to decline by 70% on Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River. I support Plan Bv7 and ask you to support it too.
• 1958D is an old, outdated plan which is not working for anyone. Our businesses, families and communities deserve better. Tell IJC to implement Plan Bv7 today.
• It’s not 1958 anymore. We are way overdue for new, modern water levels plan for Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River. Tell IJC to implement Plan Bv7 today.

For telegrams to both Governor Cuomo and the IJC:

• Use SAVTHERIV in the Promotion Code space to send a telegram for only $5.70 (a savings of $1.45) – a low cost investment in changing water levels policy.

For telegrams to Governor Cuomo:

Use the following information to complete the Telegram details:

• To:  The Honorable Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York State
• Delivery Address:  NYS Capitol Building
• City:  Albany
• Zip:  12224
• State:  New York
• Country:  United States
• Category:  Other

For telegrams to the International Joint Commission:

Use the following information to complete the Telegram details:

• To:  Joseph Comuzzi, Chair
• Delivery Address:  IJC, 234 Laurier Ave W, 22 Flr
• City:  Ottawa
• Zip:  K1P 6K6
• State:  Ontario
• Country:  Canada
• Category:  Other

It’s not 1958 anymore. We need our governments to finish the job and implement Plan BV7 now. The Lake and River community need your help sending a strong message to Governor Cuomo and the IJC that 1950’s era water policy is not good enough.

Click Here to send a telegram to Governor Cuomo or the IJC urging support for Plan Bv7 now.

When you are on the Telegramstop™ website

Copy and paste one of these messages, or write your own:

• The science is in, Plan Bv7 essential to healthy environment, vibrant tourism economy for Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River. No more 1958D!
• New water levels plan needed to replace 1958D. Fifty year old plan has caused Northern Pike populations to decline by 70% on Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River. I support Plan Bv7 and ask you to support it too.
• 1958D is an old, outdated plan which is not working for anyone. Our businesses, families and communities deserve better. Tell IJC to implement Plan Bv7 today.
• It’s not 1958 anymore. We are way overdue for new, modern water levels plan for Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River. Tell IJC to implement Plan Bv7 today.

For telegrams to both Governor Cuomo and the IJC:

• Use SAVTHERIV in the Promotion Code space to send a telegram for only $5.70 (a savings of $1.45) – a low cost investment in changing water levels policy.

For telegrams to Governor Cuomo:

Use the following information to complete the Telegram details:

• To:  The Honorable Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York State
• Delivery Address:  NYS Capitol Building
• City:  Albany
• Zip:  12224
• State:  New York
• Country:  United States
• Category:  Other

For telegrams to the International Joint Commission:

Use the following information to complete the Telegram details:

• To:  Joseph Comuzzi, Chair
• Delivery Address:  IJC, 234 Laurier Ave W, 22 Flr
• City:  Ottawa
• Zip:  K1P 6K6
• State:  Ontario
• Country:  Canada
• Category:  Other

The current water levels plan for the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario, Plan 1958D, was developed on slide rules in the fifties. Like many policies from then, it completely ignores the environmental damage it causes year after year resulting in significant harm to the people and businesses that rely on a healthy River.

Unlike most outdated, harmful policies from the Fifties it is still in place!

We should be Mad!

Check back here Wednesday, May 15th, to see how you can help take action for a modern water levels plan, Plan #BV7NOW.

Plan Bv7 is essential to sustaining and growing tourism along the St. Lawrence River:

Plan Bv7 is essential to sustaining and growing tourism along the St. Lawrence River:

Our local tourism industry relies on the health of our region’s environment. Healthier Lake and River wetlands will support stronger populations of native fish and wildlife, improving the area’s hunting and fishing, and strengthening the recreational economies that rely upon them.

Plan Bv7 will also extend the average boating season by a few weeks, providing a boost to our River region tourism-based economy. As of mid-May 2013, River levels would be an inch and a half higher under Plan Bv7.

More than 50 organizations and over 9,100 people, including hunting and fishing clubs, Chambers of Commerce, local governments, environmental groups and recreational boaters have expressed their support for Plan Bv7.

We need our governments to finish the job and implement Plan #BV7Now.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, “Water Week is a time to think about how fortunate we are for the state’s abundant water resources and how we can all help protect, restore and conserve it.”

We at Save The River could not agree more and we urge the Governor to take action now on Plan Bv7 – a modern water levels plan that will help protect, restore and conserve Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, both vital waterbodies to the state and local economy.

We’ve pointed out on these pages how 1958D, developed on slide rules, is an outdated water levels regulation plan for the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. It completely ignores the environmental damage it causes year after year resulting in significant harm to the people and businesses that rely on a healthy River.

And unlike most outdated, harmful policies from the Fifties it is still in place!

So in the week when New York celebrates “Water Week” and the Governor holds a tourism summit, we – the thousands of New Yorkers and visitors to New York who live, play and work on the Lake and River – need our governments to finish the job and implement Plan #Bv7Now.

Other things from the Fifties never worked. The difference? We moved on.

Check out our water levels information page, “Like” us on Facebook and stay tuned because next week, May 13th, we are going to announce how you can help take action for a modern water levels plan now.

Well actually, NO!

We’ve learned a lot since the 1950’s. And we’ve used all that “learning” to improve every aspect of our lives. So why are we still stuck with a water levels plan developed in the 50’s on a slide rule (or maybe an “analog” computer)?

Its time to replace Plan 1958D with a modern water levels plan.

This outdated water levels regulation plan for the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario which completely ignores the environmental damage it causes year after year is causing significant harm to the people and businesses that rely on a healthy River.

Unlike most policy from the Fifties, it is still in place!

We need our governments to finish the job and implement Plan #Bv7Now.

Check out our water levels information page, “Like” us on Facebook and stay tuned to find out how you can help take action for a modern water levels plan now.

Some things made in the Fifties still work. Many do not .  .  . like the current water levels plan.

Its time for a modern plan, its time for #Bv7Now.

Plan Bv7 is essential to sustaining and growing tourism along the St. Lawrence River:

Our local tourism industry relies on the health of our region’s environment. Healthier Lake and River wetlands will support stronger populations of native fish and wildlife, improving the area’s hunting and fishing, and strengthening the recreational economies that rely upon them.

Plan Bv7 will also extend the average boating season by a few weeks, providing a boost to our River region tourism-based economy. As of  mid-April 2013, River levels would be an inch and a half higher under Plan Bv7.

More than 50 organizations, including hunting and fishing clubs, Chambers of Commerce, local governments, environmental groups and recreational boaters have expressed their support for Plan Bv7

Let’s face it some things are so good they should never be changed . . . .

but Plan 1958D is just not one of them.

This outdated water levels regulation plan for the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario causes major environmental damage year after year. Like most policy from the Fifties, it completely ignores the environment and harms the River economy.

Unlike most policy from the Fifties, it is still in place!

We need our governments to finish the job and implement Plan #Bv7Now.

Check out our water levels information page, “Like” us on Facebook and stay tuned to find out how you can help take action for a modern water levels plan now.

We are way overdue for a new, modern water levels plan for Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Plan Bv7 will halt the environmental damage caused by the 50 year-old plan, and bring our water policy into the 21st century.

We need our governments need to finish the job and implement Plan Bv7 today.  Check out our water levels information page, “Like” us on Facebook and stay tuned to find out how you can help and take action.

Expressions of support  from Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River community have more than quadrupled since July 2012.

Much of the new support for Plan Bv7 came from the south shore of Lake Ontario.

This updated compendium of support includes:

• 9,170 expressions of citizen support through petitions and letters in support of Plan Bv7.  Last Fall this number stood at 1,962.
  • 1,000  letters and 3,331 petition signatures from Monroe County
  • 316 letters and 885 petition signatures from Onondaga County
  • 239 letters and 828 petition signatures from Erie County
  • 115 letters and 601 petition signatures from Jefferson County
  • 52 letters and 125 petition signatures from Niagara County
  • 23 letters and 115 petition signatures from Seneca County
  • 76 letters and 127 petition signatures from Wayne County
  • 17 letters and 37 petition signatures from Cayuga County
    

PRESS RELEASE- Support for Bv7 Surges (STR)