Jun 26, 2008 — At least 260 St. Lawrence River residents spoke with one voice at a water levels hearing last night in Alexandria Bay. It was the last chance to persuade the International Joint Commission to adopt a more environmentally friendly plan for controlling the waters of the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario. The plan, called "B+", has the support of local, state, and federal lawmakers, including Governor David Paterson, and a broad coalition of environmental groups. But following a five year, $20 million study, the IJC wants to implement a plan that's very similar to the original 50-year old one. The agency says it has to protect homeowners along the southern shore of Lake Ontario.  Go to full article

Jun 19, 2008 — Advocates of a new water levels regime for the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario will converge on the Quality Inn in Massena tonight at 7. The International Joint Commission is holding a public hearing on its proposal to replace the 50-year-old water levels plan. The hearings follow a five-year, $20 million study on Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River water levels. North Country stakeholders want the IJC to replace some of the natural ebbs and flows of the water. They say it would benefit wildlife, restore wetlands that are rapidly disappearing, and give boaters a longer season to boot. But right now the IJC opposes that plan because it could damage property along the southern shore of Lake Ontario. So the IJC wants to implement a water levels regime that's very similar to the original plan. Dan Barletta has lived along the Lake Ontario shoreline near Rochester for more than 20 years. He's been very involved in the water levels study. He spoke with David Sommerstein.  Go to full article

Jun 04, 2008 — New York researchers say they've found something that will kill invasive zebra and quagga mussels. The mussels got into the U.S. in the ballast of foreign ships. Since then they've spread throughout the country. Rebecca Williams reports.  Go to full article

May 14, 2008 — Cargo ships move sea life around the world. Many of the more then 185 invasives in the Great Lake and St. Lawrence River hitchhiked in the ballast water of the freighters. From zebras mussels to the round goby, they can cause environmental havoc. Earlier this week, David Sommerstein reported on a new technique for treating ballast water before it reaches the St. Lawrence. Called "swish and spit," it requires ships to rinse their ballast tanks with seawater offshore. The seawater kills most organisms that would live in the fresh water of the river and the lakes. But there's another idea in the works -- Lester Graham has more on why ballast water is so important, and how a new ship design could nearly eliminate the problem altogether.  Go to full article

May 12, 2008 — The United States and Canada are trying to figure out how to keep new invasive species out of the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. 185 have already snuck in, costing the region billions of dollars a year. Many hitchhiked in the ballast tanks of foreign ships. Both countries want the public to know they're doing something about the problem. So they invited journalists to the port of Montreal to see how ballast tanks are tested for invasive species. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

May 06, 2008 — Congress might vote soon on a bill that would force foreign ships to treat ballast water to kill unwanted species before entering US waters, including the St. Lawrence. Many environmental groups support the measure, but some worry about the loss of state control. Chuck Quirmbach reports.  Go to full article

Mar 31, 2008 — A new plan for controlling water levels on the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario is drawing fire from all quarters of New York. The International Joint Commission announced this morning it supports a minor tweaking of a plan called "D-Plus". That plan is very similar to the existing, 50-year-old plan and provides only minor benefits for the environment. It's the result of a seven-year, $20 million study. As David Sommerstein reports, leaders in New York say the results are a waste of time and money.  Go to full article

Mar 28, 2008 — A binational commission has chosen a new plan for controlling water levels on the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. The International Joint Commission says "Plan 2007" is a minor tweak of a plan called "D+" and benefits almost every stakeholder in the region. The IJC says it improves conditions for hydropower, shipping, and some wetlands in Lake Ontario over the existing plan. And it makes water levels more reliable for the Port of Montreal. The IJC is making its decision official at press conferences in Washington and Ottawa this morning at 10. Irene Brooks is the U.S. chair of the Commission. She told David Sommerstein the IJC wanted to choose the best plan for the environment, which is known as "B+". "B+" is by far the preferred alternative in the North Country. But Brooks says that plan would cause too much erosion along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, near Rochester, and hurt property owners.  Go to full article

Mar 27, 2008 — The bi-national agency that controls water levels on Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River is making a big announcement tomorrow. The International Joint Commission will release a new water management plan for the first time in 50 years. As David Sommerstein reports, North Country stakeholders are likely to be disappointed.  Go to full article

Mar 21, 2008 — The Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker, the Martha Black, continues its controversial cutting of the Seaway channel today. Environmentalists on the St. Lawrence River say icebreaking happens too early. The St. Lawrence Seaway is scheduled to open this weekend. The Department of Environmental Conservation opposes Seaway navigation before April 1st. The DEC says freighters' wakes can damage fish and wildlife habitat when there's as little as two inches of ice on the River. Two years ago, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe won a court settlement with the Seaway over icebreaking through the Akwesasne segment of the River. It allows Mohawks aboard to monitor the effect of icebreaking on the shoreline. Tony David is with the Mohawks' environment division. He was aboard the Martha Black yesterday afternoon as the icebreaker cut a channel near Valleyfield, Quebec, about 25 miles downriver from the hydropower dam in Massena. David Sommerstein asked him to step outside the wheelhouse so we could hear the icebreaker in action.  Go to full article