NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

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NYCTU MEETING- Invite!

On July 13th at 7P, NYCTU will hold a meeting at BLACKSTONES PUB 245 E. 55TH. ST. NYC. We will be screening the award winning film, Red Gold which showcases the threats to Alaska's Bristol Bay fishery and environment. See the Trailer. Our Board will discuss Chapter activities, plans and conservation issues. We invite your participation. There will be a cash bar, free appetizers will be served and we will raffling off a March Brown Fly Rod and other tackle- TBA.

NY Water Withdrawal Bill

NY Assemblyman Sweeney's office promises a Bill by 6/10/09 on water withdrawals to be presented in Albany. Ron Urban, Chairman NYSCTU has been part of a 6 month coalition of concerned NY Water Groups to help write this and has it's objectives incorporated into the Bill. This is in regard to the urgency to protect our surface and groundwater's. Please contact your local legislators in NY to support the Bill. Ron Urban, Chairman NYSCTU Read bill

Casey, House Members Introduce Companion Bills To Protect Drinking Water from Natural Gas Fracking

American Public Deserves to Know Chemicals Used Near Their Water Sources

WASHINGTON, DC– U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Jared Polis (D-CO) today to introduce companion Senate and House bills, the FRAC Act -- Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, amending the Safe Drinking Water Act. The legislation would repeal a Bush administration exemption provided for the oil and gas industry and would require them to disclose the chemicals they use in their hydraulic fracturing processes. Currently, the oil and gas industry is the only industry granted an exemption from complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act. More

DEC Commissioner Applauds 2009 Delaware River Basin Reservoir Release Program

Increased Summer Flows Will Help Protect Fish During Hot Weather; Fewer Flow Fluctuations Will Assist in Habitat Preservation

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today applauded a new agreement that will help protect fish from the stresses of high temperatures in the Delaware River Basin this summer by clearing the way for more cold water releases from the Cannonsville Reservoir. The agreement will also improve habitat by reducing unnatural fluctuations in reservoir releases.

Approved by New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the City of New York, the accord calls for a substantial increase in the amount of cold water released to the West Branch of the Delaware River from the Cannonsville Reservoir compared to last year while continuing to provide that water releases be scaled back if drought conditions arise.

"The Delaware River Basin is a critical watershed that supports diverse wildlife habitat and a drinking water supply for millions of people," Commissioner Grannis said. "The agreement furthers a critical balance I have directed my staff to pursue - safeguarding the water supply needs of residents, mitigating peak floods, and protecting critical fish habitat. We look forward to working with our Delaware River Basin partners on ways to continually enhance these important priorities."

New York City's Cannonsville Reservoir is located on the West Branch of the Delaware River in Delaware County, New York. Placed into service in 1964, it is nearly 4,800 acres in size and holds 95.7 billion gallons at full capacity.

Cold water released from the reservoir bottom will help the renowned trout fishery by reducing thermal stress caused by summer's warmer temperatures. Absent prolonged drought conditions, the agreement increases base water releases by up to 25 percent over last year - to 325 cubic feet per second - for most of this summer. The agreement announced today will also help reduce unnaturally large and frequent river flow fluctuations - known as the "yo-yo effect." These fluctuations can occur as a result of reservoir releases being made to meet Delaware River flow objectives in downstream states -- but constantly rising and falling river levels can be detrimental to aquatic habitat.

In order to ensure protection of the public water supply, the reservoir releases will be reduced if drought conditions arise.

The modified agreement announced today is a result of the collaborative efforts of the responsible government agencies involved who adopted a comprehensive Flexible Flow Management Program (FFMP) in 2007 that governs Delaware River Basin reservoir diversions and releases under the terms of a 1954 U.S. Supreme Court Decree. Among other things, the FFMP is designed to provide safe and reliable supplies of water essential to serve the needs of over 17 million people who depend on water from the New York City's Cannonsville, Pepacton and Neversink Reservoirs and their tailwaters.

An advantage of the FFMP is the ability to adapt releases in response to new information and as scientific understanding improves. In cooperation with its partners, DEC will continue to actively promote an improved water release program through an adaptive management process that is based on ongoing monitoring and assessments.

The FFMP and its associated agreements may be accessed at the United States Geologic Survey Office of the Delaware River Master website.

NYCTU Board Elections and Bylaws Vote at 2009 Annual Meeting

On Feb. 23rd approximately 40 NYCTU members in attendance and 86 members voting by proxy elected a new slate of officers and one new board member. The member body also passed a proposal to amend the chapter bylaws. Our guest speaker was James Prosek. (more to follow)