New York State Federation of Lake Associations, Inc. PO Box 84 LaFayette, NY (800)

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1 New York State Federation of Lake Associations, Inc. PO Box 84 LaFayette, NY (800) Dear Members of the New York State Assembly, The New York State Federation of Lake Associations is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that serves as the umbrella group for lake associations across the state. Our members are finding the battle against invasive species to be increasingly difficult and costly. Frequently, public launch sites are the source of invasive species while private lake association funds must be spent to combat the problems created when an infestation occurs. In 2011, Dr. Charles Boylen of the Darrin Freshwater Institute in Bolton Landing surveyed lake associations to determine the cost of invasive plant management in New York. He determined that data on methods of control, species targeted, direct and indirect costs (cost sharing on grants, volunteer labor), and years of management yielded a wide range of responses. Currently a half dozen invasive species (the key species being Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed and waterchestnut) are being managed by hand, mechanical and suction harvesting, herbicides and biological agents, either singly or in combination. Control is rarely achieved in 1-3 years of effort, often lakes have been managed for more than 20 years with recurring costs. There are upwards to 8-10 new aquatic plant species recently or near to introduction into the state, including frogbit, fanwort, Brazilian elodea and hydrilla. The number of lakes requiring management has increased yearly and costs have more than quadrupled in the past decade. Millions upon millions of dollars have been spent. Invasive plants are only part of the problem. There are animals and microbes as well. The efforts initiated by the Lake George Association to stop the spread of the Asian Clam, in order to preserve the lake s water quality, are a prime example. Money and time spent by lake associations and public water purveyors to combat zebra and quagga mussels could have been avoided had these species not been introduced. It is time to take action! Other states have recognized that the transport of invasive species cannot be tolerated. Boat washing is mandatory before entering a waterbody in any National Park. New York is behind, and we have vital resources, critical to the state economy, to proect. We request that you to co-sponsor Assembly Bill 9619 (Lifton). This legislation aims to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by requiring the removal of visible vegetation and animals

2 from boats and related gear, as well as draining areas of the watercraft, when entering and leaving launch sites. Aquatic invasive species present a serious threat to our environment and economically important industries such as tourism, and commercial and recreational fishing. They can be a financial burden to public water purveyors. According to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), they are one of the greatest threats to the State s biodiversity. Once introduced, these species are nearly impossible to eradicate, and expensive to manage. Nationally, the annual cost to the economy is estimated at $120 billion a year. It is far more cost-effective to prevent the spread of these species than attempt to control them once they have already been introduced. Recreational boating is one of the primary ways in which invasive species are inadvertently transported overland to new waterways. Taking measures to clean, drain and dry watercraft and gear after each use is a simple measure that should be taken to prevent the spread of invasive species and protect our waterways as well as the industries that depend on them. On behalf of the lakes listed on the following pages, I ask you to lease support this legislation to protect our valuable waterways in New York. Sincerely, George C. Kelley, President NYSFOLA MEMBER NAME Afton Lake Property Owners Association, Inc. Anawanda Lake Owners' Association Association of Property Owners- of Sleepy Hollow Lake, Inc. Arnold Lake Association County Greene Otsego

3 Augur Lake Property Owners' Association Babcock Lake Estates Ballston Lake Improvement Association Beaver Dam Lake Protective & Rehabilitation District Beaver Lake Association Bedford Lake Park Association Berlin Mountains Fish & Game Club Black Lake Association Blue Heron Lake Landowners Association Bowman Lake Association Brant Lake Foundation, Inc. Brantingham Community Association County Beaver Lake Assn. Buckingham Pond Conservancy Burden Lake Improvement Association Butterfield Lake Cottage Owners Association Camp Gahada, Inc. (Jenny Lake) Canada Lake Protective Association Canadarago Lake Improvement Association Cape Pond, Inc. Cassadaga Lakes Association Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, Inc. Cazenovia Lake Association Chateaugay Lakes Association Lake Association, Inc. Watershed Conservancy Lake Association China Barrett Homeowners Association Conesus Lake Association Copake Lake Conservation Society, Inc. County SWCD Cossayuna Lake Improvement Association, Inc. Crooked Lake Homeowners Assn, Inc. Crystal Lake Association Cuba Lake District Deer Lake Association Duane Lake Association Duck Lake Association, Inc Eagle Lake Property Owners, Inc. Eagle Pond Association East Caroga Lake Protective Association East Shore Schroon Lake Associaton Eatonbrook Lake Association Cattaraugus St Lawrence Lewis Otsego Ulster Cayuga, Seneca, Tompkins Clinton Livingston Allegany Schenectady Cayuga

4 Echo Lake Association, Inc. Effley Falls Campers Association Efner Lake Association, Inc. Emerald Lake-Hills Pond Association Emerson Lake Association Fallsburg Fishing & Boating Club (Pleasure Lake) Findley Lake Watershed Foundation Forest Lake Park Club, Inc. Foundation for Cazenovia Lake Friends Lake Property Owners Association Friends of Long Lake Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt Friends of Walton Lake Chain of Lakes Association, Inc. Galway Lake Campers Association Garnet Lake Civic Association Geneganslet Lake Association, Inc. Glen Lake Protective Association Goldens Bridge Community Association, Inc. Goodnow Flow Association Grass Lake Association Guilford Lake Property Owners Association Hatch- Bradley Brook Lakes Association Honeoye Valley Association Horseshoe Pond/Deer River Flow Hunns Lake Association Hunt Lake Improvement Association Indian Lake Association, Inc. Indian River Lakes Conservancy Jamesville Reservoir Preservation Assn Java Lake Colony, Inc. Kasoag Lake Conservation Association Keuka Lake Association Kirk Lake Watershed Association L.A.K.E. Association Ltd. of Snyders Lake Lake Bonaparte Conservation Club, Inc. Lake Clear Association Lake Colby Association Lake Como Lake Association Lake Craine Lot Owners Association Lake Demmon Association Lake DeVenoge Property Owners Association Lake Association Lake George Association Lake Gerry Association Lewis Yates Herkimer St. Lawrence/ Ontario /St. Lawrence Wyoming /Yates Lewis Cayuga /

5 Lake Guymard Association, Inc. Lake Hadlock Association, Inc. Lake Katonah Club, Inc. Lake Lauderdale Improvement Assn Lake Lincolndale Property Owners Assn. Lake Lucille Property Owners Association, Inc. Lake Ludlow Club, Inc. Lake Luzerne Improvement Association Lake Mahopac Park District Lake Missapogue Association Lake Moraine Association Lake Muskoday Home Owners Assn., Inc. Lake Onderdonk Lake Improvement Association Lake Oscawana Civic Association, Inc. Lake Osiris Association, Inc. Lake Peekskill Preservation Committee Lake Pleasant-Sacandaga Association Lake Ronkonkoma Foundation Lake Sagamore Community Association Lake Salubria Association Lamoka-Waneta Lakes Association Laurel Lake Association Lebanon Reservoir Lot Owners Association, Inc. Leland Pond Betterment Association Lily Pond Association Lime Lake Cottage Owners Association Lincoln Pond Association, Inc. Little Fresh Pond Association Little York Improvement Society Long Lake Association Long Pond Lake Association Loon Lake Park District Association Loon Lake Association Lorton Lake Association Mariaville Civic Association Mayfield Lake Association Melody Lake Association Millsite Lake Property Owners Association Mirror Lake Watershed Association Mohegan Lake Improvement District Montgomery Lake Association Mountain View Assn, Inc. (Indian Lake) Mt. Arab Preserve Assn. (Eagle Crag Lake) Mud Lake Association North Lake Association Rockland Hamilton Schuyler/ Cattaraugus Hamilton Schenectady St. Lawrence

6 Northwoods Association.Inc. Oneida Lake Association Oquaga Lake Improvement Association Lake Civic Association Otisco Lake Preservation Association Otsego Lake Association Otter Lake Association Owasco Watershed Lake Association Panther Lake Association Paradox Lake Association Peach Lake Environmental Committee Peck's Lake Protective Association, Inc. Petonia Lake Association Pleasant Lake Association ( Co.) Plymouth Reservoir Lot Owners Protective Association of Lake Sunnyside Queechy Lake Club Inc. Ragged Lake Association Raquette Lake Preservation Foundation Roaring Brook Lake Property Owners Association Rondaxe Lake Association Rushford Lake Land Owners Association Lake Association Lake Protection & Improvement District Save Hyde Lake Association Save Our Sodus Save the Pond Owners Association (Deans Pond) Schroon Lake Association, Inc. Seneca Lake Pure Waters Sepasco Lake Preservation Association Seven Hills Lake Property Owners Association Shore Owners Assn. of Lake Placid Skaneateles Lake Association Silver Lake Association Silver Lake Shoreline Owners Smith Pond Sportsmen's Club Somerset Lake Association Song Lake Property Owners Association SPLAKE Inc. (Spring Lake) St.Regis Property Owners Association Stewarts Landing Association Stissing Lake Association Stratford- Pleasant Lake Club Summit Lake Association Summit Lake Association for Preservation Oneida Otsego Oneida Cayuga - Hamilton Herkimer Allegany Wayne Seneca Wyoming St. Lawrence Delaware Schoharie

7 Swartwout Lake Association Swinging Bridge Property Owners Assn. Taconic Lake Association Taconic Shores Property Owners Assn Tanglewood Lake Association, Inc. Tawiskarou Lot Owners Association, Inc. Tennanah Lake Taxpayers Assoc. Three Lakes Council Thunderlake Association Timber Lake Estates Property Owners' Assn. Tioughnioga Lake Association Town of Patterson, Lake Park District Truesdale Estates Association, Inc. Truesdale Lake Property Owners Association Tully Lake Property Owners Association Tunis Lake Property Owners Tuscarora Lake Association Twin Lake Improvement Association, Inc. Twitchell Lake Fish & Game Association Ulster Heights Lake Association Upper Saranac Lake Association Village of Tuxedo Park Environmental Committee Wappingers Lake Association Warn Lake Association Warners Lake Improvement Association Weiden Lake Property Owners Association West Caroga Lake Association White Birch Lake Property Owners Assn Wolf Lake Inc. Yankee Lake Preservation Association Rockland Delaware Delaware Herkimer Ulster

Groups Supporting Passage of S B (O Mara) /A B (Lifton)

Groups Supporting Passage of S. 7851-B (O Mara) /A. 9619-B (Lifton) An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to aquatic invasive species, spread prevention, and penalties Adirondack