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Life After De-Listing: Perspectives in New York State AOCsNational AOC Conference

Windows on the River

2000 Sycamore Street, Cleveland, OH

September 12, 2019

, NEW'YORK STA E10 OPPORTllJINrTY

Departmen.t of Environmental Conservation

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Outline

• A Framework for Life After De-Listing

• Cornerstones of the Framework: An In-Depth Look

• Examples in NYS

• Charting a path forward

• Organization

• Outreach

• Monitoring

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Life After De-Listing in New York State

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Life After De-Listing in New York State

Maintaining the essential aspects of the AOC program

Organization

Monitoring

Outreach

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Life After De-Listing in NYS: Organization

Reviewing the RAP process:

• A “Systematic and Comprehensive Ecosystem Approach” to

restoring BUIs.

• Public Engagement & Consultation throughout the process.

• Cooperation between Federal, State, and Local governments.

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Life After De-Listing in NYS: Organization

CAC/RAC & RAP Successors

• What are the expressed goals of the RAPs?

• To what extent have the RAP goals been achieved?

• Who has participated throughout the RAP process?

• What capacity will local partner organizations have to continue to

participate?

• What broader function(s) may CAC/RAC successors have in the context of

GLWQA Annexes?

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Life After De-Listing in NYS: Outreach

Current Outreach Efforts in AOCs

• BUI Removals

• Management Actions Completed

• AOC Delisting

Future Outreach Efforts for Post-AOC Life

• Create new milestones?

• Pursuit of opportunities through other GLRI Focus Areas?

• Bringing new stakeholders into the picture?

Shift in focus

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Life After De-Listing in NYS: Outreach

Tailoring Outreach for the Delisting Transition

• Back to basics: what is an AOC anyways?

• Moving beyond milestones: reflecting on the “big picture”

• Looking towards the future: how to get involved…

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Life After De-Listing in NYS: Monitoring

Monitoring Needs post-delisting

Root Causes of Impairment in AOCs

Lines of Evidence for Monitoring BUIs

• Contaminated bottom sediments

• CSOs

• Loading from urban, agricultural runoff

• Water Chemistry

• Benthos (Sediment Chemistry/Toxicity)

• Ecological Indicators (Fish & Wildlife Populations)

Others?

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Life After De-Listing in NYS: Monitoring

Dynamics of Monitoring

• Emerging Contaminants

• Source trackdown challenges

• Mechanisms for addressing observed issues

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Life After De-Listing in NYS: Monitoring

Laying the Groundwork for Monitoring

• Identifying applicable programs already in-place

• Communicating with appropriate staff/officials

• Maintaining initiative through transition into delisting

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Examples in NYS: Rochester Embayment AOC

AOC Status: Management Actions Complete

BUIs currently being removed on individual basis

AOC Projected to De-List around 2022

• 9 of 14 BUIs removed to-date

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Examples in NYS: Rochester Embayment AOC

Local RAP Coordinator: Monroe County Department

of Public Health (MCDPH)

Recent outreach efforts have been largely milestone-based

• Public notification of BUI removal efforts

• Completion of management actions (September 2018)

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Examples in NYS: Rochester Embayment AOC

Signage throughout AOC

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Examples in NYS: Buffalo River AOC

Local RAP Coordinator: Buffalo-Niagara Waterkeeper

(BNW)

Recent outreach efforts have broadened

AOC Projected to De-List around 2022

• Buffalo River Speaker Series (began in February 2019)

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Examples in NYS: Buffalo River AOC

Additional public outreach/engagement efforts

• Monthly Shoreline Cleanups

• Kayak Tours

• Targeted outreach to refugee communities

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Charting a Path Forward

• Establishing a phased outreach approach for all AOCs

• Building a baseline of support for CAC/RAC successors

• Connecting stakeholders with volunteer opportunities

• Developing contingency plans for addressing issues

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Charting a Path Forward

• Establishing goals & objectives post-delisting

• Understanding likely challenges/obstacles

• Establishing & maintaining initiative

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Life After De-Listing in New York State: Summary

Maintaining the essential aspects of the AOC program

• Organization

• Outreach

• Monitoring

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Life After De-Listing in New York State: Summary

• Develop a phased outreach approach for NYS AOCs

• Build a base of support for post-delisting organization

• Connect with monitoring opportunities & programs

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Life After De-Listing: Perspectives in New York State AOCsNational AOC Conference

Windows on the River

2000 Sycamore Street, Cleveland, OH

September 12, 2019

, NEW'YORK STA E10 OPPORTllJINrTY

Departmen.t of Environmental Conservation