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Annual
IWLC Meeting
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The IWLC was very pleased to have the Honourable James Brownell,
M.P.P. Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry,
Ontario
address members at the
annual IWLC general meeting
August 16, 2008
at the Best Western Country Squire Resort.
Mr. Brownell’s appointment as the Parliamentary Assistant
to the Minister of Tourism and his past experiences with the
Cornwall
and Seaway Valley Tourism and the Raisin Region Conservation
Authority gives him a unique perspective of how the issue of water
levels can impact the daily lives of his citizens.
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We were also very fortunate to
have Hub Steenkbakkers, owner, Collins Bay Marina, share his
experience as a crew member of the vessel Nirvana in the 2008
Newport-Bermuda Ocean Race.
The pictures Hub shared of the race and the vessels
involved were incredible.
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IJC’s Alexandria Bay &
Massena Public Hearings
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June 25, 2008. Several hundred
attended the International Joint Commission’s public hearing at
Bonnie Castle in
Alexandria
Bay
to show their support for proposed water levels management Plan B+.
Many wore green T-shirts with B+ on the back.
There were even children in white T-shirts with B+ printed on
the front.
Officials from the Town of Alexandria Bay, the Town of
Clayton, the Jefferson County Legislature, the
St. Lawrence County Legislature, the office of NYS Senator Aubertine,
the NYS Department of Environmental Conversation, Save the River,
and dozens of citizens urged the IJC to adopt Plan B+.
The voices were unanimous in their support of Plan B+.
Pictured right is IWLC member Jack Hooper expressing support
for Plan B+. IWLC Board
member Bea Schermerhorn entertained the
IJC Commissioners with her Plan B+ cheer.
June 19, 2008. US
and Canadian public officials and citizens packed a conference room
at the Quality Inn in Massena to express their support for Plan B+.
St.
Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Pat McKeown
reminded the IJC that “…it is our livelihoods that are at stake
here, not just damaged sea walls and soggy front lawns.”
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IWLC
On The Road In 2008 For Plan B+
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May 27, 2008,
Clayton,
NY. Members of the Clayton
Lion’s Club invited IWLC Technical Advisor
Dalton
Foster to give a water levels regulation Plan 2007 vs. Plan B+
presentation. The meeting was
held at the
Antique
Boat
Museum.
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We were very pleased
that representatives from the offices of U.S. Congressman John
McHugh and
New York
State
Senator Darrel Aubertine were in attendance.
Ed Gaffney from Senator Aubertine’s office (pictured above)
and Mike Backus from Congressman McHugh’s office
(pictured right) took a moment to share some thoughts with
IWLC Technical Advisor
Dalton
Foster. The
Congressman and Senator have been long time supporters of adopting
Plan B+ as the water regulation plan for
Lake
Ontario
and the
St. Lawrence River
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April
29, 2008, South
Stormont, Ontario.
Our Canadian neighbors who border
Lake
Ontario
and the
St. Lawrence River
are also very concerned about which water regulation plan the
International Joint Commission will adopt. At
the request of Cliff Steinberg, President of the
Ault
Island
Homeowners Association, IWLC Technical Advisor
Dalton
Foster addressed the Environmental Committee of the
Township
of
South Stormont.
After introductions by Steinberg, Foster gave a Plan 2007 vs.
Plan B+ PowerPoint presentation to committee members followed by a
question and answer period.
At
the conclusion of the meeting, the environmental committee voted
unanimously to pass a resolution in support of Plan B+.
It should be noted that on
May 14, 2008
the Township
of
South Stormont
also passed a resolution supporting Plan B+. |
Dalton
Foster, IWLC Technical Advisor
Cliff Steinberg, President, Island homeowners
Association
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Plan 2007
Not Well Received in
Alexandria
Bay
or Massena |
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April 23, 2008, Alexandria
Bay, NY.
Representatives of the International Joint Commission (IJC)
presented the International Joint Commissions proposed Plan 2007
water regulation plan for the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River to a
packed room at the Bonnie Castle Resort.
Residents were given an opportunity to ask questions after
the presentation; most were not satisfied with the answers.
Many
attendees, including IWLC Director Paul Thiebeau, pictured above,
took the opportunity to ask questions.
Most answers were met with skepticism, disappointment, and
distrust.
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| May
8, 2008, Massena,
NY.
Representatives of the IJC held a Plan 2007 Information
Session at the Quality Inn in
Massena,
NY.
Concerned residents from both sides of the river attended.
Plan
2007 did not receive a warm welcome there either.
Residents asked many questions and voiced a number of
concerns.
The majority of attendees expressed concern that the IJC is
sacrificing the environmental health of the
Lake
and River as well as the interests of all other stakeholders and
riparian's in favor of the riparian interests on the south shore
of
Lake Ontario.
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2008
CLAYTON BOAT SHOW
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| The
IWLC was most pleased to participate in the
April 4 – 6, 2008
Clayton Boat Show. We enjoyed
meeting and welcoming attendees at our booth on the mezzanine in the main
building of the Clayton Arena |
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Pictured, IWLC members Paul Heckman,
Twyla Webb, and Christopher Fearon greeted visitors and answered questions
about water levels and the
Lake
Ontario-St.
Lawrence
River
proposed regulation plans.
We gained a number of new memberships at the Boat Show; in fact, we
established a new record by enrolling 38 new members.
We also had seven old friends stop by to renew their membership.
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| IWLC Canadian Membership |
| Thanks to the efforts of Hub Steenbakkers, Collins Bay Marina, Kingston, the IWLC Canadian membership has had an impressive growth spurt of 84 new members since January 2008.
Way To Go Hub!!! |
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