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NYDEC Begins Emergency Rule-Making for Hydrilla Infestation Treatment ALBANY, NY (05/09/2012)(readMedia)-- The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation adopted an emergency rule to allow for herbicide treatment to combat hydrilla, an invasive plant species that has plagued parts of the Cayuga Inlet since last summer, the agency announced today. "Immediate action is necessary to stop the spread of hydrilla to preserve native plants and indigenous aquatic ecosystems throughout New York state," said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. "By amending the regulation to allow the use of fluridone pellets, DEC is helping control the infestation of a destructive species that threatens the Finger Lakes economy and habitat." The emergency regulation allows the use of fluridone pellets in waters less than two feet deep for 90 days. Upon expiration, DEC intends to renew the temporary, emergency regulation until a permanent rule is in place. The rule amends 6 NYCRR 326.2(...

Updated 3/31/11 Connecticut DEP Reports Didymo Discovered in the West Branch Farmington River First Confirmation of this Invasive Species in Connecticut The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that the highly invasive freshwater alga, Didymosphenia geminata, known as “didymo”, has been discovered in the West Branch Farmington River, a very popular trout stream in northwestern Connecticut. The presence of didymo was first confirmed in the northeastern United States in 2007, and has since spread to other popular trout streams in a number of Northeastern states (New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia). This is the first report of didymo in Connecticut. DEP first learned of the possible presence of didymo in the West Branch Farmington River from several anglers on March 18th. One of these anglers also provided an initial sample to DEP. Following initial review by DEP staff, samples were sent to the Vermont D...

Updated 12/17 -------------------------------------------------------- Moreau, NY tackles threat posed by invasive plant species By PAUL POST, The Saratogian MOREAU, NY — A local environmental group is taking steps to control invasive plant species that it says threaten habitat for birds and other wildlife. The Moreau Conservation Advisory Council hopes to employ strategies ranging from education to eradication. For example, the town Planning Board could urge developers not to landscape with harmful plants, while the town Highway Department could remove invasive plants found along local roads. “It’s a huge problem not only locally, but statewide and nationwide,” council Secretary Ramona Bearor said. “It affects everything — birds, insects and animals that depend on native plants in some way.” Specifically, she cited three types of invasive species that are causing problems. One is Japanese knotweed, sometimes called “American bamboo.” Found in the wild, it spreads rapidly. One place it...

An Unsightly Algae Extends Its Grip to a Crucial New York Stream By ANTHONY DEPALMA , The New York Times SHANDAKEN, N.Y. — The Esopus Creek, a legendary Catskill Mountain fly fishing stream that is an integral part of New York City’s vast upstate drinking water system, is one of the latest bodies of water to be infected with Didymosphenia geminata, a fast-spreading single-cell algae that is better known to fishermen and biologists around the world as rock snot. Although officials had been on the lookout for spreading Didymo, as it is also called, since it was first confirmed in New York two years ago, they had not found it in the Esopus when they canvassed the area last fall. A fly fisherman told state biologists a few weeks ago that he thought he had seen the telltale gray tendrils of Didymo clinging to rocks on the bed of the Esopus here, about 120 miles northwest of Manhattan. Investigators later confirmed that Didymo had spread along 12 miles of the Esopus from Shandaken to the Ash...

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid 2009 Volunteer Monitoring Summary for Ithaca, New York Cornell Plantations, in partnership with the Cornell Department of Natural Resources, Finger Lakes Land Trust, Finger Lakes Native Plant Society, Cayuga Trails Club, and numerous volunteers, recently completed a monitoring campaign to detect new hemlock woolly adelgid populations in the Ithaca area. The hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) causes nearly 100 percent mortality in the local, native eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). This invasive species has decimated hemlock populations across the eastern United States. Over 120 volunteers attended three seminars where they were trained to identify and report new infestations. With the support of the newly trained volunteers, conservation partners, and 28 adjoining private property owners, Plantations’ Natural Areas Program coordinated volunteer surveys in nine surrounding hemlock forest natural areas in proximity to previously known hemlock woolly adelgid ...

Updated May 1 --------------------------------------------------------- NYSDEC confirms presence of didymo in Esopus Creek Aquatic Algae Discovered in Popular Recreational Waterway New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced that didymo, an invasive species, has been confirmed in the Esopus Creek in Ulster County. This is the first known presence of this aquatic algae, also called “rock snot,” in the Esopus and the third confirmed location in New York State. The Esopus is a popular recreational waterway for fishing, kayaking and tubing, and is a drinking water source for New York City. DEC collected samples and confirmed the presence of didymo in the vicinity of several public access sites along a 12-mile stretch of the Esopus from the “Shandaken Portal” (which transfers water to the Esopus from Schoharie Reservoir) to New York City’s Ashokan Reservoir. Didymo Impact Unlike many other aquatic invasive plants, didymo (Didymosph...

Updated 1/17 New York Governor slashes invasive species funding DEC chief defends moves as careful way to trim spending By BRIAN NEARING , staff writer, TimesUnion.com ALBANY — State lawmakers had harsh words Tuesday for Gov. David Paterson's plan to cut $50 million from an environmental fund and slash support in areas like a zoos, solar energy, waterfront revitalization and a breast cancer registry. Programs to fight invasive species would drop from $5 million to $1.5 million. "These changes shock and disappoint me," said Assemblyman Robert Sweeney of Suffolk County, chairman of the Assembly's Environmental Conservation Committee, during a legislative hearing on the environmental aspects of Paterson's proposed $121.1 billion budget. "This is offensive to anyone who cares about these issues." At the hearing, DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis defended the governor's proposal as a "careful and calculated decision on where cuts could be accommodated....