Over the past several months, our elected officials along the south shore of Lake Ontario have been working diligently to address the proposed BV7 plan proposed by the IJC.  Not all their work has had high visibility because their effort to raise awareness and influence the direction of this issue has involved meetings with state agency and state government officials that did not receive media coverage.

Early in 2012, Jim Hoffman, Williamson Town Supervisor and Chairman of the Wayne County Board of Supervisors raised the question at a state wide meeting of elected officials as to their level of awareness of the potential impacts of BV7.  The response indicated that it was clearly not a forefront issue in their minds.  Subsequent to that meeting Jim, together with  Wayne County Town Supervisors Steve LeRoy, Laurie Crane, Kim Park and Mayor of Sodus Point, Mike Sullivan and Sterling town supervisor, Lonny Palmieri, and Robert Kelsch joined together to form the Lakeshore Alliance.

During the winter and spring months up to the present, they have written letters, given interviews, attended meetings with the DEC as well as public information sessions and with local shore owners in an effort to raise the level of awareness and the levels of discussion on this topic.  They have been vocal and consistent about their opposition to this plan.

The level of involvement on the part of our elected officials could not have been more evident than during the June 7, IJC informational meeting.  Their concerns as well as their resolve were expressed with a high level of clarity and with demonstrated passion for protecting our resources.

There is still a long way to go on this entire issue.  The consideration and debate will go well beyond the public information sessions.  With the continued support and representation of our elected officials and our continued expression of opposition to BV7, we may ultimately shift the direction of this issue to a more balanced and reasonable outcome.  As Jim Hoffman has said many times, “We are all in this together!”

Thank you to the Lakeshore Alliance!