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Legislature accepts SEQR findings for Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer District extension; moves forward on North Shore wastewater project
Summary
County staff reported SEQR parts 2 and 3 for the Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer District extension (Phase 3), accepted a determination of no significant adverse environmental impacts and scheduled a public hearing; the county also established lead‑agency status for a North Shore wastewater treatment plant expansion project near Mayville.
Chautauqua County staff and outside counsel briefed the Planning and Economic Development Committee on March 19 about two lake‑area sewer projects and next steps for state funding.
David McCoy, the county watershed coordinator, said the part 2 and part 3 environmental assessment forms for the Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer District extension (Phase 3) had been prepared and reviewed by the project engineer and outside counsel and that the county determined the large project “has no significant adverse environmental impacts.” The committee accepted that SEQRA determination and staff said a public hearing on the Phase 3 project will be held by the full legislature the following Wednesday.
McCoy outlined the next steps: the county will submit applications for state funding in May 2025, and staff expect state award determinations roughly at the end of 2025. If sufficient state funding is secured to make the project affordable to users, the county will proceed to hire a design engineer and then advertise construction bids; McCoy and other speakers said the overall process spans multiple years and that preliminary estimates place the project near $35 million.
Separately, the committee designated Chautauqua County as the lead agency for SEQR review of the North Shore Lake Sewer District wastewater treatment plant expansion in Mayville. Staff described that project as slightly behind the Center Chautauqua schedule and said a public hearing and full set of SEQR Part 1–3 forms will appear before the legislature in the coming month.
Why it matters: Both projects aim to extend sewer service to lakefront communities that currently rely on onsite systems; agency presenters argued that sewer infrastructure is a key investment for water quality, public health and property resilience around Chautauqua Lake.
Questions and constraints: Legislators asked whether federal or state grant availability could change and whether the county would bond for the full project. Staff said the county must be authorized to bond for the total project cost in order to apply for certain state infrastructure funding, but they emphasized that bonding all project costs would be unaffordable for users absent state grants. A legislator noted that federal fund flows and grant allocations can change; staff said they had checked with consultants and that funding programs appeared stable at present but remain contingent on federal and state budgets.
Ending: The committee voted to accept the SEQR finding and to establish lead agency status for the North Shore project; both items will proceed to public hearings and subsequent resolution votes before the full legislature.
