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Residents petition for "rights of nature" protections for Great Lakes; county hears algal bloom and wastewater concerns
Summary
A petitioner urged the county to support a New York Assembly bill recognizing rights for the Great Lakes and state waters; residents and county staff discussed recent algal blooms and wastewater treatment discharges, and the county public health representative outlined regulatory responsibilities.
Anthony Del Plato, a Seneca Falls resident and local chef, told the Board of Supervisors he submitted a petition asking the county to support a legislative effort to recognize rights for waters and ecosystems, referencing an Assembly bill introduced by Assemblyman Patrick Burke on March 19, 2025.
Del Plato urged lawmakers to adopt a "rights of nature" framework that would, he said, give legal recognition and protection to watersheds and ecosystems. He cited peer-reviewed research and broader concerns about chemicals such as glyphosate and PFAS in food and water; those scientific claims were presented by Del Plato as the basis for his petition and were attributed to him in the meeting.
"All New Yorkers are connected through our water, and so this bill protects us all," Del Plato said, quoting Assemblyman Burke as he described the proposed Great Lakes and State Waters Bill of Rights.
Another resident, Frank Plasquitz, told the board he supported Del Plato's petition and emphasized the county’s natural assets — including canals and the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge — as reasons to protect water resources.
Later in the meeting, a county staff member identified as Scott addressed supervisors about the first algal bloom the county had recorded this season. Scott said the earliest bloom this year appeared on Cuba Lake and that the county planned to begin public messaging on how to spot and report harmful algal blooms (HABs). He said blooms are more likely in patterns of hot weather followed by heavy rain.
Scott also explained regulatory responsibility for wastewater systems: local health departments regulate on-site systems (those of 1,000 gallons per day or less), while the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regulates larger municipal wastewater treatment plants. He told supervisors that combined sewer systems and aging infrastructure can cause partially treated discharges during heavy rain, and that treatment plant upgrades and grants can reduce those events.
Supervisor Latini raised constituent complaints about visible material in Seneca Lake during heavy rainfall events; Scott said that in some instances overloaded plants can discharge material that may pose a risk on direct contact, and recommended the DEC’s "know it, avoid it, report it" guidance for HABs and discharges.
The board received the public comments and heard staff explanations; no formal policy change or vote on the petition was recorded at the meeting.
