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Wayne steering committee hires consultant, seeks grants for Emmeran Lake algal‑bloom study
Summary
A steering committee coordinating towns and lake users has engaged an environmental consultant and launched fundraising to study algal blooms on Emmeran Lake; the Town of Wayne reported a $25,000 local allocation and a state grant application as the first phase of a >$100,000 initial effort.
Doug, coordinator of the Emmeran Lake steering committee, told the Town of Wayne Select Board that the group has engaged Environmental Instincts to carry out field environmental research this summer and will follow with engineering work focused on the lake and its tributaries.
Doug said the steering committee applied for a $25,000 state grant and that the board of a regional organization (the ALIC) voted to allocate $25,000 from its Healthy Lake Fund toward the project. He described an initial project budget “a little over $100,000” for the first phase, noting additional engineering — particularly work on the Dead River intersection and tributaries — will add to costs.
The consultant will update older studies and conduct sampling and analysis before any mitigation work is proposed, Doug said: “What we want to know before we do any work on solutions is to figure out what the problem really is.” He described four volunteer workgroups the effort is populating — science, fundraising, communications and government — and urged residents to volunteer via a QR code that links to a resource page hosted by 30 Mile River.
Doug said 30 Mile River will be the fiscal facilitator for grant funds and that the effort is coordinated with neighboring towns; he described recent public presentations that drew large local interest. He added that field work will begin once seasonal access allows and that the steering committee sees this phase as the start of broader fundraising and education.
The Select Board did not take formal action beyond receiving the update. The steering committee indicated it will return with more detailed study results and fundraising requests as the environmental and engineering work is completed.
