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Greenwood Lake board says DEC permit cleared; herbicide treatment planned for June 9
Summary
After expedited DEC review, the village expects to receive permits and has scheduled herbicide treatment for June 9 to address a sudden water-chestnut infestation; trustees said a 30-day public-comment window remains in effect.
Mayor Holly told the Village of Greenwood Lake board on May 21 that the state’s Freshwater Protection Act reforms slowed permitting this spring but that regional DEC staff advised the village they will issue the herbicide permit parameters later that week.
"June 9 is when we're scheduled to implement these herbicides," Mayor Holly said, describing the timeline the vendor proposed once permits and the DEC's 30-day public-notice period complete. The mayor said the village submitted permit applications multiple times to stay ahead of delays and that DEC Region 3 staff have been cooperative.
Why it matters: residents and business owners described immediate impacts to navigation and commerce in the lake’s arms. Board members and residents repeatedly urged quick action, arguing a combined strategy of herbicide treatment, mechanical harvesting and hand-pulling is required to prevent rapid regrowth.
The board cautioned that the DEC’s public-notice period must finish before the treatment can start; the mayor said the village expects the DEC to post permits for the 30-day comment window and that application parameters will clarify authorized herbicide types, treated areas and any buffer restrictions. The mayor encouraged residents to watch the DEC posting for details and to contact village staff with questions.
Next steps: the vendor will finalize a treatment plan after receiving the permit text and will perform a pre-treatment survey of the lake. Officials said they plan to hold off mechanical harvesting for about two weeks after chemical application to allow herbicides to act, then reassess need for a follow-up visit.
