Protect the Adirondacks has applauded
the recent signing by Gov. Andrew Cuomo
of legislation to ban the transport of aquatic
invasive species (AIS) at public, private and
commercial boat launches around New York.
The Department of Environmental Conservation
passed rules to ban launching of boats
with AIS at over 200 public boat launches and
fishing access sites in New York. This legislation
covers public, private and commercial
launches. It creates the state’s first comprehensive
intervention and prevention program.
The legislation aims to prevent the spread
of AIS by requiring the removal of visible
vegetation and animals from boats and related
gear, as well as draining areas of the
watercraft of all water, when entering and
leaving boat launch sites to various water
bodies across New York.
States such as Minnesota, Vermont, New
Hampshire, Washington, Idaho, Montana,
California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona,
Massachusetts, and South Carolina, among
others, have similar laws.
According to DEC, aquatic invasive species
seriously threaten economically important industries,
such as tourism and fishing. Invasive
species cost the U.S. economy an estimated
$120 billion per year, and while the state has
implemented various programs designed to
control the spread of aquatic invasives, it
is far more cost-effective to prevent them
altogether.
“This is important statewide legislation
that marks a new focus on intervention and
prevention of aquatic invasive species. It’s
very difficult to get rid of an invasive species
once it’s established in a lake or pond. This
new law, which will be followed by statewide
regulations, will shift the spotlight to prevention.
In the Adirondack Park and across New
York we still have many lakes that are not yet
infested with invasive species. This law will
help to keep these lakes free and clean,” said
Peter Bauer, executive director of Protect the
Adirondacks.
“The natural beauty that is found in every
corner of New York is second to none, and it
is imperative that we do everything possible
to protect that from the dangers of invasive
species,” Cuomo said. “We all share a responsibility
to protect our natural environment, and this legislation helps ensure that all who
enjoy New York’s waters will also do their
part to limit the spread of different types of
aquatic life that would otherwise harm the
local ecosystem.”
The main vector for spreading AIS throughout
the Adirondacks and New York is the
transport of motorboats for public recreation.
460,000 motorboats were registered in New
York in 2012. Tens of thousands of boats
are transported across New York for public
recreation for use on many lakes, ponds, and
rivers, said Bauer.
AIS attaches to the engines, hulls, and
trailers, among other places, and are carried
from one lake to another. In juvenile stages,
microscopic AIS animals, such as Asian
clams (corbicula flumenia), quagga mussels
(dreissena bugensis) and spiny water flea
(bythotrephes longimanus), are transported
in standing ballast waters, engine water and
in live wells and bait buckets.
“Upstate New York is an area rich in incredible
lakes, ponds and rivers,” Bauer said. “The
water quality of Upstate New York is vital to
the local economies and supports a number
of businesses, resorts, vacation homes, and
high property values. AIS can rapidly change
the ecology of a lake, wetland, pond or river
as well as significantly impair and seriously
diminish recreational enjoyment. A much
greater investment is needed by New York
state to prevent the spread of AIS in order to
protect the Upstate economy, environment
and quality of life.”
A broad coalition supported this legislation
including the region’s and state’s leading
environmental groups, Trout Unlimited, the
Adirondack Park Local Government Review
Board, state Federation of Lake Associations,
and many individual lake associations in the
Adirondacks and across New York.
The new legislation “creates a strong new
state regulatory infrastructure. Once this
bill is signed into law, and after regulations
are finalized, New York will need to develop
hundreds of decontamination facilities and
make sure that the major boat launches
across the state have inspectors. It’s time to
muster a greater sustained investment in the
protection of water quality across Upstate
New York,” said Bauer.