Click here to download the Dredging and Capping Completed Fact Sheet (717 KB)

Dear Community Member,

Recovery of Onondaga Lake is well on its way. With dredging completed, a year ahead of schedule, we are continuing with the capping and the habitat restoration through 2016. More than 110 species of fish, birds, and mammals have already returned to restored wetlands, and nearby areas.

The community’s pride and passion have helped fuel this progress and are being rewarded as the lake will be a healthy, sustainable asset for generations to come. Over 500 volunteers have participated in hands-on, experience-based Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps programs that help restore and sustain the lake and its value as an Important Bird Area.

As recovery continues, the community is enthusiastic about all of the opportunities to use the lake now and in the future. We hope you all will get or stay involved, and learn more about the cleanup by coming to the Onondaga Lake Visitors Center or by becoming a member of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps. The Corps is a partnership among Audubon New York, Montezuma Audubon Center, Onondaga Audubon Society, Parsons, O’Brien & Gere, and Honeywell.

We are proud of the progress we have achieved and hope you share our excitement as you read our seventh annual update. You can learn more by visiting our website at www.lakecleanup.com.

Sincerely,

John P. McAuliffe
Syracuse Program Director

Dear Community Member,

Onondaga Lake is a story of growth and renewal. Wildlife is returning to restored wetlands and Honeywell finished dredging in 2014. Capping and habitat enhancements will be completed in 2016.

The early completion was the result of focused execution of a carefully designed project plan by hundreds of scientists, engineers, and skilled craft laborers. Nearly 90 percent of the workers live in Central New York and about 80 percent of project materials were supplied by New York State businesses.

The hard work of creative, knowledgeable, and dedicated professionals and members of the Central New York academic community has been critical to the success of this project.

Thousands of Central New Yorkers have learned about the cleanup by touring the Onondaga Lake Visitors Center along the southwest shoreline. In addition, hundreds of volunteers have joined the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, a partnership among Montezuma Audubon Center, Onondaga Audubon Society, Parsons, O’Brien & Gere, and Honeywell, and become environmental stewards protecting the Onondaga Lake watershed. We invite you to join us.

We are proud of the historical milestones we have achieved and hope you share our excitement as you read our sixth annual update. You can learn more by visiting our website at www.lakecleanup.com.

Sincerely,
John P. McAuliffe
Syracuse Program Director

“Water quality is the best in 100 years and more than 110 species of fish, birds, and mammals have returned to restored wetlands. Hundreds of Central New Yorkers are working on the project, and nearly 500 more have become environmental stewards helping to restore the watershed,” said John McAuliffe, Honeywell Syracuse program director. “The completion of dredging is a significant milestone in the restoration of one of Central New York’s most valuable resources. The community’s pride and passion has helped fuel this progress and is being rewarded as the lake will be a healthy, sustainable asset for generations to come.”

Capping and habitat restoration will continue through 2015 and be completed in 2016.

Early Completion of Dredging Result of Focused Execution
of Carefully Designed Project Plan

The completion of dredging a year ahead of schedule is the result of:

• seven years of design, piloting, and engineering
• investments in team building, health & safety and emergency response planning, community engagement, and contractor dialogue
• strong design team of national and local experts, the best in the field, who were motivated to work as a team
• talent, creativity, and dedication of local universities, engineers, suppliers, and craft labor
• on-site regulatory presence supporting timely decision-making
• commitment to continual improvement
• dedicated EPA / DEC oversight personnel

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Audubon
to Provide Input on Grass / Native Vegetation for Consolidation Area

Honeywell is working in cooperation with local environmental and wildlife stakeholders to explore innovative ways to enhance the traditional vegetated landfill cover for the consolidation area where the lake material will be permanently stored in geotextile tubes. Experts at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Audubon are providing critical input on selection of native grasses and vegetation as well as best management practices to foster sustainability.

Rendering of grass and native vegetation at consolidation area.

To view a fact sheet, click here.

Individuals interested in more information should contact Honeywell at 315-552-9784. For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, visit www.lakecleanup.com.

To view a video from the event, click here.

Click here to download the End of Dredging Fact Sheet (4MB PDF)

Click here to download the 2012 Annual Report (4MB PDF)

Click here to download the Fall 2012 Fact Sheet (4MB PDF)

More than 500 Central New York scientists, engineers, and skilled craft laborers have been working with Honeywell to build the infrastructure necessary for lake operations. Protection of the public’s health and safety is an important part of every stage of the work to restore Onondaga Lake. The dredged material is not exposed to the open environment and extensive efforts are being taken to minimize odors.

The remedy was designed to reduce or eliminate potential hazards (enclosed pumping system, double-containment pipeline, and industrial-strength geotextile tubes). Honeywell has also coordinated with local emergency responders for seamless integration in the unlikely event of an incident.

Over the next four years, about 2 million cubic yards of material will be removed from Onondaga Lake and pumped to a consolidation area at former industrial property off of Airport Road for drying and safe isolation long term. About 450 acres of the lake will be capped to provide a new habitat layer, prevent erosion, and isolate remaining contaminants.

The largest of three hydraulic dredges that will remove about 2 million cubic yards of material from the lake bottom.

In order to achieve a sustainable lake remedy, extensive wetland areas will be improved or created along key portions of the west and southwest lakeshore.

The cleanup is being completed under the supervision of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Health (DOH).

Significant upgrades made by Onondaga County to its municipal wastewater treatment system plus the construction of Honeywell’s underground barrier wall, which prevents contaminated groundwater from reaching the lake, have improved lake water quality to the best it has been in decades.

Air and odor monitoring results are available at www.lakecleanup.com. Progress updates, including how many cubic yards of lake material have been removed and how much lake acreage has been capped, will be available on the website starting in September.

Individuals interested in more information on the Onondaga Lake dredging and capping process should click here or contact Honeywell at 315-552-9784.

Click here to download the 2011 Onondaga Lake Cleanup Annual Report (4MB PDF)

Click here to download the 2010 Onondaga Lake Cleanup Annual Report (2MB PDF)