Community Health and Safety
Comprehensive efforts to protect the public's health and safety are an important part of the work to restore Onondaga Lake. Health and safety plans are reviewed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Department of Health and are incorporated into every stage of the restoration. These plans include management and monitoring that exceed government requirements and industry standards.
In 2010, we began the construction of the area that will hold material removed from the lake and the water treatment plant. A Community Health and Safety Plan describes the protective measures that will be taken during this construction. A separate Health and Safety Plan is being developed for lake cleanup operations, which are scheduled to begin this year.
Measures to ensure dust does not leave the work area include using a water truck and applying dust-suppressing road materials. During the construction, the air is continuously monitored for dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to ensure concentrations at the perimeter of the work zone remain below government criteria. Monitoring results are available here.
We do our work in a way that protects health and the environment and causes the least disruption to the local community. If you would like more information or have any questions, please contact Craig Milburn at 315.552.9784.
