ENB Region 5 Completed Applications 07/09/2003

The applicant, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Bureau of Fisheries (DEC) proposes to control the abundance of sea lamprey in Lake Champlain by application of chemical lampricides (TFM and Bayluscide) to selected NY tributaries and delta areas.  The purpose is to achieve and maintain reductions in the parasitic sea lamprey population in Lake Champlain, thereby reducing lamprey-caused wounding and death rates to lake trout, landlocked salmon and walleye. The requested ten-year permits would allow, with modifications, stream and delta treatments first initiated in 1990 pursuant to a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).  No significant adverse impacts were identified during the eight-year program covered by the FEIS.  Fundamental mitigation strategies established in the FEIS will be continued.  The proposed lampricide treatments are part of an integrated pest management approach to controlling sea lampreys in Lake Champlain on a long-term, lake-wide basis.  The proposed long-term program and its modifications from the experimental program are described in a final supplemental environmental impact statement published in 2001.  Requested modifications from the experimental program include a treatment option using a combination of TFM/Bayluscide on certain tributaries to reduce overall pesticide usage, and the potential for spring treatments on certain streams as a back-up to fall treatments cancelled because of unsuitable weather or stream conditions.

The DEC proposes periodic treatments to nine rivers and five delta areas located in NY, with treatments on three streams and one delta area beginning this September.  Treatment of each infested stream or delta would occur approximately once every four years, with sea lamprey larval densities and developmental rates dictating the need for, and frequency of treatments. Tributaries proposed for TFM or combination TFM/Bayluscide treatments include the following: Putnam Creek, Beaver and Mount Hope Brooks, and the Great Chazy, Saranac, Salmon, Little Ausable,  Ausable and Boquet Rivers.  Delta areas proposed for Bayluscide treatments include the Saranac, Salmon, Little Ausable, Ausable and Boquet River deltas.

To view additional information contained in the SEQR Negative Declaration for this proposal, see the following internet address: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/enb2002/20020213/not5.html