The working group met from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Newark Cooperative Extension. The Natural Resources Committee meeting previously scheduled for this time was cancelled because of the ice storm and its effects, but Cynthia Hill, Master Plan consultant, and Glen Stell decided to use the time to discuss stewardship of Sodus Bay, since both appeared for the cancelled Natural Resources meeting. Stell represents both himself and Save Our Sodus, a citizen group committed to improving the quality of life around and in Sodus Bay.

Hill suggested that SOS might be interested in soliciting contributions for a revolving fund, which the Genesee Finger Lakes Land Trust could use to buy land, subdivide it in an environmentally sound manner (including placement of conservation and other easements), and then resell in part or in total to a developer. Once the initial property is resold, the money would become available to subdivide another parcel in accordance with the public interest (rather than in accordance with commercial interests that may or may not be in concert with the public interest).

Glen reiterated that SOS favors increased public access to Lake Ontario and its embayments. In addition, SOS believes the protection of water quality should play a key role in the County Master Plan. To protect water quality, we must keep impurities from entering stormwater as it travels both over and under ground from the crest of the Sodus Bay watershed to the Bay itself.

Hill suggested four steps that communities can take to enhance water quality. Hill suggested treating the leachate from septic tanks to further purify the liquid before allowing it to flow into Sodus Bay (secondary treatment). In Norway, environmental regulations are much more strict than in the USA and everyone must remove almost all the nitrogen and phosphorus from their septic leachate using technology such as on-site constructed wetlands. Septic tanks remove pathogens and carbon, but do nothing to treat nitrogen and phosphorus. These elements flow from the leachate fields toward Sodus Bay. Phosphorus, if the soil and hydraulic pathways are optimal, may adhere to soil particles. Moreover, if there is enough land between the leachate field and the Bay, there is a chance that, within alternating oxic (aerated) and anoxic (void of oxygen) environments, special soil microbes might convert nitrogen to gaseous form (nitrogen gas). In these ideal cases nutrients would not enter the bay. The placement of homes close to the Bay, however, rarely allows for these optimal scenarios. A portion of the nitrogen typically travels underground to Sodus Bay. Phosphorus often flows through pores in the soil called preferential flow paths. Once in the Bay, these nutrients become food for plants and animals, commonly called weeds and algae.

Hill suggested that to provide the best chance for natural treatment of phosphorus and nitrogen, new homes should not be allowed to place leachate fields close to the bay. The exact distance would depend on the soil type, slope, and hydrology of the land.

Another way to reduce the flow of nutrients into the Bay is to encourage farmers to apply phosphorus very conservatively when fertilizing their fields. Often phosphorus is applied in excess of agronomic requirements because fertilizer is spread with the goal of adding the correct amount of nitrogen to promote optimal yields. The ratio of phosphorus and nitrogen in fertilizer or manure is often fixed.

Another suggestion is for communities to volunteer to use ECOVER or similar products (7th Generation brand?) for household and personal hygiene. Although this might sound like a novel idea, it isn't! These ECOVER products were developed in Belgium and then tested in Sweden by an independent ecological engineer, who found that when whole communities made the voluntary commitment to use the most ecologically sustainable cleaning products, the resulting sewage could easily be turned back into potable water. The researcher, committed to protecting a watershed of the Baltic Sea, treats the sewage in a greenhouse using plants and animals to soak up the nutrients and other impurities, such as heavy metals.

One of the most important ways to promote water quality in Sodus Bay is to adopt strict controls for stormwater management both during and after construction. Stormwater management prevents erosion by slowing water down as it travels to the Bay. It also allows for the settling of solids (including sorbed phosphorus) and the removal of nitrogen retention or detention basins or in natural or constructed wetlands.

These are four ideas that interested citizen groups might suggest endorsing for inclusion in the County Master Plan.