JEFFERSON COUNTY, N.Y. -- It's called Plan 2007. The International Joint Commission said it's the best way to regulate water levels on the St. Lawrence Seaway and Lake Ontario.
The proposed decision comes after nearly five years and $20 million of work. According to the IJC, the plan combines environmental and recreational benefits, while helping erosion.
"The proposed Plan 2007 is a plan that balances the benefits around the basin and down the river,” IJC Engineering Advisor Tom McAuley said. "It's economically viable and doesn't take away benefits. In fact it improves them in a lot of ways."
McAuley said this plan adds $5.5 million of worth compared to existing regulations.
But some said the plan artificially lowers levels and doesn't really improve the environment. They argue Plan 2007 will only help those living on the lake shores near Rochester.
"There's probably a few thousand people down there, but there's 14,000,000 people in the basin that are negatively affected by the environment,” said Dalton Foster of the International Water Levels Coalition.
The International Joint Commission has released its proposed plan to regulate water levels along the St. Lawrence Seaway and Lake Ontario. But it is not what many living along those waterways in the North Country had hoped for. Our Brian Dwyer takes a closer look at the IJC's plan and the one many groups in the North Country said is the better choice.
"You are basically depriving the environment around both the lake and river with water at certain times of the year when they need to have it,” fellow IWLC member Bea Schermerhorn added.
The International Water Levels Coalition, along with other groups like Save the River and even Jefferson County Lawmakers, have loudly voiced their choice, Plan B+. A plan they said follows what mother nature intended.
"It's going to back to natural flows and so forth which are much healthier for the environment. It's just that Mother Nature knows what she's doing and I fear man,” Schermerhorn said.
"We would like to get the full environmental benefits of B+, but there were problems with flooding and low water in Montreal and around the coast of Lake Ontario,” McAuley added.
The IJC said its plan actually allows for Plan B+ to be put into effect in as little as two years once mitigation occurs. The group Save the River says it seriously doubts that would happen, especially that soon.
Before any plan is finalized, there will be a series of public hearings in June.
There are five meetings in Canada and five in the states.
The ones in the states are set for:
June 10th in Olcott, NY
June 11th in Greece, NY
June 19th in Massena, NY
June 25th in Alexandria Bay, NY
June 26th in Oswego, NY
All meetings start at 7:00 p.m.