Phosphorus limit for Chautauqua Lake?

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The Department of Environmental Conservation has sent the Environmental Protection Agency its proposal for limiting the amount of phosphorus discharged into Chautauqua Lake to stop algae blooms.

DEC Commissioner Joe Martens says Chautauqua Lake in western New York has had beach closures in recent years due to algae blooms triggered by excessive phosphorus in the lake. This summer was particularly bad, with beach closures and numerous complaints of algal blooms, including toxic blue-green blooms.

Since 2004, DEC has identified Chautauqua Lake as a water body not meeting water quality standards and needing a plan to bring it into compliance.

Among other things, the DEC plan requires the three largest wastewater treatment plants in the town of Chautauqua to implement relatively low-cost chemical addition to remove phosphorus by next summer.