Notice of public hearing

Regarding the proposed Harbor Brook Sewer Improvement Project
required by the January 20, 1998 Amended Consent Judgment
concerning Onondaga Lake

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection ("DWEP") regarding the Harbor Brook Sewer Improvement Project. The public hearing will be held as follows:

DATE: Tuesday, December 6, 2005
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Welch-Allyn Room at Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Prior to the hearing, there will be a public information meeting from 6:00 - 7:00 p. m. at the same location.

The conveyance route has been changed since the September public meetings.

The purpose of the hearing is to inform the public of the public use to be served by the proposed Harbor Brook Sewer Improvement Project, the impact of the proposed project on the environment and County residents, and to receive testimony from residents and other interested parties on the project. Any person may present an oral or written statement at the hearing.

The purpose of the Harbor Brook Sewer Improvement Project is to eliminate and/or substantially decrease the negative impacts of eighteen existing combined sewer overflow discharge points along Harbor Brook. The project calls for two regional treatment and storage facilities, five underground floatables control structures, upgrading two existing wastewater pump stations, and installation of pipelines to transport flow to the treatment and storage facilities. The sites identified for the treatment and storage facilities are proposed for vacant land along Amy Street near Grand Avenue and Delaware Street and vacant land on State Fair Boulevard between Hiawatha Boulevard and West Genesee Street which will be acquired for the project.

The entire project must be completed and operational by January 1, 2012 under court order. Design of the facilities is scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2007. Following design, construction is estimated to take about 2 years.

The details of the project and reasonable alternatives and sites that have been considered consistent with the Amended Consent Judgment and the State Environmental Quality Review Act, are contained in a the draft Harbor Brook CSO Abatement Project Facility Plan (Aug 2005) (DFP) and draft Harbor Brook Environmental Information Document (Aug 2005) that were prepared by the County and submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the USEPA on August 22, 2005. These documents form the basis of the proposed action that will be the subject of this public hearing. Copies of these documents including maps of the proposed project area are available for review on this website:
— Harbor Brook CSO Abatement Project Facility Plan (Aug 2005)
— Harbor Brook Environmental Information Document (Aug 2005)

Copies are also available at the following libraries:

Mundy Branch Library, 1204 S. Geddes Street
Hours: M, Th, F, Sat. 9-5, Tues & Wed 8:30-8:30
Hazard Branch Library, 1620 W. Genesee Street
Hours: M, W, F, Sat. 9-5, Tues & Thurs 9:00-9:00
Kinchen Central Library at the Galleries, 447 S. Salina St.
Hours: M, Thurs, F. Sat. 9-5, Tues. & Wed 9:00-8:30

On September 14 and 15, 2005, formal public information meetings were held on this project. In addition, prior to the upcoming public hearing, there will be an information meeting held from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. during which County representatives will describe the project and be present to respond to questions and concerns from the public. Persons interested in learning more about the project or asking questions are invited to attend this public information session.

The public may also submit written comments by January 6, 2006 to:

John Clare, Project Manager
Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection
650 Hiawatha Boulevard W.
Syracuse, NY 13204

Click here to email John Clare.

If you have questions, call John Clare at 435-2260 ext 371 or Sue Miller at ext 367.

A transcript of the hearing, all written comments, and responsiveness summaries will be part of the County's environmental review and site acquisition process and will also be provided to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for use and consideration in the preparation of environmental findings pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as part of the County's application for federal financial assistance.