Below is information on how you can help preserve and protect Candlewood Lake. Candlewood - Act Now to Support Carp Introduction To: Candlewood Community Leaders Network (CLN) Re: Need for Support of Sterile Grass Carp as Recommended Solution for Milfoil Control Suggested Action: Send an email to your Mayor/First Selectman by Tuesday, Aug 26, expressing your support for applying for a state grant for the control of Eurasian Watermilfoil by introducing Sterile Grass Carp -- and urge other members of your Board and community to do likewise asap Background For well over a year, the CLA has been evaluating all available options for controlling Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM), an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) that has blanked as much as 10% of Candlewood Lake. Based on this comprehensive evaluation -- involving extensive research, comparison of options for safety, effectiveness and cost, and consultation with lake experts and users of the various control techniques, the CLA concluded that the introduction of Sterile Grass Carp (complemented by drawdowns) offers the best of solutions. Over time, the Candlewood Watershed Initiative, DEEP, First Light, town CEOs and other independent lake advocates have endorsed this conclusion as well. While Carp introduction is not without complicating issues -- existing DEEP regs [being modified], concern over possible escape [to be overcome by entry strategy], location of entry [Lakes south end for sequenced feeding away from penstock], etc -- all have been overcome to the satisfaction of those who have taken the time to critically probe the specifics and assess the alternatives (eg, herbicides, mechanical harvesters, weevils, etc). Carp continue to be the favored as the best overall control technique for Candlewood on all three measures, perhaps to be selectively supplemented with other methods as local conditions warrant. In parallel with this evaluation and in recognizing the threats posed by AIS such as milfoil and zebra mussels, the CT Legislature recently approved a total of $150,000 in grants for municipalities to control and manage AIS in the states inland waters. These funds are basically from tax revenues and represent one of the only funding sources available to fight these invasive intruders. The max grant is $50,000 (except in unusual, well-justified situations). The deadline for submission of grant applications to the DEEP is 9/15, and these applications first require endorsement by the municipalities involved before submission, in our case, by the CLA. Urged Action It is important that our municipal CEOs hear from their respective constituents soon about a) introduction of Sterile Grass Carp as the preferred control technique for EWM, and b) the desirability of applying for a state environmental grant now to help defray this cost, as described above. Accordingly all recipients are urged to email their CEO no later than this coming Tuesday, 8/26 (email addresses are below) urging such action to provide reassurance that these steps are both appropriate and necessary to help reduce the tenacious EWM inroads in Candlewood while ensuring its/our safety and health. Email addresses of municipal CEOs: - Brookfield - [email protected] - Danbury - [email protected] - New Fairfield - [email protected] - New Milford - [email protected] - Sherman - [email protected] Resources To help in your framing such a recommendation, pasted below are A) a past CLN 11/2013 communication endorsing the merits of carp, and B) a rough draft quickly written by the CLA Chair, Phyllis Schaer (also President of Holiday Point, HPA) to help you jumpstart this process: -------------------- A - Re: Sterile Grass Carp as CLAs Recommended Solution Pasted below is an article that appeared in the Citizen News last week summarizing the conclusions and recommendations of the Candlewood Lake Authority in supporting the introduction of sterile grass carp for the control of invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil in Candlewood Lake. The article notes that important steps remain before final approval and implementation of this Lake-wide control strategy judged to be the best, cost-effective solution for managing down the Lakes unchecked milfoil beds. Jim McAlister ------------------------------ The C.L.A. Selects Sterile Grass Carp As Milfoil Remedy Will work with Town CEOs and FirstLight in seeking D.E.E.P. permit After several months of study and discussion, the Candlewood Lake Authority voted last week to apply for a permit from the CT Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection to introduce sterile grass carp into Candlewood Lake. The objective is to use the fish to help control Eurasian watermilfoil, a prolific and persistent aquatic invasive species that can choke hundreds of shoreline acres each summer season. The vote was unanimous and is contingent upon the C.L.A. receiving approval of the five towns surrounding the Lake, and working closely with FirstLight Power Resources, the power company that owns the Lake, and CT D.E.E.P. Approval from more than 100 property owners who own property underneath the lake is also currently needed. “Based on our research and the presentations we heard from experts on several possible control techniques, sterile grass carp appear to be the best lake-wide remedy for Candlewood Lake,” said Larry Marsicano, executive director of the C.L.A. “We believe they are the most cost-effective solution to complement FirstLight’s continuing practice of biennial deep and shallow drawdowns.” However, the carp won’t be introduced quickly. The process of applying for a permit and actually deploying the fish can take as long as a year. And since the best seasonal time of the year to introduce the fish is spring, it is possible the first carp won’t see Candlewood Lake waters until spring of 2015. Funding Needed Missing from the vote was any discussion of funding for the initiative, which is estimated to cost approximately $50,000 in its first phase. After the meeting, Howie Berger, chairman of the C.L.A., said the C.L.A. does not have funding available for the carp stocking. He also acknowledged that FirstLight had reduced its contribution to the C.L.A. in the current fiscal year. The CEOs of four of the Towns surrounding Candlewood Lake, with the exception of Sherman, followed FirstLight’s lead this year and also coordinated lower funding for the C.L.A. Still, Mr. Berger was undaunted by the lack-of-funding obstacle “We think sterile grass carp when used in conjunction with the drawdown is the best lake-wide solution to a problem that has plagued Candlewood Lake for years,” he said. “We believe when all the key parties involved – FirstLight, the CT D.E.E.P., the CEOs of the five towns and the C.L.A. – get behind this remedy funding will be found.” While the C.L.A. sees grass carp as a lake-wide remedy, the fish are not the exclusive remedy. Other control techniques, such as mechanical harvesting or chemical herbicides are proven successful elsewhere and could still be deployed by the Towns or others on a site-specific basis. Norma Gyle, one of the C.L.A. delegates from New Fairfield also cautioned that the process of applying for the permit was “movement and not final.” She said the application process could be altered or stopped if new information emerged showing that adjustments needed to be made. Prior to voting in favor of the sterile grass carp remedy, the C.L.A. delegates reviewed a report prepared by Mr. Marsicano that summarized the key findings of the presentations by experts over the past several months. Particularly significant was the success reported by Santee Cooper, a power company in South Carolina. The firm used sterile grass carp to combat a similar aquatic invasive species in two of the largest lakes in that state. Officials from nearby Ball Pond also reported success in the use of sterile grass carp for milfoil control. Mr. Marsicano emphasized that a sterile grass carp remedy would likely be less polarizing to the community and could be part of an integrated strategy involving other tools, such as the continued use of the drawdowns or spot use of herbicides. He also pointed out that the permit process might flush out other challenges that thus far remain undiscovered. Phyllis Schaer, a delegate from Sherman, added that the use of sterile grass carp is an ongoing effort, requiring annual maintenance-level stocking to assure optimum results. On the other hand, she added, if it is later determined that the fish are not achieving the desired result, “It is easy to just stop the effort and not restock the Lake on an annual basis in the future.” Mr. Marsicano also reported that the D.E.E.P. is working on a possible change in regulations on the importation and release of sterile grass carp that would be more suited for a body of water the size of Candlewood Lake. -------------------- B - From Phyllis Schaer - Here is a basic template letter to send to town CEOs in support of AIS Grant funding, Please feel free to rephrase this in your own words...... Your URGENT action is required to get citizen support to towns ...please forward to your own Lake Communities Dear.......... I am writing to express my support for the use of Sterile Grass Carp in Candlewood Lake for the control of Eurasian Water milfoil and the availability of a State Grants that would cover a large portion of the associated costs. I am aware that the State has recently made $150,000 available for grants for either feasibility or diagnostic studies related to Aquatic Invasive Plants. This is an excellent opportunity of receiving grant funding for control of Eurasian Water Milfoil with the introduction of a Sterile Grass Carp. The CLA needs the authorization from the member municipalities in order to submit the grant. This authorization is critical and does not bind the municipalities to any plan, it potentially makes funds available. The upper limit for a project is $50,000 . Requests for larger grants (up to $75,000) may be considered, but only for exceptional and well-justified proposals. The grant program is a 50% matching program and this program would score very high. As a homeowner and taxpayer in the town of ..............., I not only support the use of Sterile Grass Carp, but urge you to authorize the Candlewood Lake Authority to submit a grant proposal for this program and not lose out on this worthwhile funding opportunity. Please act on this now as we realize there is a submission deadline of Sept. 15TH! Positive actions to control milfoil are needed now! There are numerous nearby lakes and waterbodies already using Sterile Grass Carp for weed control...including Ball Pond, and Taunton Lake. I am aware that they have already researched and this control option, with experts in the field being consulted and provided the towns as well as HEVCO with a presentation on Sterile Grass Carp . The opportunity to receive State funding and save both the towns and taxpayers money should be given High priority. Lets do the right thing for Candlewood Lake now. Phyllis Schaer President HPA --------------- Thanks for your quick help in instituting this cost-effective approach to addressing Candlewood Lakes milfoil problem by endorsing Sterile Grass Carp as the preferred solution, and the state grant program as the means of achieving without significant additional expense. Jim McAlister todmacpac@aol 203/254-0474 - B
Posted on: Tue, 26 Aug 2014 12:40:00 +0000
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