As outlined in this Citizen's Guide, Cayuga Lake is afflicted with a wide array of pollution problems that are subject to local, state and federal laws, regulations and enforcement programs. In theory, Cayuga Lake's water pollution problems were required to be investigated and controlled decades ago. In reality, many of those efforts have never been fulfilled. That is why the lake's water quality has deteriorated.
This Guide documents how Lake Source Cooling Project would further impair Cayuga Lake's water quality. Since Cornell could solve its air conditioning quandary by adopting non-CFC refrigerants, co-generation cooling or other energy alternatives, the Cayuga Lake Defense Fund urges all citizens concerned about the future of this precious body of water to join together to persuade Cornell to halt its efforts to use Cayuga Lake for its private purposes. A proposal to achieve that goal is respectfully submitted in this Guide for public review.
Finally, it should be underscored that a detailed review of the Lake Source Cooling Project's full range of environmental, public health, energy, financial and public policy implications is far beyond the scope of a Citizen's Guide. Nevertheless, the Cayuga Lake Defense Fund believes this Guide brings to light important public information about the environmental impacts of the proposed project and the regulatory restrictions that apply to it.
Citizens interested in studying additional technical, scientific and regulatory information about the proposed project are urged to review the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements submitted by Cornell as well as the responses prepared by various governmental authorities.
CLDF 1998