Public Input Important to the Successful Restoration of Onondaga Lake
Under the supervision of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Honeywell has finished implementing New York State’s cleanup plan for Onondaga Lake working with national and local experts, local nonprofit organizations and community groups. Honeywell engaged the community through scores of presentations and meetings, and incorporated public comments into planning and design. Over 1,200 public meetings, presentations and tours have been held to date.
Beginning in 2004, DEC and Honeywell held a series of public meetings to outline remediation plans. Public input was incorporated into the design. Realizing the importance of habitat restoration for lake users, Honeywell, in partnership with DEC, also created a working group with local habitat, conservation, and community organizations to gather opinions and perspectives on the Habitat Restoration Plan during its development. Community input also helped shape the Geddes Lakeshore and is providing a vision for the Southwest Lakeshore.
The Onondaga Lake Visitors Center, which was designed and built by Honeywell, provides the public with access to Onondaga Lake and the significant work by hundreds of scientists, engineers, and skilled craft laborers from this region.
In July 2012, the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps was founded with the goal of inspiring future stewards of Onondaga Lake and its watershed through an experience-based program that offers citizens and organizations the opportunity to participate in activities that help restore and sustain the Onondaga Lake watershed and its value as an Important Bird Area. The Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps was founded by Honeywell in partnership with Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon and is now an Audubon New York program.
To keep the public informed and involved in the cleanup and lake progress, DEC established the Onondaga Lake Community Participation Working Group (CPWG), which offers opportunities for community input and ways for the public to receive information.
The public also is able to access information through fact sheets, electronic newsletters, summaries of activities, and the DEC and Honeywell Onondaga Lake websites, which provide information about the cleanup, community health and safety commitments, air monitoring data, habitat enhancements, lake water quality, and more.
Honeywell Hometown Solutions®, Honeywell’s corporate citizenship initiative, also offers Central New Yorkers innovative programs designed to inspire the next generation of innovators and scientists.
Honeywell Summer Science Week at the MOST
Created by the MOST, Honeywell Summer Science Week is an exploration of the Onondaga Lake watershed for middle school students. Throughout the week, students participate in a combination of activities, while learning an interdisciplinary approach to investigation, discovery, and resolution of environmental issues facing Onondaga County.
Honeywell Sportsmen’s Days at Carpenter’s Brook
Honeywell also partners with the Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs for Honeywell Sportsmen’s Days at Carpenter’s Brook. The event, held annually by the Sportsmen’s Clubs, is one of the largest celebrations of National Hunting and Fishing Day in New York State.
