The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) serves on the Ohio River. ORSANCO met last week in Buffalo. Current ORSANCO chairman and CLA executive director Doug Conroe attended the event.
The ORSANCO Technical Committee heard algal bloom reports from staff, environmental officials from eight states, and the United States EPA. The committee also received specialized reports from Scott Kishbaugh, Lakes Chief at NYSDEC, Greg Boyer, PhD of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, the Great Lakes Science Consortium Chair, and the scientist that the CLA utilizes to analyze Chautauqua Lake algal bloom water samples.
Other business that occurred included modifying the Commission’s water pollution control standards in regard to how the discharge of waste water containing mercury is regulated.
Doug presented a certificate of appreciation to ORSANCO’s immediate past chairman, Thomas Easterly for his service. Mr. Easterly served on the commission representing the state of Indiana for a number of years before becoming commission chairman. He retired this past summer as Commissioner of Indiana’s Department of Environmental Management. Prior to serving in Indiana he was in private environmental consulting in the Buffalo, NY, area and prior to that held positions in the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
