CARLTON – The Army Corps of Engineers has committed to dredging a series of harbors along Lake Ontario in 2014, Congressman Chris Collins announced Monday.
Collins, R-Clarence, said the Army Corps now has the funding it needs to perform maintenance dredging in the federal channel at the Oak Orchard Harbor in Carlton and nearby harbors in Wilson and Olcott.

“The dredging of these three local harbors is long overdue,” said Collins. “Local residents and government leaders have been pushing the federal government to prioritize the work in order to maintain and maximize the harbors’ economic and recreational importance."

Want to protect your Great Lakes coast? Now you can direct resource protection with a click of a mouse.

The Illinois Coastal Management Program has a new tool to listen to how the public wants to restore and protect coastal resources.

When a community or organization has an idea for something that needs improvement or expansion, leaders used to attend a town hall meeting to voice their opinions.

Today, the Obama Administration released its final plan for translating the National Ocean Policy into on-the-ground actions to benefit the American people. With significant public input from a wide spectrum of individuals and interests, the final Implementation Plan focuses on improving coordination to speed Federal permitting decisions; better manage the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources that drive so much of our economy; develop and disseminate sound scientific information that local communities, industries, and decision-makers can use; and collaborate more effectively with State, Tribal, and local partners, marine industries, and other stakeholders. Without creating any new regulations or authorities, the plan will ensure the many Federal agencies involved in ocean management work together to reduce duplication and red tape and use taxpayer dollars more efficiently.

Low lake levels haven’t stopped boaters from snatching up spots at Lakeview Park Marina.

Although water levels in the Great Lakes are reportedly below average, the city marina is almost at capacity for the upcoming boating season. Trese MacNeil, community sports services co-ordinator for the city’s parks and recreation department, said water levels haven’t affected business at Lakeview.

“We’re almost at capacity with our boats, so as far as business being affected we don’t see any effects so far,” MacNeil said. “We’ve been on a steady increase with obtaining seasonal boaters in particular.”

Conservationists urged Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Monday to join thousands of citizens who have shown their support for a new Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River management plan over the past several months.