EPA proposes 'no discharge zone' for NY portion of St. Lawrence River

Following a petition from the State of New York, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently determined that the New York portion of the St. Lawrence River is eligible to become a “no discharge zone.”

This determination, which would apply to a 112 mile stretch of the river from Lake Ontario’s Tibbetts Point to the western side of Lake Saint Francis, would mean that boats would no longer be able to discharge sewage into the river, since there are adequate facilities around the river where they can dispose of their waste.

“It’s astonishing that in 2016, boaters can dump raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River. Declaring this area of the St. Lawrence a ‘no discharge zone’ would provide cleaner water for people who use this river,” Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck said. “The EPA and New York State looked carefully at the information and agree that the St. Lawrence has enough facilities to remove treated waste from all types of vessels and keep it from entering the river.”

The EPA’s proposed “no discharge zone” fits into an initiative to eliminate sewage discharge from boats in New York’s waterways, which is a joint effort by the EPA and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed zone until April 25.