As a scientific organization dedicated to safeguarding water quality in the Finger Lakes region, Community Science Institute (CSI) is often called upon to provide technical expertise and community perspective on environmental issues that shape the health of our watersheds. CSI has submitted public comments and testimony on topics such as harmful algal bloom management, nutrient criteria, and development planning within sensitive watershed areas. These statements—addressed to policymakers, legislators, and fellow scientists—reflect our commitment to science-based decision-making and informed stewardship. Explore below to read CSI’s contributions to public dialogue on water resource protection.
CSI’s Public Comments & Testimonies
CSI's Public Comments & Testimonies
Community Science Institute submitted a letter that strongly supports the Town of Lansing’s proposed moratorium on large-scale development as a proactive, science-informed measure to protect water quality and natural resources. This temporary pause allows the Town to align future growth with its Comprehensive Plan, ensuring sustainable development guided by sound science and community values.
-Grascen Shidemantle, Ph.D., Executive Director, Community Science Institute
CSI submitted written testimony to the New York State Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee highlighting the need for stronger coordination, funding, and prevention strategies in managing harmful algal blooms (HABs). Drawing on years of community-based monitoring on Cayuga Lake, CSI emphasized science-driven solutions, earlier seasonal monitoring, and expanded state-community collaboration to better protect public health and water quality across New York.
-Grascen Shidemantle, Ph.D., Executive Director, Community Science Institute
Community Science Institute submitted detailed technical comments on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s proposed updates to the “Technical and Operational Guidance Series (TOGS) 1.1.1: Ambient Water Quality Standards and Guidance Values and Groundwater Effluent Limitations.” Drawing on more than two decades of laboratory-certified monitoring, CSI raised questions to clarify phosphorus assessment methods, biological response metrics, sampling protocols, and impairment criteria—emphasizing the need for consistent, science-based guidance to better evaluate and manage nutrient impacts on New York’s streams and lakes.
-Noah Mark, Technical Laboratory Director, Community Science Institute
Community Science Institute, in collaboration with regional watershed partners, urges the New York State DEC and U.S. EPA to finalize a Clean Water Plan for Cayuga Lake. Delays in adopting the lake’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for phosphorus hinder progress on addressing nutrient pollution, harmful algal blooms, and other urgent water quality challenges.
-Grascen Shidemantle, Ph.D., Executive Director, Community Science Institute
Community Science Institute submitted technical comments on draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) estimates for phosphorus in Cayuga Lake, highlighting significant discrepancies between the TMDL and independent measurements of total and dissolved phosphorus. Drawing on long-term volunteer-based monitoring and certified laboratory analyses, CSI emphasized that these inconsistencies could undermine stakeholder confidence and TMDL implementation, and recommended additional validation using representative phosphorus measurements across the watershed.
-Stephen Penningroth, PhD., Founder of CSI and Former Executive Director, Community Science Institute
