SAVE THE LAKE(S)
November 20, 2022
Dear Friends,
Below, please find the document with the DEC’s proposal for West Mountain State Forest. There, the DEC
outlines its proposal with the distinct probability of a very negative impact on our community–Pawling Lake–
by the destruction of the West Mountain State Forest Lake.
https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/eohdraftump.pdf
Please review pages 83-87 in the document. As the downstream adjacent lake, our community lake would be
contaminated as well by continued silt from the breach — please see 4th bulleted point in DEC report page 87
“drawbacks”.
Pawling Lake may likely become a muddy, unswimable mess from it. The WMSF Lake will have great and
unprecedented loss of aquatic and animal life. It is an unknown as to what the new ecosystem will be.
Though the above document says vegetation will perhaps fill in within a year, according to a comprehensive
study in “Bioscience Journal,” it is very difficult to predict and there are many factors to consider on whether
it’s a year, or many many years. And in this forced decaying environment, mosquitoes and other insects
become prolific. It will be an ecological nightmare affecting West Mountain State Forest visitors as well as all
the neighboring homes and farms adjacent to it. Whatever happens to our sister lake will have a massive
affect on our lake including loss of aquatic life from the lack of oxygen as the DEC reported, due to increasing
silt from where the WMSF Lake “was”. The increased silt to the community lake will be a constant feature.
Our community Lake will no longer be the pristine, clear mountain lake it was.
HELP SAVE WEST MOUNTAIN STATE FOREST LAKE!
We have a DEADLINE — DECEMBER 22, 2021!
Here’s what we can do —
Let’s have a big showing at the meeting in Carmel this Tuesday where our voices will be heard – INVITE
FRIENDS AS WELL!
Tuesday Nov. 22
5 – 8 P.M.
Town of Kent Courthouse
25 Sybils Crossing, Carmel NY 12512
DEC staff will be available from 5 to 6 pm to talk one-on-one and answer questions. Starting at 6 pm, the
meeting will include a public presentation of the draft plan, followed by time for public comments.
WRITE BY LETTER OR EMAIL and have friends in the immediate area affected by this — Towns of Dover,
Beekman, Poughquag, Pawling, anyone in NYS, who would not want to lose one more beautiful public body of
water — especially now.
Public comments on the proposed plan will be accepted until Dec. 22, 2022, by mail to DEC Division of Lands
and Forests, 21 South Putt Corners Rd. New Paltz, NY 12561, and by email to R3.UMP@dec.ny.gov
Write Michael Callan — NYS DEC michael.callan@dec.ny.gov
Write Matt Paul — NYS DEC matthew.paul@dec.ny.gov
Write and call our state representatives:
Anil Beephan, Assemblyman 845-553-0697 Email: anil@anilbeephanny.com
Pete Harckham, Senator 914-241-4600 Email: harckham@mysenate.gov
Kieran Lalor, Assemblyman 845-221-2202 Email: Lalor@nyassembly.gov
Thank you for your consideration and participation – LET’S SAVE THE LAKES!
