Oswego County New

York

An Environmental Health Diagnosis

By Patrick Murphy3rd Grade Tamarac

Elementary

AbstractThis is a report entails a look at New York’s Oswego County from an environmental perspective. The researcher gathered data and information from various sources and publications to draw conclusions about the county. The report focuses on key environmental issues and the major stakeholders in the county. After conclusions, the researcher made recommendations based on the findings to help better bring the county to a more sustainable future.

Maps

Oswego In Relation to New York

Oswego’s Watershed

MethodsThe rational surrounding this project follows that by assessing the county as a unit, better assessments and connections can be made than if the scope was larger or smaller. In addition, most administrative environmental law happens on the county level. The methods surrounding this evaluation required intensive research on online databases from government, third party, and county organizations.

MethodsThe rational surrounding this project follows that by assessing the county as a unit, better assessments and connections can be made than if the scope was larger or smaller. In addition, most administrative environmental law happens on the county level. The methods surrounding this evaluation required intensive research on online databases from government, third party, and county organizations.

About Eco Ed and Mentors

Eco EdRensselaer’s EcoEd Research Group involves faculty and students in the development of delivery of creative and interdisciplinary environmental lessons and education to k-12 students.

In the Secondary School Research Program, young students are assigned an RPI student mentor, and with them move through a nine-week exploration of a research topic, culminating in a substantial written report and formal oral presentation.

MentorsJordan Yamada is an undergraduate here are RPI and his major is electrical engineering. Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii and a Boy Scout he also cares a lot about the environment. One fun fact is that currently he is working on a hybrid racecar with RPI’s Formula Hybrid team.

TimelineCounty Timeline 9000 Years Ago-Formation of Lake Ontario 1600’s-Onondaga and Oneida tribes inhabited where Oswego County now resides

March 1st, 1816-Early Oswego County History (Hope Farm Press, 1996) 

Early 1840’s-Fort Ontario State Historic Site Formed(New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation) February 2008-Last date of Oswego’s Watershed Assessment  June 12th, 2011-Oswego Museum Keeps Memory Alive October 31st, 2013-Planning for Next Flood Disaster

BackgroundBriefly, an overview of Oswego County’s environment consists of mostly forests and marshlands. It is also adjacent to the great lakes, which creates an ecological relationship between the county and the adjacent lake.

Watershed HealthWatershed name: Oswego River and Finger LakesWhat percentages of

rivers have poor water quality?

What percentages of lakes have poor water

quality?

Overall percentage with poor water

quality?5% 12% 17%

What percentages of rivers have good water quality?

What percentage of lakes has good water

quality?

Overall percentage with good water

quality?12% 2% 14%

Challenges:-Legacy industrial discharges in Syracuse/Onondaga Lake Currently being remediated.-Municipal waste water and combined severe overflows in Syracuse and other urban areas-Agriculture and other Nonpoint sources of nutrients and various pollutants.(Department of Environmental Conservation)

Air QualityYOUR

COUNTY: Oswego

Unhealthy air days for general

population in 2012.

Unhealthy air days for people with asthma in

2012

Since 2003, has air quality for asthmatics improved or

gotten worse?Oswego County 0 1 Better

Rensselaer County 0 0 Better

Essex County 0 4 BetterNew York

County 0 2 Better Challenges:If there are fewer factories in the county, the air quality of the surrounding area or county might improve. (Enviromental Protection Agency, 2014)

Energy MixOswego County Region 7

Type of Energy

% of County Energy

Composition

Renewable 32.5Hydroelectric 28.2

Nuclear 28.9Oil 0.8Gas 22.2Coal 15.3

RecommendationsIn response to the challenges of habitat, I recommend that everyone have free solar panels to power their things. In addition, I would shut down any factories so there is not a lot of air pollution to make no more global warming and make the world a better place.

In response to the industrial problems that occur in Oswego caused when people cut down trees and green house greenhouse effect could happen. Then less CO2 could be turned into clean air. A solution to this is when you cut down a tree plan another tree, this a way solve after cutting down trees.

One solution to water and soil issues like acid rain is for people to shut down factories so the rain does not mix with polluted air. Then there would not be as much acid rain. This is a way to stop acid rain.

In response to the challenges to energy, one solution is to shut down factories but not all, reducing energy needs. Another way to solve the second challenge is to stop using polluting energy and use clean energy. A way to fix the third challenge is to, try to use more renewable energy.

The response is to waste problems, a use a waste-to-energy facility could be a solution. A waste-to-energy facility can reduce garbage in to ash, and by that process produce energy.

SourcesRefer to Paper Bibliography