CLAYTON – Save The River has requested the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo in urging that the St. Lawrence Seaway delay the opening of the spring 2020 shipping season.

In a letter addressed to Cuomo, Save The River asked this request be made now, rather than later in the winter, in order to allow the shipping industry to make necessary adjustments to their schedules, said a press release from the organization.

Save The River has previously made three requests to the Seaway to take action to allow an increase in outflows including two requests for patterning that were denied and an unanswered request to close the 2019 shipping season early, the press release said.

“We are proposing that the Seaway delay the opening of the 2020 shipping season until the beginning of the Ottawa River freshet. According to members of the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board, this is the best remaining opportunity to continue to lower water levels to seasonal averages,” stated John Peach, executive director of Save The River.

“As the Great Lakes remain at historical season highs going into the winter season, we believe that the losses and damages sustained by the region’s riparians and businesses are at least equal to, if not greater than, the loss that shipping may sustain by a delay in next spring’s opening,” Peach said.

State and national leaders were copied on the letter including Senator Patty Ritchie, Assemblyman Mark Walcyzk, Representative Elise Stefanik, Senator Charles Schumer, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.