Northern New York Assemblyman Mark Walczyk, R-Watertown, has been named to represent New York State on an international task force that aims to improve water quality of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

Assemblyman Walczyk was nominated, along with Sen. Pam Helming, to serve on the Birkholz Institute Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Nutrients Task Force. The bi-national, bi-partisan task force comprises legislators and policy makers from seven states and two Canadian provinces, with a mission of addressing water quality issues and pollution prevention of the shared waterways of the United States and Canada. Walczyk in the only member of the New York State Assembly on the task force.

“In Scouts, we used to say 'Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints.' One of the most important things we can do as leaders is make sure the next generation has a cleaner, more sustainable world then we found,” said Walczyk. "From invasive species to algae blooms to high water and industrial runoff, there are so many ways to collaborate and ensure the health of the whole Great Lakes basin. As the sole representative from our State Assembly to serve on the Nutrients Task Force, it's a real honor to serve as a steward for the water that eventually flows right past the Front Yard of America. I look forward to working side-by-side with Senator Pam Helming and other like-minded leaders from across the Great Lakes Region to protect our shared waterways."

“Save The River's mission is to restore, preserve, and protect the Upper St. Lawrence River now and for generations to come - through education, advocacy, and research,” said John Peach, Executive Director of Save The River and the Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper. “I’d like to congratulate Assemblyman Walczyk on his appointment to the Nutrients Task Force. I look forward to working with him on ways that we can ensure that the waters of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario continue to gain protection from sources of municipal, residential, and agricultural pollution and remain a vital asset for the North Country for years to come.”