named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
General Permit Engagement Process
Participation in stakeholder discussions with NYS DEC to shape a general permit for lake management activities under revised wetlands rules
Keep the Lake a Lake Campaign
Public advocacy and education initiative opposing the classification of Chautauqua Lake as a regulated wetland under NY state law
Legal Challenge Against Part 664 Regulations
Filed Article 78 petition challenging the NYS DEC's expansion of wetlands jurisdiction to lakes, resulting in a court ruling annulling the regulations
activities · 4 groups
What they do
-
Lake Invasive Species Management 4 activities
- Conducts field studies to evaluate management efficacyExecutes research including BACI methodology analysis for Eurasian watermilfoil suppression and establishes comparative field plots for Curly Leaf Pondweed management to assess treatment effectiveness.
- Conducts mechanical harvesting and herbicide treatment of invasive aquatic speciesManages invasive species such as Eurasian Water Milfoil and Curly-leaf Pondweed in Chautauqua Lake through mechanical harvesting and targeted herbicide applications, including annual treatments across hundreds of acres in specific lake basins.
- Conducts scientific monitoring and research on lake healthPerforms annual full-lake surveys using hydroacoustic and point intercept methods at up to 1,000 sites, documents aquatic plant species extent, and shares findings through public reports, maps, and presentations.
- Implements spatially adaptive lake management planningDivides Chautauqua Lake into sub-sections based on shoreline use and environmental sensitivities to guide management strategies, including annual review and adaptive updates to the aquatic vegetation management plan.
-
-
Lake and River Advocacy 1 activity
- Advocates for regulatory reform and files legal challengesSupports legislative efforts such as NYS Bill S.3656 / A.4692 to exempt inland lakes from restrictive wetlands regulations, facilitates constituent advocacy letter campaigns, and filed a successful legal challenge in 2025 that resulted in the annulment of NYS DEC’s Part 664 regulations due to non-compliance with SEQRA.
-
-
Lake and Watershed Monitoring & Assessment 1 activity
- Documents lake conditions through public photo journalCreates and maintains a photo journal using public submissions to track changes in Chautauqua Lake, including impacts of invasive species and improvements due to management efforts.
-
-
Uncategorized 1 activity
- Loans scientific equipment to support partner researchProvided phosphorus sensor equipment to the Jefferson Project in 2022 to enable rapid deployment of water quality monitoring efforts.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$408K
Contributions & grants$399K98%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$9K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$369K
Program expenses96%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$561K
Cash$413K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$561K
Liquid reserves13.4 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +28.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 6
- DR JAMES CIRBUS — PRESIDENT
- FRANK NICOTRA — VICE PRESIDENT
- JO DEE JOHNSON — DIRECTOR
- MARY HUTCHINGS — SECRETARY
- MIKE LATONE — TREASURER
- TERRY TOY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- Bowling Green State University Partner — Collaborated with CLP to conduct monthly water sampling of streams entering Chautauqua Lake during 2020 and 2021.
- Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management Alliance Partner — Hosts and shares lake survey reports, maps, and data
- Chautauqua Lake Association Partner — Terrence Toy served on its Board of Directors in 2017 and 2018, indicating a collaborative relationship on lake-related issues.
- Chautauqua Lake Association (CLA) Partner — Collaborates on invasive species management, including mechanical harvesting efforts
- Facebook Partner — Follows CLP on social media
- Instagram Partner — Follows CLP on social media
- Jefferson Project Partner — Received CLP's phosphorus sensor equipment on loan in 2022 to accelerate monitoring efforts on Chautauqua Lake.
- NYS DEC Partner — Collaborated with NYS DEC in developing the long-term management plan for submersed aquatic vegetation.
- NYS Senate Environmental Conservation Committee Partner — Target recipient of advocacy letters generated by CLP's online action form.
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Government — Collaborates with the organization on field inspections, treatment approvals, and regulatory compliance for aquatic plant management.
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Government — Engaged in legal and regulatory dialogue with DEC regarding application of wetlands regulations to Chautauqua Lake.
- North Carolina State University Partner — Collaborates with NCSU on field study design and implementation for aquatic plant management research.
- North Carolina State University Partner — Conducts independent aquatic surveys and develops management strategies for Chautauqua Lake
- North Carolina State University Partner — Partnered with CLP to survey and deploy sensors in Chautauqua Lake prior to the Jefferson Project.
- The Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management Alliance Partner — Hosts reports and lake data from CLP and related projects, including the Jefferson Project, on its public website.
- X Partner — Follows CLP on social media
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Advocacy to Close Invasive Species Management Gapsmethodology: advocacy-gap-interventionBy mobilizing public support and targeting policy gaps—especially where invasive species are under-recognized—the organization enables herbicide programs and regulatory changes that would otherwise face opposition, because strategic advocacy shifts public and political will toward science-aligned interventions.
- Community-Driven Stewardship Modelmethodology: community-driven_stewardshipBy engaging local property owners in governance and leadership roles, the organization fosters sustained lake health and compliance, because local ownership increases accountability, trust, and long-term commitment to ecological goals.
- Integrated and Adaptive Lake Managementmethodology: integrated and staged managementBy using a staged, integrated approach that combines mechanical, biological, and chemical methods and adapts treatment timing and scope based on real-time monitoring, the organization achieves long-term ecological stability with minimal intervention, because flexibility and methodological diversity prevent resistance and ecosystem disruption.
- Science-Based Invasive Species Managementmethodology: science-based_managementBy integrating current aquatic plant science and academic expertise into management decisions, the organization produces more effective and ecologically sound outcomes, because scientific collaboration ensures interventions are grounded in evidence and adaptive to new findings.
- Whole-Lake Management with Basin-Specific Adaptationmethodology: whole-lake management with basin-specific adaptationBy applying a unified whole-lake strategy that is tailored to the unique ecological conditions of individual basins, the organization improves overall lake health, because centralized planning ensures consistency while localized adaptation increases ecological precision and effectiveness.