Should jet skis be banned on Lake George?
YES
By Chris Navitsky
This year, the village of Lake George followed
in the footsteps of many other communities in the Adirondack Park
and voted to ban personal watercraft (PWCs) from municipal waters.
The ban takes effect in 2006. Many PWC proponents complain that
banning their use is unconstitutional or a violation of their rights.
This is simply untrue. The ban should be extended to the entire
lake.
The Lake George Village Board adopted the ban in response to continuing
problems with PWCs: public-safety hazards, pollution and noise.
Trustee Maria Muratori noted that protecting the lake makes economic
sense: “Clean air, water and safer recreation in a more relaxed
environment are nothing that people are going to run from.”
Public safety: The Lake George Park Commission says PWCs account
for only 6.7% of the vessels on the entire lake, yet over the past
three years, more than 50% of tickets issued went to PWC users.
In 2001, PWCs were involved in 54% of the accidents on the lake.
These statistics are an alarming indication of the irresponsible
and dangerous use of PWCs.
Lake George regulations restrict PWC speed and operation within
500 feet of shore to protect swimmers and shoreline habitat. But
97% of PWC tickets last year were for violations within that zone.
At village hearings, there were numerous stories of swimmers nearly
being run down by PWCs. These craft lack off-throttle steering,
meaning an operator who lets off the throttle cannot steer to avoid
a collision.
Those who argue that increased enforcement is the answer ignore
the fact that when PWC operators require disproportionate police
powers, the health and safety of all lake users is compromised.
The Park Commission’s resources would be diverted from other
duties, including monitoring pollution and controlling the spread
of milfoil and zebra mussels.
WATER POLLUTION: Most PWCs on Lake George are powered
by two-stroke carbureted engines that discharge as much as 30% of
their fuel directly into the water. These machines can consume 10
gallons of fuel an hour, of which 3.3 gallons may be discharged
unburned. The Personal Watercraft Industry Association argues that
newer direct-injection two- and four-stroke engines will mitigate
the pollution. But at the current sales rate, even if every new
PWC were technologically advanced, it would take over 10 years to
replace all the old two-stroke engines. Moreover, not all pollution
would be reduced. Emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
would increase. The National Academy of Sciences says minute levels
of these chemicals are toxic to aquatic plants and animals. Thus
new technology raises new environmental concerns.
AIR POLLUTION: Two-stroke engines emit higher levels
of most pollutants than four-stroke engines do. A 1998 study concludes
that a 100-horsepower pwc driven at full throttle for eight hours
emits the same amount of air pollution as a passenger car driven
for 100,000 miles. But the technologically newer four-stroke engines
emit even more carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide (the last pollutant
is a major contributor to acid rain and smog).
NOISE: The industry asserts that new PWCs are quieter
than older models. But at full throttle a four-stroke engine is
as noisy as a two-stroke. The jet drive of a PWC continually enters
and exits the water, and when it’s out of water, the roar
is much louder than an outboard engine of the same horsepower. The
noise pollution is exacerbated by the habit of PWC users to drive
in circles and jump wakes.
Lake George is a special resource—not only for its beauty,
but also for its drinking water. PWCs are out of place here.
Chris Navitsky is the Lake George Waterkeeper,
an environmental advocate hired by the Fund for Lake George.
.............................................................................................
NO
By Lisa Hartung
In May, the Lake George Village Board passed
a law banning personal watercraft (PWCs) from village waters beginning
in 2006. Now opponents of PWCs want to ban these craft from the
entire lake. In response to these misguided actions, local citizens
and recreational enthusiasts who use Lake George formed the Upstate
Recreational Alliance.
Banning PWCs will decrease tourism and business in the region. Where
will the money come from to make up for the drop in tourist revenue?
Inevitably, from taxpayers and residents. I hope I’m not alone
in thinking that the decisions of elected officials should support
these people, not hurt them.
As an activist, I fight for my rights and beliefs. I passionately
believe that everyone should be allowed to pursue his or her own
form of enjoyment on Lake George, whether it’s fishing, boating
or swimming. These are all pastimes that people take pleasure in
and hope to share with their children. When that right is taken
away, we must stand up to the political powers. Why are they setting
laws to control recreational activities? America is the land of
the FREE. Laws that restrict our freedoms contradict what this country
stands for.
To ban PWCs on a lake as large as Lake George is like banning motorcycles
on all roadways. Motorcycles are unique, just like PWCs. They are
smaller, operate differently and pose special issues. Do we ban
motorcycles from the road? No, because there are special rules and
regulations to make motorcycling safe. Why should the rules of the
water be different from the rules of the road?
Zebra mussels, Eurasian milfoil, waste management, storm-water runoff
and stream erosion all pose more significant environmental problems
facing Lake George, and none is caused by PWCs. Personal watercraft
represent only 6% of the vessels using Lake George in the summer,
and most serious problems and accidents on the lake involve other
types of boats. Why isn’t there a proposition to ban these
boats?
There is a misconception that PWC users are reckless because of
the number of tickets issued to them. This is easy to explain. Lake
George is unique in that it imposes a 5 mph speed limit on PWC users
within 500 feet of shore. The same speed limit applies to other
boats only if they are within 100 feet of shore. On all other state
waterways, the 5 mph limit applies to all motorized vessels only
within 100 feet of shore. What this means is that Lake George has
a speed limit for PWCs that is both unposted and in conflict with
the law on other lakes. Lake George Park Commission statistics reveal
that 95% of the tickets issued in 2002 to PWC users were for violations
of this confusing regulation. If PWC users were adequately educated
about this unique rule, the number of tickets would drop dramatically.
Critics complain that PWCs create excessive noise and pollution.
The manufacturers are working hard to make their craft quieter and
cleaner, and they’re succeeding. The PWCs of today are cleaner,
more efficient and quieter than most boats. Even the older PWCs
are cleaner than the antique wooden boats that burn leaded gas.
They’re also quieter than the speedboats on Lake George. Yet
nobody is calling for a ban on antique boats and speedboats.
We must work together to find solutions to whatever problems arise
on Lake George. There is a way for everyone to enjoy life and live
in harmony on this beautiful water. A ban is not the answer.
Lisa Hartung, who lives in the town of Lake
George, is president of the Upstate Recreational Alliance.
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