The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) signed a cooperative agreement that will accelerate restoration of natural resources and traditional Native American uses within the St. Lawrence River Area of Concern (AOC) near Massena, and the Akwesasne territory.

This cooperative agreement is the first of its kind across the United States portion of the Great Lakes and provides a new roadmap for coordinating studies and restoring natural and cultural resource uses between the two government agencies, while recognizing their unique jurisdictions and shared interests, according to the announcement from the DEC.

"The formalization of this agreement is the culmination of a new, exciting, and historic partnership between the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council and New York State," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "Representatives from each worked diligently over the past several months to finalize this formal agreement and I look forward to working together to restore the St. Lawrence region's habitat and wildlife for the benefit of current and future generations."

"When the Area of Concern was first identified in 1987, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe voiced the need to have Akwesasne recognized as an equal partner in remediating the serious environmental pollution inflicted upon our territory," the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council said. "Through the coordination of our environmental programs, which included the diligent efforts of SRMT St. Lawrence River AOC Program Manager Jessica Jock, our special position and environmental expertise is now acknowledged in the first state-tribal partnership throughout the Great Lakes Basin under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement," the tribe said.

Areas of Concern are geographic areas around the Great Lakes that are environmentally degraded. In 1987, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement designated 43 AOCs in order to focus restoration work on these areas. The Massena area of the St. Lawrence River was originally listed as an AOC because of elevated levels of heavy metals and PCBs in sediments, wildlife, and water samples collected in the lower Grasse, Raquette, and St. Regis rivers. Significant progress is being made in remediating and restoring these waters, DEC said, but more work remains.

The agreement also includes the formal renaming of the location from the "St. Lawrence River at Massena" to the "St. Lawrence River Area of Concern at Massena/Akwesasne" to better represent the AOC's geographic scope and the longstanding efforts of the Mohawk governments at Akwesasne to protect and enhance the water quality of territorial waterways.

A new map has been developed that captures the extent of the Akwesasne Territory and identifies traditional use areas within the AOC. The map also identifies areas of the Akwesasne community that are overseen by respective Mohawk governments, which will now be used to better inform and coordinate efforts associated with the AOC's Remedial Action Plan amongst various environmental agencies and stakeholders.

To view the map, click here.