The New York Department of Environmental Conservation recently hosted a meeting in Albany, NYthat brought together potential federal partners to discuss NY's Great Lakes current efforts and waysforward to remove Beneficial Use Impairments and monitor the recovery of Areas of Concern (hotspots).

NCCOS scientists shared with NY State AOC coordinators and managers its past, current andproposed efforts in AOCs of NY including the Buffalo River, Niagara River, Eighteen Mile Creek,Rochester Embayment and the St Lawrence River.

NCCOS' Mussel Watch has been samplingthese areas with funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. NY stakeholders having learned ofMussel Watch are anxious to coordinate future monitoring efforts.