Larry Marsicano, the executive director of the Candlewood Lake Authority (CLA), said a report that was recommended by his organization and New Fairfield officials suggests that rain runoff can carry sentiment into the lake, the largest in Connecticut, which impacts water quality.
He said that the report from the King's Mark Environmental Review Team was conducted in response to questions by New Fairfield residents regarding whether the town needed to develop a watershed zoning area near Candlewood Lake, which also borders Brookfield, Danbury, New Milford and Sherman.
"We're not sure that we have any problems," Mr. Marsicano said. "We don't know enough."
He said that there had been deterioration in water quality from the 1950s until the early 1980s but that, even after federal and state actions to address the issue, the detrimental nutrients are still entering Candlewood, just at a slower rate.
Mr. Marsicano applauded officials in Brookfield and New Milford for establishing watershed zones near Candlewood Lake that include treatment measures if the nutrients reach certain levels.
He thinks that New Fairfield might be prompted to take similar steps after commissioning the recent report and that Danbury and Sherman will also make similar revisions in their zoning laws.
On a related topic, Mr. Marsicano said that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will probably make a decision in six months regarding the shoreline management plan (SMP) for Candlewood Lake.
He said that four of the municipalities-New Milford, Danbury, Brookfield and New Fairfield-have approved the proposed plan and that there will be an additional 30-day comment period once the FERC posts the final proposed plan on its Web site.
"I think most people want to see it approved," Mr. Marsicano said. "However, I think that ideally it would be best to approve it with revisions that would better address overcrowding on the lake [from boat traffic]."
U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Cheshire) held a forum in September 2007 at New Fairfield High School regarding the initial shoreline management plan, which led to the FERC's revising the package and seeking more public input.
There had been concerns, in particular, about administrative fees for residents living near Candlewood.
New Milford Town Council member Robert Guendelsberger said earlier this year that First Light, the company that bought the manmade lake in 2006 for $1.34 billion, has "backed off" the administrative fees.
Municipal officials in New Milford and Brookfield, for example, appear to be generally pleased with the proposed SMP.