Local News for June 1, 2023

- State Regulators Vote To Settle Lawsuit Preventing Marijuana Retail Licenses In Finger Lakes -

Retail marijuana licenses can now be issued in the Finger Lakes Region. The state’s Cannabis Control Board agreed to settle a lawsuit during their meeting on Tuesday.  The Albany Times Union reports a Michigan resident sued New York because he said out-of-state applicants weren’t allowed to get retail licenses. The Finger Lakes is the only region where licensing was delayed by a federal court ruling in March. 

- State DEC Launches System For Reporting Harmful Algal Blooms -

People can now report harmful algal blooms or HABs through an online system. HABs occur on waterways. They contain toxins that are harmful to people and animals. A  DEC website has information about how to identify a bloom, a map of sightings, and a reporting form. A link to their map is on our website, WRFI dot org. The Community Science Institute in Ithaca documented over 70 blooms on Cayuga Lake last year.