State Regulation Lake George is regulated by a number of state bodies such as the Adirondack Park Agency, the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Lake George Park Commission (LGPC) among others. This website covers only the Lake George Park Commission because it is the agency with the most immediate impact on Lake George. The Environmental Conservation Law conveys the broad responsibility to the LGPC to preserve and protect the lake’s water quality.
Lake George Park Commission The New York State legislature established the Lake George Park in 1961 because it recognized that the Lake’s distinctive natural qualities and scenic beauty needed protection. Overdevelopment in the 1980s caused it to create the Lake George Park Commission (LGPC) in 1988. The LGPC’s mandate is to preserve and conserve the pure water supplies and other natural resources. It preserves and protects the Lake through regulations and programs covering: Stormwater management Invasive species management including milfoil and Asian clams Septic system inspections Permits for marinas, docks, moorings, tour boats Marine patrol and boat registration The stormwater regulations were updated in 2021 creating a 35 ft. stream corridor protection. The goal of the stormwater regulations is the protection of water quality given that stormwater runoff is the primary contributing factor to water quality degradation. The wastewater regulation mandates inspections for the 3,400 septic systems within 500 ft of Lake George and 100 ft of DEC streams every five years. The septic inspection program is the result of continued pressure on the LGPC by local Towns and grass roots groups around the Lake. There are 6,200 septic systems in the Lake George Park. Full information on programs and regulations can be obtained on the LGPC’s website: https://lgpc.ny.gov.
