Over the next several years, Honeywell and the NYSDEC will dredge and cap the most polluted parts of Onondaga Lake. Members of the Onondaga Nation say the so-called "clean up" only addresses a fraction of the contamination. As our Kat De Maria explains, they shared a vision Monday for a pure lake for future generations.

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"The Peacemaker brought his message, brought it here to Onondaga which from there, developed western democracy as we know it today," said Jake Edwards, a chief of the Onondaga Nation.

The chief says the Peacemaker brought together the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga and Seneca nations on the lake's shore.
Now, Onondaga Lake has become one of the most polluted in the country.

"We want it cleaned up. We want to make sure it's good for the generations to come, the future generations who aren't here yet so when they arrive they'll have clean, pure water to swim, fish, drink," Edwards said.

Over the past few years, Honeywell and the New York State Department of Conservation have come up with a plan to clean up Onondaga Lake. But members say the Onondaga Nation's vision goes even further.

"There is a clean up plan to a certain extent. Then they cover it up. They're going to leave contaminants in there and we can't have that. There is a way to get it out and that's what we should be working on," Edwards said.

Onondaga County and Syracuse leaders say the Nation's leaders are driving them to do more for the lake.

The county executive says her office is pursuing green solutions as part of the clean up and to minimize storm water runoff. County and city leaders say they see the lake as the asset it is was, and they say, can be again.

"I think the Nation's vision for the creek and the lake and our overall environment here in Central New York is absolutely achievable. We have to work together as neighbors and partners in this community to achieve those goals in the long term," said Andrew Maxwell, director of planning and sustainability for the city of Syracuse.

"All water is sacred. Every drop is sacred. Every drop conducts life," Edwards said.

Monday's meeting was part of a series of discussions about the Onondaga Nation. The next one, next Monday, will concern the dangers of a method of natural gas drilling known as hyrdofracking.