GLEN SPEY, NY — The owners of Camp Simcha are once again applying to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for a permit to allow them to put the herbicide Sonar SRP (Slow Release Pellets) into a five-acre area of Camp Simcha Lake to control the growth of aquatic vegetation in the lake.

The plants in question are white water lily, spatterdock and water shield, which, according to a letter from the camp to neighbors, impedes recreational activities. The application of the pesticide will be made only if “sufficient aquatic vegetation is present to warrant treatment.”

The active ingredient in Sonar SRP is fluridone, which is listed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with a dual role as a herbicide and a pharmaceutical. Fluridone is a non-selective herbicide and has been banned in the European Union and Japan.

There are no swimming, fishing or drinking restrictions listed in connection with the use of Sonar SRP, but the same letter issued last year noted that those activities be put off for 24 hours after an application. Neighbors will be informed seven days before any application, and the letter advises that any use restriction will be posted at the time of treatment. The letter says the applications may occur from May 1 through August 30.

Mercedes Schneider, a neighbor who lives across the street from the lake, sent a letter to the DEC saying she objects to any application of the herbicide. She writes, “We ask that DEC prohibit the Sonar SRP application in Camp Simcha Lake both because of toxicity concerns to our drinking water, and because homeowners were not adequately notified of the dangers with the application (pertinent information was missing from the letter).

“There is nothing more important for us than keeping our family safe and our well water protected from any toxic substances. Treatment of the lake may cause an extreme danger to the potability of our well.”

Camp Simcha has had a rocky relationship with its neighbors mostly due to foul-smelling odors that reportedly stem from the open septic system used at the large camp for many years. Camp officials have said they intend to replace the septic system, but so far have not done so.