Chautauqua County legislators have finally taken a firm position on the state’s Freshwater Wetlands Regulations.

Let’s be clear from the outset that legislative resolutions carry no weight and, for the most part, do absolutely nothing. We hold no illusion that the state would have reversed course on its Freshwater Wetlands Act had the Chautauqua County Legislature passed a resolution last January opposing the regulations or asking for a delay in their implementation.

But, waiting until three months after the regulations took effect to pass a resolution asking for a delay in their implementation is worse than useless. The time to fight the wetlands regulations was in 2023, when it became apparent that the regulations are likely to have an impact on lake management and property owners around the lake. The time to take action was last February, when Lakewood Village Board member Ellen Barnes began raising concerns that, it turns out, a majority of the county legislature has now found to be valid.

Again, legislative resolutions aren’t going to suddenly make the state reverse course. What’s really disappointing about the legislature’s action is it could have backed residents who had concerns a year ago. Those residents, by the way, are being proven right. The problem is they moved faster than the speed of the government. The word and concerns of local village board members and those who spend much of their time obsessing over the state of Chautauqua Lake mattered less in this case than New York State Association of Counties members passing similar resolutions statewide. People here raised red flags about the Freshwater Wetlands Act. But our legislature didn’t see them until NYSAC took action.

Now, there are concerns mounting in officialdom around the state. Now is the time our legislature chose to act – a day late and a dollar short. Rather than push for a delay, it’s incumbent on the county to try to put as much of the hay back in the barn as possible and push for changes and regulations that make it as easy as possible to protect property owners who are likely to find themselves dealing with these regulations. We should be leading NYSAC’s efforts, not following them.

The Chautauqua County Legislature had the opportunity to lead. Concerns over the Freshwater Wetlands Act were raised here publicly before they were raised anywhere. We chose to express concerns three months after the act took effect. We could have led. Instead, we followed.