Commissioner wants Lake Newport declared state and fed disaster

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti wants a federal and state disaster declaration for Lake Newport in Mill Creek Park.

Such a declaration, he said, could trigger funding for dredging the lake or for elimination of combined storm and sanitary sewer overflows.

A recent city sewage overflow due to heavy rains caused the recent lake Newport fish kill, and Friday’s cllosing of the park lakes, Newport, Cohasset and Glacier, to all recreational uses.

“The e.coli bacteria levels are extreme” in Lake Newport, he said. “To me, that’s a disaster area.”