Lake has no more floating camps

CRANBERRY LAKE — All of the floating camps that were on Cranberry Lake have been removed, one by order of the state Department of Environmental Conservation and three others voluntarily by their owners.

The ownership of the remaining three camps was undetermined and they were removed last winter by DEC. Earlier this summer, DEC took out the last of the debris.

The removals followed a decision last summer by DEC Commissioner Alexander B. "Pete" Grannis to order the removal of a floating camp that was being rebuilt by Walter W. French on Cranberry Lake. According to the decision, the camp violated Environmental Conservation Law and regulations prohibiting camping within 150 feet of a body of water in the Forest Preserve.

DEC imposed a fine of $48,500 but agreed to suspend $24,400 of that amount if Mr. French removed the camp last fall, which he did.

Since there were no objections to the department's actions to remove the remaining camps, no other fines were issued, DEC spokeswoman Lori M. O'Connell said.

The state has designated floating camps in the Five Ponds Wilderness Area as illegal since 1987.

Despite the regulations, the camps had been on the lake for many years. DEC tried to work with the owners for a smooth transition, DEC spokesman Stephen W. Litwhiler said.

"They were voluntarily going to take them out, which is expensive, and we didn't want to add to that," he said.

The floating camps on Cranberry were next to Cranberry Lake Wild Forest and Five Ponds Wilderness Area and spoiled the wilderness experience of others, Ms. O'Connell said.