One day after the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. announced its second-earliest start date for a new shipping season, both Assemblyman Darrel J. Aubertine and Assemblyman William A. Barclay noted their opposition to ships navigating the waters during the winter.

Both state Senate candidates said they oppose an expansion of the shipping season because of potential environmental risks. The 2008 navigation season will start March 22.

"The St. Lawrence River is a unique environmental area in the world and I think we have to be very careful that we protect it," said Mr. Barclay, R-Pulaski. "With anything, we've got to look at the cost and benefits of it. I'm not sure there's a lot of benefit to the area for winter shipping and I think the cost could be substantial."

Both candidates pointed out the potential environmental devastation if a ship spilled fuel on the ice and in the water.

Mr. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, added, "Plus, there's the possibility of running a ship aground in this sort of weather. I never have supported (early navigation) nor do I intend to."

Mr. Aubertine also noted that the Seaway's ice breaker or the first ships through can create strong, ice-filled wakes that can slam into shorelines, "which does damage to docks, sea walls, fish nesting beds. I understand the impacts of winter navigation and I have a lot of issues with it."

Mr. Barclay said he was always open to looking at legislative solutions to the potential threats.

"There may not be any, but we're open to seeing that," he said. "The one thing we could do, which I'm not necessarily in support of, is make sure if they do continue to expand shipping on there that we have the proper resources to protect against spills."

Early navigation isn't the only potential environmental threat that the St. Lawrence River faces.

Mr. Aubertine introduced an Assembly bill that would manage ballast water from shipping vessels to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as round gobies or zebra mussels. The measure passed unanimously, with Mr. Barclay lending his support.

"I'm very concerned about non-indigenous species coming and wrecking any type of recreational ability, fishing primarily," Mr. Barclay said. "The ballast legislation that got passed — I think we did it last month — is a good start on that."

Both candidates also supported the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact, a multistate effort to protect the nation's largest freshwater surface.

Mr. Aubertine was a co-sponsor of the bill, the third straight year he's pushed for the compact.

"I understand the Seaway pretty well," he said. "I think my opponent does not have the depth of knowledge on that issue that I do."

Mr. Barclay has not represented the St. Lawrence River region before, but said he had spent a lot of campaign time talking to local advocacy groups, such as Save the River, and concerned individuals to understand the issues here.