Adirondack Citizen

An EPA case that could affect the APA

ac — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:35:44 +0000

It will be fascinating to see how the Supreme Court rules, and to see whether the ruling has any effect on the way the APA operates.
> read the blog post at the Post-Star

Forget global warming – it’s another ice age we need to worry about

ac — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:38:51 +0000

The supposed ‘consensus’ on man-made global warming is facing an inconvenient challenge after the release of new temperature data showing the planet has not warmed for the past 15 years.
> read the Daily Mail article

Editorial – Freight line can benefit Adirondack Park

ac — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:18:13 +0000

The last time environmentalists fought freight rail service from North Creek to Tahawus, there was a war on.
> read the Post-Star editorial

A history lesson for Protect the Adirondacks!

ac — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:12:39 +0000

A letter to the Editor of the Adirondack Journal

Charles C. Morrison, as a board member of Protect the Adirondacks!, has had published a letter to the editor in local newspapers under the headline “Protect the Adirondacks! gives Tahawus rail line history lesson.” As an amateur historian myself I applaud applying the lessons of history to help us make informed decisions for the future. Unfortunately, Mr. Morrison’s letter is light on the history and heavy on the rhetoric. Among other items, Mr. Morrison indicates that “In 1941 the federal government wantonly violated Article 14 and private landowners when it took easements for the right-of-way.” Wantonly, according to my dictionary, means “immoral or unchaste, gratuitously cruel, merciless, marked by unprovoked gratuitous maliciousness.” This was clearly not the case. In 1941 the United States was in a fight for its life. The titanium that would be mined and shipped was crucial to our war effort. Mr. Morrison’s inflammatory language puts in question his entire “history lesson.” I urge the Surface Transportation Board to dismiss such alarmists talk and focus on the facts: principally, (1) the use of those rail lines for freight traffic is a pre-existing use, (2) at a time when most of us are concerned about the environment and carbon emissions, the use of rail is environmentally friendly, and (3) the unique experiment here in the Adirondacks of viable human communities in a protected wilderness mandates some support for those human communities. Newcomb and most of Essex County has historically had some of the highest unemployment rates in the state of New York. Use of these old rail lines might help mitigate that situation.

Glenn L. Pearsall, North Creek

St. Lawrence County legislators urge APA appeal

ac — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:07:24 +0000

Legislators have agreed to urge the Adirondack Park Agency to fight a recent court decision that designates Lows Lake as wilderness, the park’s most restrictive category, which prohibits the use of motorized vehicles.
> read the Daily Times article

Disarray in Adirondack environmental community, defeat on Tupper resort

ac — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:03:42 +0000

Brian Mann reports that the ACR vote could signal a shift of power in Park debates as environmentalists scramble to regroup.
> get the story at NCPR

Editorial – APA’s resort permit is beyond challenge

ac — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:55:13 +0000

The 10-1 vote by which the state Adirondack Park Agency approved the Adirondack Club and Resort should leave no doubt about the integrity of this decision.
> read the Daily Enterprise editorial

APA board members explain their votes…

ac — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:50:47 +0000

… on the Adirondack Club & Resort permit.
> read the article

Warren County supervisors want rail service resumed to old mine in Tahawus

ac — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:11:17 +0000

Using trains to remove the material would be the best way to clean up the site, and railroad company executives believe they can sell the tailings.
> read the Post-Star article

APA approves Adirondack Club and Resort by 10-1 vote

ac — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:05:53 +0000

APA press release…

RAY BROOK, NY – On Friday, January 20, 2012 the Adirondack Park Agency voted to approve project 2005-100, the Adirondack Club and Resort. The Park Agency Board’s action is the culmination of a thorough and extensive review process which included three consecutive monthly Board meetings, an adjudicatory hearing, mediation sessions, public informational meetings and a conceptual review process. The Park Agency’s approval includes a project order and fourteen permits for the various project components.

Chairwoman Leilani Ulrich said, “The Adirondack Park Agency decision to approve this application represents responsible regulation resulting in a project with strong environmental protection while still providing a great opportunity for significant economic benefits to the community of Tupper Lake and the Adirondack Park. This multi-year undertaking was an immense task and I applaud APA staff and the Agency Board for their diligence and professionalism. I also extend my congratulations to the project sponsor, community leaders, advocacy groups and the hundreds of citizens involved in this monumental review process.”

The project order and fourteen permits for the Adirondack Club and Resort are heavily conditioned to ensure no undue adverse impacts occur as a result of this project.

The project sponsors must strictly comply with the NYS Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers Act for any activities in the Raquette River recreational river area.

Deed restrictions will preserve approximately 4,600 acres of Resource Management lands on the project site, protecting open space and wildlife resources.

Implementation of approved grading, drainage, site layout, erosion and sediment control, on-site wastewater treatment, road and stormwater plans will protect soil, surface water and groundwater resources on the project site.

The project sponsor made significant changes to the original site plan design including the elimination of a neighborhood proposed on steep slopes with poor soils for on-site septic systems as well as removing a proposed shooting school due to noise concerns.

Project visibility is minimized through the use of building footprint and height limits, vegetative cutting limits, use of earth tone exterior finish materials and requiring outdoor lighting to be shielded and angled downward.

APA Executive Director Terry Martino said, “After a systematic and scrupulous review, the Adirondack Park Agency Board determined the Adirondack Club and Resort project adheres to the Adirondack Park Agency Act and Agency regulations. We believe the permits are strongly conditioned in a manner to ensure this project will not have any undue adverse environmental or community impacts. I am very proud of the outstanding work completed by Agency staff to address critical environmental concerns and ensure the necessary safe guards are in place. We wish the project sponsor and the community of Tupper Lake much success.”

The Adirondack Club and Resort Project will be built in the Town of Tupper Lake, Franklin County inside the Adirondack Park. The project centers around the revitalization of the community beloved Big Tupper Ski Area. The developers plan to construct 206 single family dwellings, 125 multifamily dwellings and a 60 room inn. Plans also include redevelopment of a marina and the refurbishment of the Big Tupper Ski Area including ski lodge, ski lift and ski trail improvements.

Construction of the Adirondack Club and Resort is projected to last 15 years. During that period, the project applicant anticipates a total of $142,470,407 of direct construction wages will be paid stimulating an additional $319,133,713 in earned income for workers employed in related industries. An average annual workforce of 307 employees is estimated to be employed in the construction of the resort elements and residential units.

At full operation, the Adirondack Club and Resort is likely to employ 236 full-time workers. The regional impact of this employment is predicted to exceed $7,300,000 in yearly secondary wage impacts. In addition, the re-opening of the ski center is likely to attract 100,000 skier visits a year resulting in $22.6 million in additional tourism revenue.

Chairwoman Leilani Ulrich concluded, “The Adirondack Club and Resort project may be a transformational economic development opportunity that could help the community of Tupper Lakeregain its economic vibrancy in a way that does not diminish the magnificent wild character of the Adirondack Park. We wish the project developers the best of luck and look forward to working with them and the community of Tupper Lake to bring this project to fruition.”