For Immediate Release: March 8, 2004
Contact:
Keith P. McKeever | Public Relations | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
RAY BROOK, NY - The Adirondack Park Agency will hold its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on March 11 and 12. Starting this month, the Agency will hold the monthly Board meetings at its Ray Brook headquarters. Unless otherwise stated all Agency Board meetings will be held in the new conference room. As part of an ongoing renovation project to bring the building into compliance with public health, safety and accessibility codes, a conference room was constructed to better accommodate the public.
Highlights for this month’s meeting include: Agency determination for the Harrietstown NYS Route 86 reconstruction project, discussion of definitions for regulatory revisions and a status report on the Environmental Protection Agency funded projects.
The Full Agency will meet at 9:00 AM on Thursday, conducting routine business.
At 9:15 AM, the Regulatory Programs Committee will hear a presentation on the Harrietstown NYS Route 86 reconstruction project. This project involves the reconstruction of approximately 3.9 miles of Route 86 in the Town of Brighton and Harrietstown between the hamlet of Gabriels and the intersection of NYS Route 86 and 186 at Donnelly’s corners. A “scenic vista” is designated in the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan along this corridor. As a component of the project the Department of Transportation is proposing options for a pull off for motorists to safely enjoy the view.
Thursday at 10:45 AM, the Park Policy and Planning Committee will convene. The Executive Director will request authorization to issue a Final Environmental Impact Statement with regards to map amendments for the Town of Chester, Warren County. These amendments, to the Adirondack Park Land Use and Development Plan map, are being considered in conjunction with the Town’s request for Agency approval of its local land use program.
The committee will then hear a briefing on the Scenic Byway project for the Town of Keene, Essex County and Agency staff will provide an update on recent improvements to the website. Following these discussions, the Park Policy and Planning Committee will hear a presentation from staff on its Environmental Protection Agency funded Wetland Protection Projects. This presentation will highlight the following projects; Mohawk River Watershed study, Wetlands Effects Database and GIS for the Adirondack Park, Wetlands Status and Trends Final Report, Aquatic Invasive Species Program Final Report and the AuSable/Boquet River watersheds study.
The meeting will adjourn at 12:00 PM for a one hour lunch.
At 1:00 PM the Legal Affairs Committee will continue ongoing regulatory revision efforts. This Committee will discuss definitions for Hunting and Fishing Cabins, Campgrounds and Involved Wetlands. The definitions proposed are intended to address limitations of the present definitions.
At 2:30 PM, the Enforcement Committee will hear a second reading of the Draft Environmental Benefit Project Policy. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to Agency staff for the use of Environmental Benefit Projects (EBP) in the settlement of Agency enforcement cases. An EBP is a project undertaken by a party as part of the settlement of an enforcement case. The purpose of the draft policy is to provide guidance to Agency staff when considering EBPs in the resolution of enforcement actions.
There will be no enforcement cases and this Committee will end the day in executive session to discuss litigation.
On Friday at 9:00 AM, the full Agency will hear a presentation from Colin Campbell, Director of Cornell University’s Uilhlein Maple Research Station. Mr. Campbell will discuss the economic importance of maple syrup production and identify issues facing this important sector of the North Country economy.
Following this presentation Agency staff will conduct a briefing on Park population estimates utilizing 2000 census and GIS technology.
At 10:15 AM, the full Agency board will convene to hear committee reports and take actions as appropriate. Following its usual practice, the Agency will end its meeting with public comments.
The next Agency meeting is scheduled for April 15-16, 2004 at the Adirondack Park Agency, Ray Brook, NY.