For Immediate Release: January 5, 2001
Contact:
Victoria Hristovski | Director Public Information | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
RAY BROOK - The Adirondack Park Agency will conduct its first meeting of the new year on Jan. 11th and 12th at the Headquarters in Ray Brook. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday.
Several issues and presentations will be featured at this meeting. Agency Chairman Dick Lefebvre and Executive Director Daniel Fitts, will review the past year and state the objectives and goals for the new year and the future of the Agency and the Adirondacks.
THURSDAY
One of the highlights of Thursday’s meeting will be a special presentation and panel discussion led by Dr. Barbara Bedford of the Upper Hudson Watershed Cumulative Impact Assessment Peer Review Group. The Greater Upper Hudson River Watershed Project is drawing to a close after five years of the Agency’s partnering with SUNY Plattsburgh and Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation (ALSC) for the completion of this complex Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-funded project. This special presentation is aimed at informing the Agency on several significant issues relating to planning for the conservation and protection of the resources of the Adirondack Park. The project was intended to develop a GIS-based institutional framework in which to detect, track and determine the significance of cumulative effects in order to evaluate and protect the wetlands resource of the Park in a landscape context. The panel will share its findings with Agency Members and Designees, as well as suggest potential future Agency actions.
Also on Thursday will be an update of the Agency’s Tower Policy and review of existing permits, conditions and compliance issues. There will also be an update on Friday regarding the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) procedures. Karyn Richards, of the DEC will make a presentation on Master Plan Guidelines and criteria for review of Unit Management Plans.
FRIDAY
Highlighted on Friday will be a presentation and discussion of the Northern Forest Wealth Index, "Exploring a Deeper Meaning of Wealth." Stephen Blackmer, president of the Northern Forest Center (NFC), and Michael Wilson, the Center’s Program Director will make a presentation on the recently released Wealth Index for the Northern Forest which stretches across the northern sections of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York. One of the Center’s key objectives is to build an integrated network of environmental, community and economic development leaders from throughout the four-state region who can share experiences and work together on projects of common interest. The just published Wealth Index is a benchmark assessment of the region’s environmental, social, economic and community welfare. The Agency will act on a project of the SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) Wanakena Ranger School located near the Oswegatchie River. The parcel is classified as Resource Management and the plans involve a greater-than-25 percent expansion of public/semi-public building.
The next Agency meeting will take place on February 15th and 16th at the Adirondack Park Agency Headquarters in Ray Brook.