For Immediate Release: January 19, 2003
Contact:
Victoria Hristovski | Director Public Information | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
Ray Brook - At the January Adirondack Park Agency meeting, the Bog River Unit Management Plan (UMP) was passed, and Agency Commissioners and Designees learned of a new festival that will highlight Adirondack birds.
On Thursday, January 12th 2003, the Agency’s Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) Volunteer Coordinator Brian McAllister informed the Board of the "Great Adirondack Birding Festival." On Saturday, June 7th and the morning of Sunday, June 8th, the first-ever "Great Adirondack Birding Festival" will celebrate the Adirondack Park’s diverse population of birds and the conservation efforts to protect birds like spruce grouse, the bald eagle, and peregrine falcon. Lectures will be given on some of these species and their limited habitats. The Adirondack Park is home to several species of threatened and endangered birds that are unique to this region. Birding excursions will be offered to anyone who attends the festival. The purpose of the birding festival is to celebrate the Adirondack Park’s designation as an "Important Bird Area" by the American Bird Conservancy. This festival is part of the VIC’s "Spring Into Song Weekend, " and coupled with the Adirondack Music Celebration.
Also on Thursday morning, the Agency’s new Assistant Director of Planning was introduced to the Board and staff. Holly Elmer Holly attended SUNY Geneseo where she obtained her bachelor's degree in Geology, and Kansas State University where she worked as a research assistant in the area of oil field technology. Holly has worked in the field of regulatory permitting and environmental analysis for over eighteen years and is a certified professional geologist, and has specialized in the field of hydrogeology. (See back page for more info.)
Regulatory Programs Committee Members met on Thursday to discuss two project applications. Before the Committee met, the full Board (less Commissioner Deanne Rehm, who recused herself) voted to deny the request for a delay in the Lake George Park Commission’s application to apply an aquatic herbicide to four bays in Lake George. The application came before the Committee where the Committee Members voted to issue an denial order. On Friday, the majority plus-one of the full Board (except for the recusal of Commissioner Rehm) voted to issue the denial order of the project. This project was directed to public hearing in July 2001 and the full Board was presented with several thousand pages of testimony, evidence, briefs, reply briefs, and public comment at the close of the hearing in October 2002. As always, the Board based their decision upon the record of the public hearing and the evidence, testimony, and public comments presented in the record. The second project for consideration was for a variance request in the Town of Schroon, in Essex County, which was approved.
On Thursday afternoon State Land Committee Members met to determine whether the Bog River UMP is in compliance with the criteria and guidelines set forth in the State Land Master Plan. Committee Members determined the plan to be in compliance and moved it to the full Board on Friday where it was voted on and passed. State Land Committee Members also received an informational presentation of the Cranberry Lake Public Campground Intensive Use Area UMP. No action was taken. Park Ecology Committee Members met from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Thursday in the Large Conference Room at the Agency, while members of the Local Government Services meet at the same time, but in the Small Conference Room. Greg Lawrence of the U.S. Geological Survey, Karen Roy of the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, and Sean Connin of the APA presented acid rain research to the Park Ecology Committee. Mr. Connin also gave a presentation on the use of pressure treated lumber and report on changes relative to Agency advice and special conditions for project review of treated lumber. Local Government Services Committee Members received an informal presentation of the Town of Hague's Comprehensive Plan. Local Government Services Committee Members were also updated on Local Government Day 2003, which will take placid on March 20th and 21st, 2003 at the Hotel Saranac. On Friday, from 9 to 10:15 a.m., Economic Affairs Committee Members were treated to an informational presentation by Rob Center, Executive Director of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, who discussed the 740-mile historic waterway linking Old Forge, New York, and Fort Kent, Maine and Canada. Mr. Center said this trail enables travelers to experience the Northern Forest regions, and creates new educational and economic opportunities for the communities involved.
The next Adirondack Park Agency meeting will be held on February 13th and 14th at the Agency’s headquarters in Ray Brook. For more information, please call (518) 891-4050 ext. 173.