5 Things You Need to Know | August ADK Conservation News
By: Lisa M. Genier - Adirondack Council Program Analyst
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Adirondack Conservation News is a collection of the most current events taking place in New York’s Adirondack Park, a unique national treasure and legacy we inherited over 100 years ago, that we have to protect for future generations. Adirondack News aims to highlight both threats and opportunities concerning the Park’s ecological integrity, wild character and community vibrancy.
Senator Schumer Visits Adirondack Park to Take on Acid Rain
In August, Senator Chuck Schumer visited Bear Pond to talk about acid rain and recent proposals by the Environmental Protection Agency that would repeal the Clean Power Plan. Bear Pond is one of the many Adirondack water bodies that saw diminished fish and bird populations due to acid rain, but has since started to recover. Schumer said that the fight for the environment is far from over as he anticipates more attempts at repealing environmental standards.
Public Service Commission Revokes Spectrum-Time Warner Merger
The Public Service Commission revoked its approval of the merger between Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable, and told Charter is can no longer operate in New York State. The state determined that Charter would not provide the public benefits agreed upon during the merger approval, including its obligations to serve rural communities. The revocation of the merger comes after more than a year of the state working with the Charter to bring them into compliance. Charter provides broadband access to a large part of the Park.
Supreme Court Nominee Kavanaugh Bad News for the Park
Federal Judge Brett Kavanaugh has been nominated to the US Supreme Court by President Trump to fill the seat left vacant by former Justice Kennedy. Kavanaugh has had a long history of siding with polluters. In 2012, while serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Kavanaugh struck down the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule which has brought steep reductions in acid rain causing pollution. His confirmation would further tip the court into an anti-environmental stance that could harm air, water and public health for generations.
Survey Shows About 400 Moose Live in the Adirondack Park
The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation partnered with Native Range Capture Services, a company out of New Zealand, to help with the states moose collaring efforts. The effort ran from January 2015 to January 2017, and 26 moose were collared. Aerial surveys, observations, roadkill reports, and scat tracking along with this effort has helped the Department estimate that there are approximately 400 moose living in the Adirondack Park.
Saranac Lake Wins $10 million for Downtown Revitalization
In August, Governor Cuomo announced the Village of Saranac will receive $10 million from the state’s Downtown Redevelopment Initiative (DRI). The DRI is a competitive grant program that provides funds to local communities for economic development. Saranac Lake was among the 10 localities across the state who received funding in the third round of the DRI, part of a $100 million package.
Lisa M. Genier joined the Council in 1992 working as its Legislative Associate in the Albany office. During her tenure, she played a role in the creation of the Environmental Protection Fund, which has been used to fund land purchases and environmental programs in the Adirondack Park and around the state. She was also a member of the negotiating teams that worked on re-licensing agreements for several hydroelectric facilities in the Park, which preserved thousands of acres of land, expanded recreational opportunities, and protected other natural resources. Lisa now works part-time as Program Analyst writing action alerts, interacting with members, managing the Council’s website, and serving in a consultative role on legislative and other issues
