5 Things You Need to Know Today | December Adirondack News
December 22, 2017
By: Dana Mancini - Adirondack Council Advocacy and Outreach Assistant
Adirondack 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.
12/26/2017 Update: Union Tank Car General Manager says that the rail cars will be removed from the Adirondacks by mid-January and "the company regrets the decision to store the railcars in the Adirondacks and says it won't happen again."
THIS JUST IN: Governor Cuomo Intervenes to Evict Railroad Junkyard from Adirondacks
Last week, Gov. Cuomo announced that he will take action to halt a rail operator's plan to store thousands of railcars indefinitely in the Park with aggressive actions to stop Iowa Pacific Co.'s plan in its tracks. Read more in our latest press release here.
DEC moves forward with Frontier Town planning
The Adirondack Park Agency has deemed complete a permit application sought by the Department of Environmental Conservation for the Frontier Town Campground, Equestrian and Day Use Area along the Schroon River in the Town of North Hudson. This is the first step in planning for what state and local officials are calling the “Gateway to the Adirondacks.” This former theme park, located off Exit 29 of the Adirondack Northway, will be transformed to include RV, tent and equestrian campsites, snowmobile trails and a possible trail to the still unclassified Boreas Ponds Tract.
Congresswoman Stefanik advocates for acid rain research funding
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt urging him to ensure funding for the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation (ALSC), a program that monitors the impacts of acid rain in lakes in the Adirondack Park. Research like this is imperative for determining the health of Adirondack waters. The ALSC receives $250,000 annually from the federal government. However, funding has been endangered as the Trump Administration threatened a 31-percent cut to the EPA’s budget. Environmental groups are applauding Congresswoman Stefanik's efforts to secure federal funding.
State wins court case over snowmobile trails in the Adirondacks
Protect the Adirondacks, a non-profit organization, sued the state over the construction of new snowmobile trails in the Adirondack Park. The judge ruled that new snowmobile trails do not violate the protections under the Forever Wild Clause and that cutting trees does not constitute improper use of forest lands.
Adirondack Council announces new water report
Even though the state has allocated $32 million in grants to Adirondack communities for upgrades or replacement of wastewater infrastructure since 2015, the Adirondack Council has found that there is still $85 million in immediate need. Many of the wastewater systems in the Adirondack Park are failing and need to be upgraded or replaced. The tax base in the Adirondack communities isn't enough to pay for all of the necessary projects, so funding from the state is imperative.
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