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ADIRONDACK COUNCIL
PRAISES NYSDEC FOR CLOSING
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE ACCESS IN WESTERN ADIRONDACKS
Action is Warranted,
Given Well-Documented Damage by ATVs
For more information:
John F. Sheehan, Communications Director
518-432-1770 (w)
518-441-1340 (cell)
Released, Wednesday, May 26,
2004
ALBANY, NY - The Adirondack Council
today praised the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation's decision to close 54 roads in the Western Adirondack
Park to unlimited all-terrain vehicle access.
"DEC has been patient with the ATV riders in the Western
Adirondacks, but we are happy to see that the agency's patience
has run out," said Adirondack Council Executive Director
Brian L. Houseal. "The ruts, the ruined roads, the illegal
trail construction and vandalism have been outrageous. It's a
big step for DEC to virtually eliminate a motorized user group
from areas of the Forest Preserve, but this group has proven
over and over again that it can't peacefully coexist with wildlife
and other users of the Adirondack Forest Preserve."
Houseal noted that the Adirondack Council and several other organizations
have been pressing the NYS Legislature to ban ATVs from all Forest
Preserve areas in the Adirondacks, and a bill to do that is still
pending in both houses.
Gov. George E. Pataki made a similar proposal as part of his
2004-05 budget.
"This doesn't eliminate the need for the Park-wide ban,
but it takes a great deal of pressure off four of the most abused
areas of the Adirondack Park," said Houseal. "We and
other Adirondack organizations have been documenting the damage
to these areas for a couple of years now. The Aldrich Pond, Black
River, Independence River and Watson's East Wild Forest areas
have suffered long enough."
According to DEC's statement earlier today, the five roads that
will be opened under temporary revocable permit (TRP) include:
the Jackworks and Maple Hill Roads in the Aldrich Pond Wild Forest,
and the Herkimer Landing, South Shore and Wolf Lake Landing Roads
in the Black River Wild Forest. These roads will be opened for
permitted use only from September 1 to December 15, to allow
hunters access to primitive camping sites. These roads are slated
to be rehabilitated for automobile and truck access by 2006 at
which point public ATV access will be eliminated. DEC officials
noted that State Vehicle and Traffic law prohibits the use of
ATVs on roads that are opened to motor vehicle use, unless the
purpose of such opening is to provide ATVs with access to adjacent
trails and areas which they could not otherwise access.
"There are thousands of acres of conservation easement lands
and other private properties in the Adirondacks that are better
suited to ATV travel," Houseal said. "We aren't trying
to banish ATVs from the Adirondacks entirely. We just want them
moved on to areas where they won't do so much harm."
Houseal said the Council would encourage the Adirondack Park
Agency to approve DEC's proposed amendments to the unit management
plans for the four Forest Preserve areas affected by today's
announcement.
The Adirondack Council's mission is to ensure the ecological
integrity and wild character of the Adirondack Park. Founded
in 1975, its 14 staff and 18,000 members make it the largest
environmental organization focusing full time on the Adirondack
Park. The Council is a privately funded, not-for-profit organization
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