ADIRONDACK COUNCIL
DECLARES VICTORY ON NEW PLAN FOR
CANADIAN PACIFIC R.R. TRACKSIDE RADIO TOWERS
Company Agrees to Reconfigure Towers, Make Them Shorter, Inside
the Adirondack Park
For more information:
John F. Sheehan
518-432-1770 (ofc)
518-441-1340 (cell)
518-456-4512 (home)
Released: Thursday, January 5, 2006
ALBANY, N.Y. - In response to
objections raised by the Adirondack Park's largest environmental
organization, the Canadian Pacific Railroad has agreed to shorten
the radio towers it wants to build along the shore of Lake Champlain,
inside the Adirondack Park.
The Adirondack Council said today it was pleased with the newest
version of the plans, which cuts the size of the proposed towers
from 165 feet tall to less than 100 feet, and calls for the relocation
of towers in the most visible sites.
"Essentially, CP Rail has agreed to do everything we have
asked of the company," said Adirondack Council Executive
Director Brian L. Houseal. "At first, the company seemed
unaware of the importance of preserving the Park's scenic beauty
and its historic hamlets. Now, CP Rail has become a willing partner
in protecting both."
The Adirondack Park is a six-million-acre reserve of public and
private lands.
ts 2.6 million acres of public forest lands are protected by
the state Constitution as "Forever Wild," which bans
the logging, lease, sale, exchange or development of those lands.
Development of private lands is governed by the state's Adirondack
Park Agency.
"This started as a somewhat frantic effort for us, since
we were unaware of the proposal for the towers until CP was already
building one 165-feet-tall in Whallonsburg without telling anyone
first. We learned that the company felt it already had permission,
under broad federal laws, to build whatever it needed to run
the railroad," Houseal said.
"We prevailed upon the Park Agency to issue a cease-and-desist
order and demand that CP Rail negotiate the height of the towers,"
Houseal explained. "CP immediately filed a federal lawsuit
against the Park Agency, claiming it was exempt from all local
and state land-use laws."
That's when the Council got angry with CP and decided to hold
the company accountable back home. Council staff worked with
Canadian journalists, reporting to the residents of Calgary,
Alberta that their hometown rail company was trying to make a
mess in the largest American park outside of Alaska.
"The story caused a real stir north of the border, where
Canadian citizens expressed grave disappointment in the company,"
Houseal said. "The story spread to Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal
and Quebec via the CanWest News Service. We are very proud of
our neighbors to the north and the real concern they expressed
for our scenic resources.
"On the day the Adirondack Council sought permission in
federal court to join the lawsuit on behalf of the Adirondack
Park Agency, CP dropped its lawsuit and began negotiations,"
Houseal said.
The NYSDOT's Final Design Report/Environmental Assessment for
the CP Rail project was completed earlier this week. It reduces
the height of the four towers constructed in 2004 (without an
APA permit) from 165 feet to 95 feet. In order to fill potential
dead zones caused by the shortened towers, the company will also
install three smaller 75 foot towers in the railroad right of
way.
Last August, the Adirondack Council submitted comments on the
draft design report, urging DOT and CP Rail to configure the
project in such a way as to limit environmental and visual impacts
on the Park. The Council advised DOT on a combination of potential
options that would allow the company to improve its communications
along the rail line without harming the natural beauty of the
Park or the historic value of the Champlain Valley's charming
hamlets and villages. Many of the Adirondack Council's 18,000
members participated in writing comments to DOT on the proposed
configuration of the project.
"The Council was especially pleased that DOT and CP Rail
agreed not to use fake pine trees, known as Frankenpines, to
disguise the towers," Houseal continued. "Frankenpines
are inappropriate for the Adirondack Park. It is not possible
to hide a steel-and-plastic tree-sculpture in plain site. They
draw more attention to themselves than a single pole, or even
lattice structure, would standing next to a real tree."
Houseal noted that the victory sets an important precedent. By
going back to the drawing board and working with APA and DOT
to negotiate this new plan, CP Rail agreed that it should consult
with the Park Agency before initiating this type project inside
the Adirondack Park. CP Rail is a freight company that owns the
former Delaware & Hudson Rail line running from Albany to
Montreal. Amtrak also uses the line.
Tower construction plans include:
- Retaining the year-old, 165-foot-tall
antennas in Mechanicville, Ballston Spa and Whitehall, south
of the Adirondack Park, and in West Chazy, just north of the
Park;
- Removing the already constructed
165-foot towers and replacing them with 95-foot antennas inside
the Adirondack Park at Dresden (Washington County), Crown Point
(Essex County), Whallonsburg (Essex Co.) and Port Kent (Essex
Co.);
- Installing new 75-foot-tall
antennas at Putnam Station (Washington County), Ticonderoga (Essex
County) and Westport (Essex Co.).
"CP Rail's actions were
quite troublesome at first," Houseal said. "But the
company has recovered nicely from what could have been a public
relations disaster for CP Rail and a scenic nightmare for the
Adirondack Park. Most of all, it reinforces the lesson that trying
to railroad the Park Agency is a bad idea."
The Adirondack Council is an 18,000 member, not-for-profit organization
whose mission is to ensure ecological integrity and wild character
of the Adirondack Park.
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