ADIRONDACK COUNCIL
TESTIFIES ON ADIRONDACK PORTION OF STATE BUDGET AT LEGISLATIVE
HEARING
Calls for Additional Funding for Land Acquisition, APA Staffing
For more information:
John F. Sheehan
518-432-1770 (ofc)
518-441-1340 (cell)
518-456-4512 (home)
Released: Wednesday, February 1, 2006
ALBANY, NY - The Adirondack Council
today testified before a joint hearing of the Legislature to
provide its input on the need for more money to address key Adirondack
programs. The hearing was conducted by the Senate Finance and
Assembly Ways and Means Committees, with members of both house's
Environmental Conservation Committee in attendance.
The main priority for the Council is to increase the State's
Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), which is the sole financial
mechanism for large-ticket, capital projects that enhance the
Adirondack Park. It was created by the Legislature in 1993 and
grew to a record $150 million last year. This year, Governor
Pataki has proposed an increase to $180 million while the Adirondack
Council and other groups are seeking ever more funding.
The Council also spoke in favor of new appropriations for wastewater
treatment systems, invasive species control, and additional staff
for the Adirondack Park Agency. The Council opposed any plan
to use money from the EPF for state employee salaries and urged
the Legislature to ban all-terrain vehicles from the Adirondack
Forest Preserve.
"We believe the final budget should build upon the Governor's
proposal by starting with a $200 million EPF this year and include
language which provides for this escalating level of funding
(to $300 million by 2009)," said Adirondack Council Legislative
Director Scott M. Lorey, referring to a proposal by Environmental
Conservation Committee Chairs Senator Carl Marcellino, R-Oyster
Bay and Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli, D-Great Neck.
"We are especially excited about the proposed increase in
the land acquisition category from last year's $40 million to
$50 million," said Lorey. "With a $200 million EPF,
this number should also be increased closer to the $70 million
figure suggested in the most recent version of the State's Open
Space Plan."
In addition, Lorey spoke in favor of a new $5 million Water Quality
Improvement Program. This initiative, to be administered by DEC
is designed to help fund repairs of sewer overflows and septic
systems which are not operating properly.
"Repairing these wastewater systems is crucial to the health
of the State's citizens and environment," continued Lorey.
"In the Adirondacks, leaking septic systems are a major
source of water pollution for lakes that are otherwise clean
enough to drink from."
Invasive Species also require additional funding, according to
the Adirondack Council. A new proposal by the Governor would
use $2 million to carry out the recommendations of the Invasive
Species Task Force, which was created by statute in 2003 and
issued its final report last fall.
"We believe it should be increased from $2 million to $5
million in the context of a $200 million EPF," said Lorey.
"A substantial portion of this funding should be directed
to the Adirondacks, where vast expanses of land and thousands
of water bodies can still be saved from invasive species."
The Council asked for technical changes to the budget language
that would make any funding increase mandatory. Lorey also requested
that the Legislature reject the Governor's proposal to expand
the use of stewardship funds that would include nearly any work
done by DEC or the Office of Parks.
Another of the Council's priorities is to fund the State Land
Planning Assistant position at the Adirondack Park Agency (APA).
This position, currently funded on a short-term basis through
DEC's budget, is vital to the review and oversight of Unit Management
Plans (UMPs), the documents that guide how State-owned land will
be managed.
"The APA still needs to evaluate many of these Forest Preserve
management plans (UMPs), and it needs adequate resources to accomplish
this important goal set by the Governor six years ago,"
continued Lorey. "We believe this position should be permanently
funded within APA's budget as the State continues to acquire
more property in the Adirondack Park and its management becomes
more of an important part the APA's work."
A final point made by the Adirondack Council was to address the
issue of ATVs in the Adirondack Park. First, the Council called
for a trail system on private lands and on some lands where the
State holds an easement.
"Allowing ATV use on some appropriate easement lands shifts
a burden off of the Forest Preserve, and on to lands that may
already have road systems for industrial activities such as logging,"
said Lorey. "We believe this approach is an adequate compromise
to address the concerns of both the ATV riders and the environmental
community."
Lastly, the Council noted that both DEC's draft policy for dealing
with ATVs on State-owned land and the proposed budget language
for a trail system, fall short of an all-out ban of ATVs on the
Forest Preserve, which they believe is necessary.
"The passage of legislation to ban ATVs from the Forest
Preserve would provide legal certainty and a lasting legacy of
protection for our most precious places," concluded Lorey.
"We urge the Legislature to work with the Governor to include
such a provision to permanently protect the Forest Preserve from
the damage of ATVs."
The Adirondack Council's mission is to ensure the ecological
integrity and wild character of the Adirondack Park. Founded
in 1975, the Council is a privately funded not-for-profit organization
with 18,000 members in all 50 United States. The Council carries
out its missions through research, education, advocacy and legal
action.
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