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Who We Are

Impact

2024-2025 Accomplishments

With strong partner organizations, collaboration with elected/appointed government officials, and citizen participation, the Council successfully advocates for policies and funding that benefit the environment and communities of the Adirondack Park.

Clean Water

Protecting the pristine waters of the Adirondacks and safeguarding the health of both our natural world and human communities.

  • Survey of Climate and Adirondack Lake Ecosystems (SCALE): Secured $2 million in 2025 budget and $6.5 million over the last 4 years to fund scientific monitoring that will track the response of Adirondack lakes to climate change.
  • Road Salt Reduction Council Legislation: During the 2025 NY Legislative session, the Council led efforts to develop, introduce, and advocate for legislation ((A.4481-A (Jones)  /S.6976-A (Harckham)) that will advance critical road salt reduction efforts in the Park and across the state..
  • Clean Water Infrastructure: Council advocacy played a crucial role in increasing the matching caps on clean water infrastructure grants from 25% to 50%, significantly reducing the costs for rural communities to undertake otherwise unaffordable water quality improvement projects. Since 2016, approximately $194 million in clean water funding has been allocated to Adirondack towns and villages, leveraging more than $350 million.

Wildlands

Championing Adirondack Park conservation and advocating for a sustainable future for our most wild places.

  • Funding Secured for Saranac Chain of Lakes Study: The Council helped secure $1 million to fund an inaugural state-funded waterbody carrying capacity study that will provide guidance to the state on data-informed best management practices for Adirondack waterbodies.
  • Increased the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF): The Council helped secure a record $425 million for the EPF, which provides tens of millions for open space protection and invasive species prevention each, as well as $60 million for the management of state lands, including visitor safety and wilderness protection.
  • Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan Protections: The Adirondack Council successfully worked to block proposed changes to the State Land Master Plan that would have permitted motorized vehicle access in Wilderness areas, where it is currently prohibited. To achieve this end, the Council mobilized a broad coalition of stakeholders, including the accessibility community, state agencies, and the public, generating over 1,000 comments that urged the state to uphold wilderness protections while ensuring appropriate public access.

Clean Air & Climate

Advancing bold clean air and climate solutions to preserve our globally significant landscape and protect Adirondack communities.

  • Federal Deregulation: The Council is a member of a coalition of 60 national and regional environmental organizations working to defend existing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pollution reduction and monitoring programs, as well as protect standards that limit public health hazards, such as mercury contamination and ozone exposure at high elevations.
  • Renewable Energy Infrastructure: The Council conditionally supported permit approval for a 40 MW solar project in the southern region of the Park. This project demonstrates how utility-scale renewable energy and agricultural uses can be feasible without compromising crucial ecological functions.

Working Lands & Strong Communities

Promoting practical solutions for farming and forestry that sustain our lands and strengthen Adirondack communities

  • Green Jobs: The Council has helped secure an additional $1.7 million in funds ($7.1 million total over four years) for the Timbuctoo Institute. This multi-organization effort brings   students from urban communities to the Adirondacks to learn about jobs in wilderness   preservation, forest management, and clean energy.
  • Essex Farm Institute: After a decade, the Council has concluded its agricultural micro-grants program, which awarded over $265,000 to farmers and producers across the Adirondacks. A final report, released in April 2025, highlights its impact on advancing climate-friendly farming and promoting energy-efficient infrastructure.
  • Adirondack Park Agency Appointments: The Council worked aggressively to secure a full slate of appointments to the Adirondack Park Agency. New additions include environmental attorney Jose Almanzar and scientist and former Congressman Rush Holt. This is the first full slate of appointments to the Agency in over five years.