Ray Brook, NY, May 16, 2011 — The National Weather Service says some parts of the North Country will see more than four inches of rain before this latest storm passes. That's pushing Lake Champlain's waters back toward record-high levels. The Ausable and Raquette rivers also surged over the weekend. Most of the region is once again under flood warnings or watches.

For homeowners, businesses and local governments, recovering from the disaster will be tough. For communities inside the Adirondack Park blue line, rebuilding could be complicated by the need for project reviews and permits from the Adirondack Park Agency. Brian Mann has our story.  Go to full article

St Regis Falls, NY, Apr 18, 2011 — The Adirondack Park Agency voted on Friday to allow 220 traditional hunting clubs to keep their cabins on the former Champion timber lands in the northern and western Adirondacks.

That reverses a decade-old decision struck by state officials that would have evicted the clubs, some of them dating back generations.

As Brian Mann reports, the fate of the clubs has been a flashpoint in the Park for years.  Go to full article

Tupper Lake, NY, Jan 20, 2011 — After years of public review, town hall meetings, mediation sessions and negotiations, the Adirondack Club and Resort project is entering its final phase.

An adjudicatory hearing will begin soon, possibly as early as next month, overseen by administrative law judge Daniel O'Connell.

When that hearing is finished, the Adirondack Park Agency will have sixty days to vote on whether the 600-unit resort should be given a permit or not.

But as Brian Mann reports, the various factions taking part in the hearing are still as deeply divided over key issues as they were half a decade ago.  Go to full article

Ray Brook, NY, Jan 13, 2011 — A Clinton County property rights activist has filed a complaint seeking criminal charges against David Winchell, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Conservation in Ray Brook.

LeRoy Douglas was himself indicted on felony charges earlier this month. He now alleges that Winchell intentionally disclosed grand jury information to the public.  Go to full article

Lake Placid, NY, Jan 12, 2011 — A local government official in North Elba is accusing the Adirondack Park Agency and one of its commissioners, Arthur Lussi, of unethical conduct. Lussi is partnering with Verizon to build a new cell phone tower on top of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Lake Placid.

Now, a member of North Elba's planning and zoning board says Lussi and members of the APA staff tried to manipulate local review of the project.

As Brian Mann reports, the Park Agency says the case was handled properly, despite confusion and miscommunications between state and town officials.

Clarification: The proposed cell tower structure described in this story would be 56 feet high from the ground to peak elevation. The height above the existing roof line would be approximately 20 feet.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jan 05, 2011 — A prominent property-rights activist was arraigned yesterday in a Clinton County court for allegedly dumping hazardous materials on his property near Ausable Forks.

According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the felony charges against LeRoy Douglas could bring up to four years in prison and a fine of 150 thousand dollars.

Douglas - who has been an outspoken critic of state environmental policies - pleaded not guilty and was released without bail.

DEC officials say they began investigating the case in 2008 after they received complaints about the property near Silver Lake in Clinton County.

They say a state investigator found a wide range of contamination on Douglas's land, including a pile of lead acid batteries, dead animals and medical waste.

According to the Plattsburgh Press-Republican, Douglas's attorney has requested that a special prosecutor be named to handle the case.

Douglas has claimed in the past that investigations of his property are politically motivated.  Go to full article

Ray Brook, NY, Dec 17, 2010 — A fierce political fight is building over the make-up of the Adirondack Park Agency board. Over the next year, Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo - a Democrat - will have the power to completely reshape the commission.

As many as eight members of the 11-seat panel could be replaced, including APA chairman Curt Stiles. With the Agency set to make landmark decisions in the coming months, various factions are lobbying hard to shape the commission. Brian Mann reports.  Go to full article

Tupper Lake, NY, Oct 21, 2010 — New York's Department of Environmental Conservation says developers of the Adirondack Club and resort proposed in Tupper Lake still haven't submitted complete plans for a waste water treatment system.

State officials are resuming their review of the Adirondack Club and Resort.
At a session yesterday in Ray Brook, the Adirondack Park Agency suggested that as many as eight issues may still have to be explored, including waste water.
But an attorney for the DEC questioned whether the review could move forward without more details. Martha Foley has more.  Go to full article

Ray Brook, NY, Oct 15, 2010 — A lengthy and contentious battle over the fate of two fire towers in the Adirondacks came to a head at the Adirondack Park Agency's meeting in Ray Brook yesterday.

The APA board voted unanimously to designate half-acre areas under two prominent and popular fire towers "historic." Both towers had been slated for removal because the mountains are designated primitive or wilderness. Under the park master plan, that means no structures are allowed.

The new label allows the towers to stay, and clears the way for possible restoration. Other fire towers in the park have been maintained and preserved by private groups. Fire towers enthusiasts praised the decision. But environmentalists argue that allowing the structures to remain violates the wilderness guidelines. Chris Knight reports.  Go to full article

Ray Brook, NY, Oct 15, 2010 — The Adirondack Park Agency issued its formal response yesterday to a strongly-worded report that called on the governor to reform the agency.

APA Chairman Curt Stiles said a 13-page memo titled "Policy Perspective - October 2010" has been distributed to Gov. David Paterson, state lawmakers and local government groups in the park.

It's a response to the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board critique titled "The Adirondack Park Agency: Under the Influence and In Need of Detoxification."

Stiles had lashed out at the LGRB for the white paper, setting off a firestorm of reaction, and at east one call for his resignation, from Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward.

Yesterday, he struck a more conciliatory note. Martha Foley has more.  Go to full article