Schroon Lake, NY, Sep 25, 2012 — Governor Andrew Cuomo made headlines across New York this week after his trip to the Adirondacks. He traveled to Essex County on Sunday to paddle and fish for trout. But Cuomo's main mission in the North Country was promoting the $50 million conservation project that will add nearly 70,000 acres to the Park's forest preserve.

Here in the North Country, that historic deal is still drawing fierce criticism from some local government leaders, and from groups that represent the Park's towns and villages. But other local government leaders are embracing the land deal and say it will be good for their communities and the Park economy.  Go to full article

Aug 07, 2012 — A state funded watchdog group is blasting Governor Cuomo for his decision to purchase tens of thousands of acres of Adirondack land, to be added to the Park's forest preserve. The $47-milllion deal was unveiled on Sunday.

A group called the Adirondack Park Local Government Review board is calling the decision irresponsible. Brian Mann has details.  Go to full article

Chester, NY, Mar 07, 2011 — A prominent pro-environment group has been pushing the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board to stop commenting on the issue of state land-purchases in the Park.

The Adirondack Council argues that the state-funded Review Board doesn't have a mandate to weigh in on the issue.

But APA chairman Curt Stiles says Review Board is defending the Review Board's decision to issue a resolution opposing the Finch Pruyn and Follensby land deals.

Chris Morris has details.  Go to full article

Feb 17, 2011 — In his budget unveiled earlier this month, Governor Andrew Cuomo maintained the state's Environmental Protection Fund at more than $130 million. Green groups praised the decision and say they hope some of the money will be used this year to expand the Adirondack forest preserve.

The Nature Conservancy wants to sell tens of thousands of acres to the state, lands that were once part of the Finch timber property. Now one of the most prominent local government groups in the Park is trying to rally opposition to the plan.

The Adirondack Local Government Review Board passed a strongly-worded resolution last month. The resolution urges the Governor to cancel additional land purchases in the Park until the state's fiscal crisis is over. But the Review Board's campaign represents a break with the stance taken by dozens of local communities in the Park, which have supported the project for years.

In the first of a two-part special series, Brian Mann reports that some town leaders say they still want the Finch conservation project to go forward.  Go to full article

Chester, NY, Feb 04, 2011 — Yesterday, we reported that the Cuomo administration appears to be moving forward with plans to buy new parcels of land in the Adirondack Park.

If that happens, the property would be added to the "forever wild" Forest Preserve.

Now one state-sponsored group called the Local Government Review Board, is urging Governor Cuomo to scrap the plan.

But as Brian Mann reports, green groups say local governments are sending mixed signals about new land deals in the Park.  Go to full article

Ray Brook, NY, Oct 01, 2010 — A new firestorm has erupted between the Adirondack Park Agency and some local government leaders in the North Country.

The Park's Local Government Review Board issued a report last week, claiming that the APA is "under the influence and in need of detoxification."

Park Agency chairman Curt Stiles responded with a letter questioning the Review Board's honesty and its legitimacy. Brian Mann has our story.  Go to full article

Franklin, NY, Apr 21, 2010 — This week, North Country Public Radio is looking in-depth at the big conservation land deals that are reshaping the Adirondack Park.

The New York Post has raised allegations that one of those deals, in Clinton County, was mishandled. According to an article published earlier this month, the Department of Environmental Conservation overpaid for land near Lyon Mountain by millions of dollars. The paper's sources described the 2008 sale as a "sweetheart" deal designed to benefit the Adirondack Nature Conservancy.

But as Brian Mann reports, it appears that the land sale included a series of checks and balances designed to insure a fair deal.

We'll conclude our series on major Adirondack land conservation deals tomorrow with a look at the Adirondack Local Government Review Board and its role.

Note: The audio of journalist Fred Dicker talking about the Domtar deal comes from his radio program on the Albany station Talk 1300.  Go to full article

Chestertown, NY, Sep 28, 2009 — An Army soldier from the Adirondack town of Chester was laid to rest over the weekend. Jeremiah Monroe was 31 years old when he was killed by a roadside bomb in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

As Brian Mann reports, his death has brought sorrow to his family and his small mountain village.  Go to full article

May 15, 2009 — The Adirondack Park Agency is moving forward with a plan to establish more than twelve thousand new acres of wilderness just south of Tupper Lake. Most of the land would be added to the Five Ponds Wilderness. The APA will hold public hearings on the proposal, which would protect one of the longest backcountry canoe routes in the Northeast. But as Brian Mann reports, critics say environmentalists are pushing a double standard.  Go to full article

Oct 23, 2007 — Late last night two key state Senate committees voted to confirm Curt Stiles as the new chair of the Adirondack Park Agency. Stiles lives on Upper Saranac Lake and sits on the Adirondack Council board. The Governor also appointed environmental attorney and professor Dick Booth from Ithaca and he reappointed Lake Pleasant town supervisor Frank Mezzano. As Brian Mann reports, the appointments drew mixed reviews from green groups and from local government leaders.  Go to full article