News stories tagged with "whaley"

(09/17/09) A new collection of essays published this summer by Syracuse University Press challenges some of the basic ideas behind the Adirondack Park. "The Great Experiment in Conservation" gathers together some of the most provocative thinkers and activists from all sides of the debate over the Park's future. Brian Mann spoke with Ross Whaley, former APA chairman and one of the book's editors.

(09/03/07) Over the next few months, North Country Public Radio will air an occasional series of interviews and stories looking at the impact of conservation easements. In the last decade, big easement deals have blocked development on more than 700,000 acres of private land in the region, most of it inside the Adirondack Park. Ross Whaley is a former Forest Service economist and former president of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He's currently ending a four-year tenure as head of the Adirondack Park Agency. Whaley told Brian Mann that conservation easements can help local economies by allowing timber harvesting to continue.

(08/24/07) Adirondack Park Agency chairman Ross Whaley announced Thursday that he's stepping down after four years on the job. His departure continues a major shake-up of North Country environmental officials that began with the election of Governor Eliot Spitzer. As Brian Mann reports, Whaley's replacement is expected to be named soon.

(07/09/07) An Albany newspaper reported on Sunday that Governor Spitzer is considering whether to reappoint Adirondack Park Agency chairman Ross Whaley to another term. The move comes after the Republican Senate rejected Spitzer's top choice for the influential post, which comes with an annual salary of $30,000. Brian Mann has details.

(07/13/06) This week, we're talking with some of the politicians and activists who will shape the Adirondack Park Agency's future after Governor George Pataki leaves office in January. Three local government leaders who sit on the APA commission have left or are stepping down. The agency is also facing new criticism from North Country lawmakers, including state Senator Betty Little. They have called for sweeping changes to the environmental laws that make up Park Agency Act. Ross Whaley chairs the APA commission. He says the shifting tide in Albany has brought new scrutiny and tension to his agency.

(09/22/05) The Adirondack Park Agency's new executive director has been accused of transmitting a photograph of partially nude women to one of his state employees. Dick LeFebvre took over at the APA in August, following a computer pornography scandal that forced executive director Dan Fitts to resign. LeFebvre had been serving as executive director of the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District. The state authority manages dams and reservoirs across the north country. A former employee has filed a written complaint claiming that LeFebvre emailed an improper photo and made inappropriate jokes at a Regulating District office party. As Brian Mann reports, Regulating District officials say they'll investigate the allegation.

(09/22/05) Four staff members at the APA have been accused of using state-owned computers to store or transmit pornographic images. The activity isn't illegal, but it is a violation of state policy. Critics of the Park Agency and some journalists have urged the APA to disclose the names and make public any sanctions. Chairman Ross Whaley spoke at length yesterday with Brian Mann. Whaley argues that there's no public benefit in revealing the employees' identities. But he concedes that state law will eventually force him to disclose the names. Whaley wouldn't say when the names will be disclosed. An internal review is continuing.

(08/20/04) Over the last two years, the Adirondack Park Agency has worked to pare down a backlog of more than three thousand old enforcement cases. These are alleged violations of the Park's strict zoning and environmental laws. The APA now says ninety percent of those cases have been closed. But some critics worry that the Agency still lacks the staff and the legal clout needed to enforce its own rules. Brian Mann has our story.