Legislative session ends with no prison action

Legislature

The state Legislature wrapped up session in the early hours of Saturday with no solution for the three closed prisons in forest preserve counties, which cannot be sold or leased without a constitutional amendment. One appeared to be in reach early last week, but lawmakers and Adirondack Park groups say they ran out of time.

This was a crucial year to pass a constitutional amendment freeing the prisons from forest preserve because of upcoming elections. A constitutional amendment has to be passed by two separately elected state Legislatures so by missing first passage this session, we’re looking at the end of 2027 now for another opportunity.

But, lawmakers have hinted, they may be returning to Albany to handle some unfinished business. Could Adirondack-area prisons be addressed still? We will have a story on our website about the prisons’ amendment soon.

READ IT HERE

Adirondack Park Agency

The Adirondack Explorer filed a records request for the agency’s feasibility study on moving its headquarters to Saranac Lake. The APA denied the request, and the Explorer’s appeal stating that the record is exempt from disclosure and no final decisions has been made.

Read more on that here.

The agency will also be losing longtime economic liaison Dan Kelleher. Kelleher will be the new president and CEO of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism later in July. Read more on that here.

APA public comment opportunities

View all APA public comment and hearing opportunities at: https://apa.ny.gov/Hearings/index.cfm. There were no new projects published for comment as of this newsletter.

DEC public comment opportunities

View all the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s weekly environmental notice bulletin projects.

• The DEC is proposing to reroute a 0.2-mile section of the Watch Hill Trail in the town of Indian Lake. The trail is in the Jessup River Wild Forest. Construction will include up to 200 feet of full bench cutting on side slopes that exceed 50%. Comments are due by June 19. To view the work plan and submit comments, go to https://dec.ny.gov/news/environmental-notice-bulletin/2024-06-05/public-notice/town-of-indian-lake-watch-hill-trail-reroute.
• The DEC is proposing to remove two trees one inch or larger in diameter at breast height to facilitate the installation of a turnpike and bog bridging on the Fawn Lake Trail in the Jessup River Wild Forest in the town of Lake Pleasant. Comments are due June 19. To view the work plan and submit comments, go to https://dec.ny.gov/news/environmental-notice-bulletin/2024-06-05/public-notice/town-of-lake-pleasant-tree-cutting-notice-for-the-fawn-lake-trail-improvements.
• USL Marina proposes to expand an existing marina in the town of Santa Clara by adding a new dock system with a total of 92 slips. The application also includes relocating their existing three no-wake buoys to within 50 feet of the new docks. Comments are due by June 20. To learn more and submit comments, go to https://dec.ny.gov/news/environmental-notice-bulletin/2024-06-05/completed-application/town-of-santa-clara-usl-marina.
• The Town of Keene has determined that the proposed Water District #2 Improvement Project in the area of 33 Market St. will not have a significant adverse environmental impact. The action involves an upgrade to the municipal water system that serves the users of Water District #2 in the hamlet of Keene Valley including construction of new well, well control building upgrades, and water meters installation. There is no public comment period but to learn more, go to https://dec.ny.gov/news/environmental-notice-bulletin/2024-06-05/seqr/town-of-keene-water-district-2-improvement-project.
• The Village of Saranac Lake has determined that the addition of a surface water treatment plant to add McKenzie Pond as a source to replace a failing well, upgrades to the well system, upgrades to the raw water main and water distribution mains on Lake Flower Avenue will not have a significant adverse environmental impact. There is no public comment, but to learn more, go to https://dec.ny.gov/news/environmental-notice-bulletin/2024-06-05/seqr/village-of-saranac-lake-water-source-and-distribution-upgrades.
• The DEC has prepared a draft permit and made a tentative determination to approve a permittee-initiated modification to the Town of Clifton’s State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit. Comments are due by July 5. To learn more and submit comments, go to https://dec.ny.gov/news/environmental-notice-bulletin/2024-06-05/completed-application/town-of-clifton-newton-falls-wastewater-treatment-plant.

Photo at top: Camp Gabriels with Sable and Loon Lake Mountains in the distance. Photo by Tom French.

This first appeared in Gwen’s weekly “Adirondack Report” newsletter. Click here to sign up.