The Adirondack Park Agency

2 0 0 1A N N U A LR E P O R T

The Adirondack Park AgencyGeorge E. Pataki, Governor

| AGENCY MEMBERS |Richard Lefebvre,1 Chairman [Fulton County]James Frenette1 [Franklin County]James Townsend2 [Rochester County]Frank Mezzano1 [Hamilton County]Katherine Roberts2 [Putnam County]William Kissel1 [Essex County]Cecil Wray2 [New York County]Deanne Rehm1,3 [Warren County]Randy Daniels, Secretary of StateErin Crotty, Commissioner of the Department of Environ-

mental ConservationCharles Gargano, Commissioner of the Department of

Economic Development

| AGENCY DESIGNEES |Stuart Buchanan, Department of Environmental Conserva-

tionSandra LeBarron, Department of Environmental Conserva-

tionRandall Beach, Department of Economic DevelopmentDoug Schelleng, Department of Economic DevelopmentRichard Hoffman, Department of State

1In-the-Park seat2Out-of-the-Park seat3Nominated by Governor Pataki, December 2001; con-

firmed by NYS Senate, February 2002

| CONTENTS |Letter from the Governor ............................................... 1Letter from the Chairman .............................................. 2Letter from the Executive Director ................................. 3About the Agency .......................................................... 4Regulatory Program Division ......................................... 5Legal Services ................................................................. 8Interpretive Program Services ....................................... 11Resource Analysis and Scientific Services ...................... 15Economic Services ....................................................... 18Local Government Services .......................................... 20Park Planning and Policy Services ................................. 22Administration Services ................................................ 25State Land Services ....................................................... 26Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board ...... 28Adirondack Park Institute, Inc. ...................................... 292001 Budget Appropriations and Statistics Summary ..... 30Changing Faces ............................................................ 31Strategic Plan Update ................................................... 34Agency Awards ............................................................. 35Staff Roster .................................................................. 36

Standing, back row, from left: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Designee Stuart Buchanan; CommissionerKatherine O. Roberts; Commissioner Frank Mezzano; Commissioner James T. Townsend; NYS Department of EconomicDevelopment Designee Randall C. Beach; NYS Department of State Designee Richard L. Hoffman; Commissioner James C.Frenette; Local Government Review Board Executive Director Joseph T. Rota. Seated, from left: Commissioner Cecil Wray;Commissioner Deanne Rehm; Chairman Richard H. Lefebvre; Commissioner William H. Kissel. Photo taken December, 2001.

Dear Friends:

The Adirondack Park is one of New York’s most treasured places. For one hundred and tenyears, the Adirondack “Blue Line” has denoted a vast and most wonderfully beautiful region ofopen lands, lakes, mountains and communities. The Park is a place where people have alwaysfelt a close connection to nature and where careful stewardship of the environment remainsimportant to protecting our quality of life.

I am very proud that during our administration we have provided strong protection for sensi-tive resources in the Adirondacks, added to our constitutionally protected Forest Preserve, andworked to enhance the vitality of Adirondack communities. We continue to focus on the Parkwith a firm commitment to both its natural places and its centers of human activity.

New York is fortunate to have such a vast and unique park. I urge all New Yorkers to join me in recognizing the specialcharacter of this place and its role in the life of our great state.

Very truly yours,

George E. Pataki

| LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR |

LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR 1

New York State Governor George E.Pataki

Friends:

I salute Governor Pataki as we close another eventful year.

This was a productive “year of community” in the varied activities andactions of the Agency. The Park’s rich and diverse cultural history can beseen in nearly 100 distinct hamlets within the Park. At our Agency meet-ings we shared a “wall of pride” depicting people and places that togethershape the Park. And Adirondack pride was, in turn, on display at LocalGovernment Day in Saranac Lake, at the Department of State-sponsoredQuality Communities/Quality Coasts State-wide workshop in Albany inOctober, with our rescue teams and others serving in New York City andin the many other activities and events that give life to our Park.

Valuable partnerships with sister agencies were strengthened, including theQuality Communities initiative spearheaded by Lt. Governor Donohue and Secretary of State Daniels. Our work with theState Departments of Environmental Conservation and Transportation to address invasive species in the Park’s transportationcorridors won national recognition, and the goals of the Governor’s Build Now-New York program began to be realized inselected Adirondack Park communities.

Our theme for 2002 will be education. The Adirondack Park is ringed by world-class colleges and universities, many of whichhave significant educational centers in the Park. Educational institutions inside the Park, like the State University of New YorkCollege of Environmental Science and Forestry facilities in Newcomb and Wanakena, and Paul Smith’s College, continue tofind new ways to address and take advantage of the resources of the Adirondack Park. The Agency has laid a foundation forexpanding its own educational efforts through its Strategic Plan and key staff additions over the past year. This builds on thesequence of objectives that have marked my tenure as Chairman - reconciliation, communication, partnership and commu-nity. Education, both formal and informal, will sustain our mission of protecting the Adirondack Park, with balanced attentionto its many needs.

Sincerely,

Richard H. LefebvreChairman

| LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN |

2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Agency Chairman Richard H. Lefebvre (right) with GovernorPataki in Tupper Lake.

Dear Friends:

I am proud to share the Agency’s 2001 Annual Report. As always, the staff of this Agency, withthe support of an engaged Board, have made significant, forward-moving progress on manyissues and long-standing problems.

We are not stopping here! In 2002 we will continue working on projects and initiatives toimprove on the timeliness of our permit issuance, reduce the backlog of outstanding enforce-ment cases, and improve our internal communication and local government outreach efforts.

As you will see in our report, the Agency continues its leadership in the use of computertechnologies and map-based information. In keeping with the “year of education” initiative,we are working hard to share this information and expertise with the citizens and local

governments of the Park. We will continue this truly pioneering work in the coming year.

We are also very excited about a project under way to update the Agency’s web page. The focus of the initiative is to providemore information in an easy access format to those who will visit our site. The project is scheduled to be unveiled later thisyear and we’ll be sure to let everyone know when it happens.

All of this work is intended to make our operation more efficient and our service to the public the best that it can be.

With best wishes for the coming year,

Daniel T. Fitts

| LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 3

Agency Executive Director Daniel T.Fitts

As provided by Section 803 of the AdirondackPark Agency Act, the Agency consists of thefollowing eleven Members: eight Membersappointed by the Governor including five full-time residents of the Park and three residentsof the State from outside the Park; the Com-missioner of the Department of EnvironmentalConservation; the Secretary of State; and theCommissioner of the Department of Eco-nomic Development.

Changing Faces on the Board

New Agency MemberIn December 2001 Governor Pataki nominated DeanneRehm, Warren County, for the Adirondack Park Agency. Shehas since been confirmed by the Senate in February 2002.Ms. Rehm has served as Town Assessor for Bolton, Lake Georgeand Lake Luzerne and was Supervisor of the Town of Bolton

from 1995 through 2001. In addition to be-ing a licensed real estate broker, Ms. Rehmbrings a wealth of experience and knowledgeon issues associated with the Lake GeorgeBasin. The Agency welcomes Deanne to theBoard!

Department ofEconomic Development DesigneesEarly in the year, Designee Greg Caito leftState service to seek opportunities in the pri-vate sector. Randy Beach followed as Greg’sreplacement on the Agency Board, joined byDoug Schelleng. Both are North Country

representatives for the Department. The Agency is also grate-ful to George Kazanjian who filled in for the Department atAgency meetings. We wish Greg well and welcome our newDesignees from ESD!

4 ABOUT THE AGENCY

| ABOUT THE AGENCY |

Deanne Rehm, of the Lake Georgearea, is the Agency’s newestCommissioner

The Regulatory Program Division is responsible for the re-view, recommendations and determination of all projectssubject to Agency jurisdiction. The Regulatory Division con-sidered a diverse variety of regional projects during the yearincluding subdivision of land, major public utility uses, indus-trial uses, commercial uses, forestry uses, public and semi-publicbuildings, State agency projects, single family dwellings andprojects involving wetlands and shoreline restriction variances.

Applications received in 2001 totaled 254. They are listed inFigure 1 (below) by county; five applications involved morethan one county. In 2001, 239 permits were issued by theAgency.

Key Projects Approved• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Wanakena Ranger School was granted a permit for an11,000± square foot addition to the west end of the exist-ing Main Building.

• Northwoods Association, Inc., was granted a permit for a6.8-foot winter drawdown of Forest Lake to control nui-sance aquatic plant vegetation.

• S. B. Lewis was granted a permit for a new 4.9-acre mineralextraction involving the removal of approximately 80,000cubic yards of rock during a six-month period.

• Dreby NY Partnership and Priscilla Rich were granted apermit for the subdivision of 400± acres into ten parcels.Two of the parcels, involving about 354 acres, will be cov-ered by a conservation easement held by the State of NewYork.

| REGULATORY PROGRAM DIVISION |

R E G U L AT O RY P RO G R A M D I V I S I O N 5

County No. of ApplicationsClinton 25Essex 62Franklin 31Fulton 13Hamilton 20Herkimer 8Lewis 2

County No. of ApplicationsOneida 1St. Lawrence 17Saratoga 15Warren 51Washington 9Total 254

Figure 1. Number of Applications Received in 2001

Standing, from left: John Quinn; Doug Hamernik; George Outcalt; MarkSengenberger; Thomas Saehrig; Gary Duprey. Seated from left: Tracy Frechette;Theresa LeBaron; Virginia Yamrick; Richard Jarvis and William Curran.

• Lucien and Doris Myers were granted a permit for recon-struction of an existing dam on an unnamed tributary toCold Brook and refilling of the impoundment to its formerwater level.

• Town of Newcomb was granted a permit for constructionof a 2,640-yard, par 33, nine-hole public golf course.

• David Cilley/St. Regis Canoe Outfitters Inc. was granted ashoreline setback variance in the Village of Saranac Lakefor the construction of a ramp and steps to provide footaccess for boaters to launch hand-carried, nonmotorizedboats on the Saranac River.

• Independent Wireless One was granted a permit for a newmajor public utility use consisting of the attachment of digi-tal wireless communication antennae to an existing56-foot-high, 80-foot-diameter municipal water tankowned by the Town of Queensbury Water District.

• Essex County IDA/Willsboro Development Corporation/Old Adirondack Inc. was granted a permit for a large-scaleproject to be undertaken in sections. Section one will in-volve the construction of a 25,000, square-foot furnituremanufacturing facility.

• Louis R. MacArthur, Jr. was granted a permit for a newcommercial use, within a group camp known as “McArthurPark,” involving use of the property for a fee to hold occa-sional “Wilderness Weddings” and use of cabins without afee by Make-A-Wish Foundation clients and other similarorganizations.

• Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, International PaperCompany and Curtis/Palmer Hydroelectric Company weregranted a permit for the construction of a new tap struc-ture, power line and substation to service the InternationalPaper Company property at the Corinth Paper Mill on thesouth side of the Hudson River (Palmer Impoundment).

• The Agency issued General Permit 2001G-1, on condi-tions, to the Adirondack Park Agency and the New YorkState Department of Environmental Conservation, autho-rizing the agencies to issue permits to individual landownersfor certain regulated activities relating to the removal ormodification of recently constructed beaver dams or debrisin Environmental Conservation Law Article 24 jurisdic-tional wetlands within the Adirondack Park.

• The Agency issued General Permit 2001G-2, on condi-tions, to state, county and municipal transportationdepartments within the Adirondack Park seeking to removeor modify recently constructed beaver dams or debris inculvert and bridge openings, or within 50 feet of the driv-ing surface of the road or railroad or within the highway orrailroad right-of-way.

6 R E G U L AT O RY P RO G R A M D I V I S I O N

Pictured from left: Sandra LeBarron, DEC Region 6 Regional Director; FrancisGerace, DOT Region 2; Richard Lefebvre, Agency Chairman; Michael Carr,Director, Adirondack Nature Conservancy; Stuart Buchanan, DEC Region 5Regional Director; and John Falge, DOT Region 7 display their signedMemorandum of Understanding to work in partnership to research invasive plantsin the Adirondacks at the Holiday Inn in Lake Placid, May 2001.

General PermitsThe Agency also began work on other proposed general per-mits designed to provide better service to the public whilecontinuing to protect the environment. The subject areas ofthese general permits involve regulated activities now rou-tinely approved by the Agency through a lengthy permitprocess. The general permits are very important for speedingup Agency review time for simple classes of projects.

The subjects of two other general permits under consider-ation are:

• disposal of uncontaminated wastes from maintenance andconstruction activities by highway departments; and

R E G U L AT O RY P RO G R A M D I V I S I O N 7

• management of terrestrial invasive plant species in or within100 feet of wetlands, along road corridors in the AdirondackPark.

New InitiativesIn addition to this significant project workload, a number ofinitiatives have been undertaken to improve the Division’sproductivity and timeliness of permit issuance. These projectsare aimed at providing more consistent review by the Agencyand better service to the public. To implement them, theDivision:

• revised and improved its computer tracking system of projectapplications and permit conditions;

• classified project and public notice forms to make themmore easily usable by the public;

• revised numerous permit shells to improve the consistency,timeliness, and appearance of issued permits;

• revised numerous permit applications and provided instruc-tion to the public on how to use them;

• began working on the development of a project reviewhandbook and warehouse of potential permit conditions;and

• began an examination of the permit review process withthe expectation of finding ways to make it more effectiveand efficient.

Work on all of these initiatives, begun in 2001, is continuingin 2002.

Agency Commissioner Katherine O. Roberts presents Assistant Director ofRegulatory Programs Mark Sengenberger with a commemorative time piece for his25 years of dedicated service to the State of New York.

The Agency’s Associate Counsel directed the Legal staff ac-tivities this year, the former Counsel having left the Agencyin March. The five Agency attorneys provide interpretationof the laws and regulations administered by the Agency, assistin the on-going regulatory revision process, act as liaisons tothe Office of the Attorney General, undertake review of localland use programs submitted for Agency approval and amend-

ments, manage any project public hearings requested by theAgency, and provide legal assistance to program staff fromother Agency divisions and to Agency Members and Desig-nees.

Regulatory RevisionA major initiative the Agency continued in 2001 is the revi-sion of existing rules and regulations. This ongoing project isaimed at making Agency decisions and practices more con-sistent and predictable, and improving service to the public.

The first amendments to Agency regulations since 1983 wereexecuted in 2001. Eleven changes affecting Agency projectreview and permit functions took effect in January. Addi-tionally, the Agency developed proposed changes to itsenforcement regulations; these are expected to be forwarded

to the Governor’s Office of Regulatory Reform (GORR)for review in early 2002. Progress on twenty-two proposedchanges to regulatory definitions continued with final ap-proval by GORR, and the Agency’s noticing of a formalrule-making. Public hearings are scheduled for early 2002.Following the close of those hearings, the Agency will con-sider approving a Final Supplemental Generic Environmental

Impact Statement adopting the proposed definition changes.Action on the draft enforcement regulations is also expectedto occur in 2002 as will commencement of work on addi-tional definitions and related sections of the Agency’sregulations. Regulatory revisions will continue to take placeon an ongoing annual basis.

Enforcement OfficeThe Enforcement Office is primarily concerned with the pre-vention, identification and cessation of violations, theremediation of environmental damage and bringing sites intocompliance with current regulatory standards, and creatingincentives to deter additional violations.

In 2001 the Agency made significant progress on goals out-lined in the Strategic Plan to improve the enforcement process

8 LEGAL SERVICES

| LEGAL SERVICES |

From left: Richard Terry; Mitchell Goroski; Emily Tyner; Barbara Rottier; Ed Snizek; Paul VanCott; Don Smith.

and reduce the enforcement backlog. Actions included thefollowing:

• The Agency developed new enforcement regulations in-tended to streamline the Agency’s enforcement process andto fully implement the Agency’s statutory enforcement au-thorities. These draft regulations were recently forwardedto GORR, and once approved by GORR, will movethrough the process for formal Agency promulgation.

• With the assistance of an additional attorney and an internspecifically dedicated to enforcement, staff reviewed all openenforcement files to evaluate their status and to update theAgency’s computer database. This effort resulted in theformal closure of nearly 2,500 files. This effort represents asignificant development for the enforcement program asthe Agency now has an accurate assessment of the number,type and status of open enforcement cases. Agency staffexpect to use the data to better track the progress of casesand to devise strategies for ensuring the most effective andefficient use of existing staff resources to address establishedpriorities.

In the coming year the Agency will continue to work ondeveloping enforcement process guidelines and other initia-tives to improve the overall program.

The Jurisdictional Inquiry OfficeThe Jurisdictional Inquiry Office continued its successfulperformance in 2001, answering questions for the public andmaking formal jurisdictional determinations as to whetherpermits are required for specific projects. The JurisdictionalInquiry Office is the public’s first point of contact with theAgency in most cases. The ability of this office to respond tothe public in a timely manner is very important and a prior-ity of the Agency.

Three full-time staff provided written determinations to 829inquiries from the public about specific projects last year. They

ranged in complexity, including projects such as: single fam-ily dwellings, installation of municipal sewer and water services,new school construction, subdivisions, commercial uses, shore-line development and bridge replacements. The average lengthof time for response to these requests was eight days. We arevery proud of this quick response time as it reflects our com-mitment to public service.

In addition staff answered 5582 telephone inquiries. The topicswere sometimes as simple as a publication request, but moreoften involved lengthy discussion and information gatheringso that the caller could be directed to the permit process, orobtain a formal (written) determination that no permit wasrequired. Telephone calls require a general explanation of thethree laws the Agency administers and Agency processes, aswell as specific details about the application of the laws to aparticular site.

A total of 309 “walk-ins” were served in 2001. These aremembers of the public who arrive at Agency headquartersasking for information or advice on how to begin the processof obtaining approval from the Agency, or those who justwant to know more about the Adirondacks and what theAgency does.

The jurisdictional staff also handle project referrals from otheragencies and departments (865 referrals in 2001) and respondto requests for file information available under the Freedomof Information Act (99 requests in 2001).

In 2001 the Jurisdictional Inquiry Office also continued toparticipate in various public outreach and educational pro-grams, providing presentations regarding Agency jurisdiction,the jurisdictional inquiry process and the Adirondack ParkAgency Act and the Rules and Regulations it administers.

LitigationThe Agency has approximately 30 cases in litigation, includ-ing affirmative cases to enforce the laws the Agency administers.

LEGAL SERVICES 9

Some of the cases closed in 2001 are listed here:

A case challenging the Agency’s enactment of amended regu-lations in January 2001 was dismissed as having no merit.

An enforcement case involving a new commercial use wasresolved by settlement, according to the terms required bythe Agency’s Enforcement Committee, including the paymentof a civil penalty.

Another case involving a new commercial use was decidedby the Supreme Court. As the Agency could not approve thecommercial use due to the small acreage of the site and loca-tion in a critical environmental area, and because buildingswere constructed after the Agency advised that the use couldnot be permitted, the Court ordered removal of the buildingsand re-location of the business to another site.

The Supreme Court ordered the cleanup of a junkyard lo-cated unlawfully in a residential area, and cleanup has beeninstituted.

The Agency settled a significant shoreline cutting violationwith an agreement that requires the landowner to replant theshoreline with trees and shrubs and pay a civil penalty.

The Agency resolved a very significant wetland case, involv-ing the excavation and filling of Class 1 wetlands, called theWebb Royce Swamp, and trespass on State lands. The viola-tor was required to restore the wetlands, and to undertakeactions to ensure that his agricultural fields drain into a reten-tion basin on his own lands. The violator paid $50,000 for anenvironmental benefit project in lieu of a civil penalty.

Finally, the Agency and the Department of EnvironmentalConservation successfully defended a challenge to the State’sacquisition of thousands of acres of fee and easement landsfrom the Champion International Corporation.

10 INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM SERVICES

Brian Ford, Colleen Parker and Rita Quinn make up the Agency’s JurisdictionalInquiries staff.

For the Adirondack Park Visi-tor Interpretive Centers(VICs) in Paul Smiths andNewcomb, the year 2001 wasa time of transition as theAdirondack Park Agency saidgood-bye to three dedicatedstaff members and welcomednew ones.

At the same time, the Inter-pretive Division solidified itspartnership with theAdirondack community asthe VICs launched newParkwide programs and con-tinued to provide excellent service at the two facilities in thesetimes of change.

AccomplishmentsThe Paul Smiths VIC set an attendance record in 2001, boostedby record-breaking visitor numbers in October, Novemberand December. In all, there were 74,442 visitors at the PaulSmiths facility in 2001, up 1,496 from the previous year.

The Newcomb VIC had its highest fall school visitation everwith 804, bringing the total number of school children at-tending Newcomb educational programs in 2001 to 1,515.

In May, the Paul Smiths VIC unveiled new outdoor interpre-tation in the Forest Ecosystem Research and DemonstrationArea (FERDA). International Paper was recognized for itsgenerous grant that funded the production of new signage.FERDA was established in 1999 as a joint project of PaulSmith’s College, the US Forest Service Research Station inBurlington, Vermont and the Paul Smiths VIC.

In July, the Paul Smiths VIC dedicated its Native Species But-terfly House to the memory of longtime volunteer Breck

Chapin, who passed away in2000. The ceremony featuredthe unveiling of a wroughtiron sculpture by Abenakimetal artisan David Benedictwith a plaque commemorat-ing Chapin’s work at the But-terfly House.

In August, Governor GeorgeE. Pataki announced that theAdirondack Park Agencywould receive a $13,000 Na-tional Recreational Trails Pro-gram grant to build a trailconnecting the Newcomb

VIC to the Santanoni Preserve. Funding will be providedthrough the Federal Highway Administration. When com-plete, visitors will be able to travel through the woods fromthe VIC’s trail system to the 32-acre Camp Santanoni His-toric Area, located within the 70,000-acre Vanderwhacker WildForest.

In September,the PaulSmiths VICo f f i c i a l l yopened thenew BorealLife Trail,which featuresa 1,600-footb o a r d w a l kthrough apeatland bor-dering Barnum Pond. The boardwalk was built primarily byPaul Smith’s College students. Paul Smith’s College Presi-dent Dr. George Miller, Forestry Professor Hans Michielen,Agency Chairman Richard H. Lefebvre and APA Commis-

| INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM SERVICES |

INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM SERVICES 11

Adirondack Park Visitors Interpretive Center at Paul Smith’s staff: from left: MikeBrennan; Joanne MacDowell; Andy Flynn; Cara McCann and Brian McAllister.

Dedication of the Breck Chapin Native Species ButterflyHouse at Paul Smith’s VIC in July 2001.

sioners, staff and volunteers wereon hand for the ribbon-cuttingceremony and a tour of the newtrail.

In the fall, the Newcomb VIC in-troduced a new “Life in theWoods” owl unit for middle andhigh school students. The schoolchildren learned about owls, trees,map and compass skills, samplingprocedures and toolmaking. “Lifein the Woods” is made possiblethanks to a partnership with the SUNY College of Environ-mental Science and Forestry’s Adirondack Ecological Centerand the Adirondack Museum.

PartnershipsAs the foundation of the VIC success story, partnerships withthe community continue to form the basis of the Center’sactivities and grew even stronger in 2001.

For example, special thanks are extended to the New YorkState Department of Correctional Services, as two correc-tional facilities sent crews to help VIC staffers resurface milesof interpretive trails in the summer and fall months. Inmatesand officers from the Moriah Shock Camp spread bark alongthe trails in Newcomb, and crews from Camp Gabriels as-sisted at the Paul Smiths VIC.

Funding for the new Adirondack Interpretation Through theArts program was promised from various sources, which en-hances the relationship between the VICs and the arts com-munity in the Park. The arts program will be funded mainlyby the Adirondack Park Institute; the Adirondack Center forWriting is co-sponsoring the writing and storytelling events.The music, storytelling and writing programs will be fundedin part by a $3,110 Developing Community Arts Grant with

public funds from the New YorkState Council on the Arts De-centralization Program, admin-istered locally by the Arts Coun-cil for the NorthernAdirondacks. North CountryPublic Radio will be the mediasponsor for these events.

The Newcomb VIC continuedto be an integral part of thesouthern Essex County commu-nity thanks to ongoing partner-

ships with the Town of Newcomb and the AdirondackEcological Center, operated by the SUNY College of Envi-ronmental Science and Forestry. The Town of Newcomb helpskeep the VIC’s driveways plowed and sanded in the winter.The Center also hosts the annual Peggy Lynn concert duringthe Town of Newcomb’s Teddy Roosevelt Days in Septem-ber. Likewise, the Adirondack Ecological Center holds itsannual Huntington Lecture Series every summer at theNewcomb VIC.

New InitiativesThe Second Annual Chilly Ski Festival was held at the PaulSmiths VIC in January. Attracting more than 300 people tothe facility, this event was deemed an overwhelming successand was made possible by partnering with two important spon-sors – High Peaks Cyclery and the Saranac Lake Area Cham-ber of Commerce.

The Newcomb Mountain Quilters joined the InterpretiveDivision’s family in 2001 by holding a new Kids Learn toQuilt program at the facility. In a series of classes, childrenmade blocks for the bear paw quilt, which was later assembledby members of the Newcomb Mountain Quilters and do-nated to the Newcomb VIC in October. The program was sopopular, it was scheduled to continue in a six-part monthly


Newcomb Visitors Interpretive Center staff: from left: Kathleen Jennings;Michael Tracy, Rynda McCray and Emily Dehoff

series in 2002. The Newcomb Mountain Quilters will do-nate their time; the only cost to participants will be the initialpurchase of the fabric.

The Newcomb VIC took advantage of its Bird-of-Prey edu-cational program and featured its owl and American kestrel atthe first-ever Raptor Celebration in October. Interest in birdsof prey has grown steadily since Newcomb introduced itsraptors to the public in 2000.

In December, the VICs debuted an innovative arts initiativefor 2002 called the Adirondack Interpretation Through theArts program. Featuring four new large-group events – twoeach at Newcomb and Paul Smiths – the program is designedto explore how artists interpret the ecology, history and cul-ture of the Adirondack Park through their work. The plannedevents are: the Adirondack Photography Symposium,Adirondack Music Celebration, Adirondack Storytelling Fes-tival and Adirondack Writing Symposium.

As 2001 came to an end, the VICs were planning a newinitiative, the Tourism Partners Program, which is designed tostrengthen the relationship between the Adirondack ParkAgency and the tourism industry in the Adirondack region.

This program will create new channels of communicationbetween the Agency and tourism businesses and tourism pro-motion agents.

2001 Interpretive Programs Statistics

Visitors ...........................................Paul Smiths 74,442Newcomb 22,151

Programs, Groups and Schools ........Paul Smiths 19,141Newcomb 5,655

Outreach ........................................Paul Smiths/Newcomb 2,413

Volunteer Hours Donated ..............Paul Smiths 5,270Newcomb 6,341

Let’s Hear it for the Volunteers!As “adjunct staff,” the VIC volunteers assist in many areas bothon and off Center properties.

One of the main areas where volunteers help out is at thefront desk, serving as information specialists. A knowledge-able volunteer can be found every day giving out informa-tion to hundreds of visitors with just as many questions. VICvolunteers play an integral role in the Centers’ school visita-tion programs. As naturalists, they sometimes teach a numberof environmental education courses to visiting school chil-dren from around the Adirondack region and New York State.

Volunteers can also be found in the Paul Smiths VIC’s NativeSpecies Butterfly House in the summer, showing the public amyriad of moths and butterflies in all stages of development.

In order to educate the public about the many natural andhistorical areas of the Adirondacks, volunteers have the op-portunity to attend many continuing education workshops

INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM SERVICES 13

Newcomb VIC Environmental Educator Ellen Rathbone reviews some naturalcharacteristics of the Adirondack Park with a school group.

on various topics related to the Park. Many of the VIC vol-unteers are part of the Franklin County and Essex CountyRetired and Senior Volunteer Programs. This program en-ables senior participants to volunteer at quite a number ofagencies and institutions throughout the Adirondack region.

The best part of the volunteer program at the Newcomb andPaul Smiths VICs is the camaraderie and great friendshipsthat begin to blossom in these informational and educationalinstitutions.


The mission of the Adirondack Park Institute, Inc., would notbe possible without the Volunteer Corps of the AdirondackPark Visitor Interpretive Centers in Paul Smiths and Newcomb.It is their enthusiasm and dedication to the API’s endeavorsthat make these efforts a reality.

Many, many thanks are owed to each of the volunteers!

The Paul Smith’s VIC Maintenance crew. From left: Robbie Cox, Penny Dufrane;and George Hare.

Harriet McClure long time volunteer on the reception desk pictured at right withvisitor at the Paul Smith’s VIC.

In 2001 the Agency Park Ecol-ogy Committee continued toprovide excellent oversight to thetechnical and scientific activitiesof the Resource Analysis and Sci-entific Services (RASS) staff. Amajor focus of 2001 was com-munication with the manycommunity contacts the staffenjoys.

Scientific CommunityThe RASS unit is an importantparticipant and supporter of thescientific community of research-ers, academics and volunteers who contribute to ourknowledge and understanding of the Park’s resources. A ma-jor technical effort completed by the Agency in 2001 was thepreparation of a Trends Analysis Plan that documents the needfor monitoring of 59 data elements as indicators of resourcehealth in 18 subject areas. Subject areas range from housingto surface water, scenic vistas and wetlands. The Plan servesto identify those areas where the Agency believes more re-search and data development will be most efficiently usedand, if completed, would enable a comprehensive and bal-anced view of the multiple interrelated economic, social andenvironmental factors which are integral to the dynamics ofthis Park. The staff has promoted the concepts of the Plan tothe scientific community in an effort to spur interest in re-search.

The work organized by the Agency and undertaken with itspartners to complete EPA-funded watershed and wetland pro-tection projects continues with renewed vigor. For example,the Agency has initiated a nuisance aquatic plants projectwhich will coordinate work now under way all across thePark with community-based volunteers and promote a betterfocus on the problem. With this latest project the Agency has,

since 1993, received a total of$2.3 million from EPA for tenwetlands projects. Researchersthroughout the Northeast makeuse of the Geographic Informa-tion Systems (GIS) datagenerated by these projects, par-ticularly to identify the threatsposed by acid precipitation.

Local Communitiesand Information OutreachWorking with our local planningassistance program, RASS staffhave actively participated in de-

livering information and analysis to local governments. Twoworkshops focused on the permit process were held in Boltonand Chesterfield. In addition to carefully guided role-playingactivities, these events offered members of the communitywho went into the field the opportunity to discuss naturalresource implications and site development considerations withAgency staff.

Wetland DelineationsProviding timely field wetlands delineations for landownerscontinues to be a priority RASS function. In 2001 staff made

RESOURCE ANALYSIS

| AND SCIENTIFIC SERVICES |

RESOURCE ANALYSIS & SCIENTIFIC SERVICES 15

Resource Analysis and Scientific Services (RASS) staff. From left,standing: Mark Rooks, Brian Grisi, Sean Connin, and Ray Curran.Seated, Leslie Karasin and Sunita Halasz.

RASS Supervisor Ray Curran (right) with Tony Goodwin, Executive Director ofthe Adirondack Ski Touring Council.

267 field trips to delineate wetlands, while still making thesevisits in a timely fashion. The number of visits was at an all-time high and up 50 per cent from the base number in 1993when we started a focused effort to deliver this service.

Beyond the value to the protection of wetlands, this publicservice has inestimable value in providing information to thepublic about the Agency. The wetlands delineator is often thefirst face from the Agency that people actually meet, and theyare provided relevant information about Agency regulationsand permitting, as well as explanations of the reasons under-lying the regulations.

Adirondack Park Shared GIS CDIn a joint RASS/Planning initiative, a Geographic Informa-tion System (GIS) team prepared a set of compact diskscontaining many GIS data sets and distributed it beginning inJuly. The two-disk set, of which nearly 300 copies were dis-

tributed in 2001, assembles over 50 geographic data sets from11 State and Federal agencies. A primary short-term benefitof the CD is to have sets of mapped information available tothe Department of Environmental Conservation unit plan-ners for their use in the priority initiative to complete theunfinished plans for State land units of the Park. The CD isalso being provided to local governments, and plans are underway to provide training and instruction on how to use theinformation.

The CD has been an overwhelming success. In the comingyear we plan to build on that success by participating in con-ferences, educational programs, and VIC programming. Forexample, the Team has a very exciting GIS demonstrationprogram planned for several events in the coming year whichit has cleverly named “50 Ways to Weave Your Covers.” Pleasejoin us! Also, watch in 2002 for CD2!

RASS Staff’s Wetland Field Visits - 2001Land Use Area Number of VisitsModerate Intensity Use 72Rural Use 65Hamlet 47Low Intensity Use 39Resource Management 24Wild Forest 15Wilderness 1Unclassified 1State Administrative 1Industrial Use 1Total 267

16 RESOURCE ANALYSIS & SCIENTIFIC SERVICES

Agency Geoxgraphical Informational Systems (GIS) team (standing, Sue Parkerand John Barge and Sunita Halasz seated at top left) hosts a workshop for localcode enforcement officers on how to use the new GIS CD.

sStaff’s Wetland Field Visits - 2001County Number PercentEssex 60 22Warren 42 16Franklin 39 15Hamilton 32 12Clinton 23 9Fulton 22 8St. Lawrence 17 6Herkimer 15 6Washington 7 3Saratoga 5 2Lewis 3 1Oneida 2 1Total 267 100

Staff’s Wetland Field Visits 1993-2001Year Number1993 1761994 2321995 1941996 1921997 1931998 2261999 2152000 2142001 267

RESOURCE ANALYSIS & SCIENTIFIC SERVICES 17

RASS Project Analyst Brian Grisi (right) shows Agency Board Members RichardHoffman and James Townsend (from left) what to look for in identifying wetlandsoils in September 2001.

The Agency’s Park Ecology Committee, through its activities,continued to promote public outreach and understanding ofmany other key ecological issues, most notably impacts ofroad ice and snow removal, impacts of pressure-treated lum-ber, storm water disposal, wastewater management, alpineecology, watershed protection and wetland mitigation.

18 ECONOMIC SERVICES

During 2001 the Agency continued to stay abreast of eco-nomic trends affecting the Adirondack Park and to supportcommunities in planning for new economic activities.

The Agency’s Economic Affairs Committee began the yearwith a discussion of what constitutes community well-being.Stephen Blackmer and Michael Wilson of the Northern For-est Center reviewed a recently released “wealth index” forthe Northern Forest, an area which includes the northernsections of New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.The discussion of this series of social, economic and environ-mental indicators allowed the Agency to consider how therelationship between people, communities, and natural fea-tures has made the Adirondack Park a special place withquality-of-life opportunities that are important to the successof the region’s economy.

In a subsequent Committee meeting, local planning and eco-nomic staff detailed how land use planning can facilitatecommunity economic improvement. The concept of deter-

mining future development and preservation goals and theimportance of creating workable strategies to achieve themwas explored. The Committee next focused on two signifi-cant industries within the Adirondack Park, forest productsand tourism. Information developed through these panel dis-cussions and presentations has been important in creating abetter understanding of community dynamics and the typeand scale of development opportunities in the Park.

During the year the staff-level Economic Services Unit con-tinued to be a resource for communities interested inexpanding or diversifying their economies. Staff providedtechnical support and information for local economic devel-opment planning and helped identify and enlist the supportof other State and regional service providers. Staff also pro-vided information on the Agency’s permitting process, resourceinformation needed for site selection, and assistance in ad-dressing potential regulatory issues. A key function of theEconomic Services Unit is to work with economic develop-ers and project sponsors to build a stronger understanding ofthe Agency’s regulatory process, and the importance of locat-ing development where site conditions and supportinginfrastructure will allow development permits to be most easilyobtained.

| ECONOMIC SERVICES |

From left: Steve Erman, Agency Special Assistant - Economic Affairs; NeilSeymour, Director, Franklin County Tourism; Bill Osborne, Hamilton CountyTourism; Ann Melious, Executive Director of the Adirondack Regional TourismCouncil; and Andy Flynn, VIC Senior Information Specialist speak with theEconomic Services Committee while Newcomb Supervisor George Canon andAdirondack Association of Towns and Villages Director Jean Olsen look on.

Agency Chairman Richard Lefebvre speaks at the Governor’s QualityCommunities, Quality Coasts Conference in Albany in October 2001.

Staff continued to work closely with localofficials and other community leaders in:Clifton and Fine, St. Lawrence County; inJohnsburg, Warren County; in Moriah,Essex County, and in other Adirondackcommunities that are actively engaged inefforts to achieve economic renewal anddiversification. Mindful that developmentopportunities vary greatly in the large andeconomically diverse Adirondack Park,Agency Members and staff have listenedcarefully to community leaders as they havediscussed their aspirations for economic re-newal and detailed their perspectives onlocal assets of importance in tourism- andnon-tourism-based economic develop-ment.

The Agency also continued its outreachefforts to emphasize the importance of sound planning toboth resource protection and the enhancement of local econo-mies, and to indicate that economic development and openspace protection are not incompatible goals if people are willing

to work together. These outreach effortsincluded three meetings with county leg-islative leaders in Warren, St. Lawrenceand Clinton counties as part of an ongo-ing series.

During 2001 the Park Agency’s regula-tory program granted permits to a totalof 35 economic development projects.These included: facility improvementsat the SUNY College of EnvironmentalScience and Forestry Ranger School inWanakena, Town of Fine, St. LawrenceCounty; the creation of a nine-hole golfcourse in the Town of Newcomb, EssexCounty; facility improvements at theAdirondack Regional Airport in LakeClear, Harrietstown, Franklin County; anew veterinary clinic in Northampton,

Fulton County; and two modern facilities for the expansionof wood products companies in the Towns of Willsboro andChesterfield, Essex County.

ECONOMIC SERVICES 19

Agency Commissioners look for more clues inidentifying a wetland: Randall Beach (left),Frank Mezzano (center); James Frenette (left ofcenter); and Cecil Wray (right) spend sometimestudying wetland vegetation in Ray Brook,September 2001.

20 LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES

| LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES |

Given the number of active local planning programs in theregion, the decisions made by local governments impact theAdirondack economy and environment as much as theAgency’s work. In this sense, the task of land use manage-ment is a shared responsibility, with the Agency learning fromthe experience of communities about many vital issues of theday, including telecommunications, the need for commercialrevitalization and other important aspects. Local Govern-ment Services continued to provide support to and learn fromAdirondack communities during 2001.

Local Government DayIn March, the Agency and ten other partners co-sponsoredthe fourth annual “Local Government Day” in Saranac Lake.Over 160 local officials and other organization representa-tives participated in the day-and-a-half program of workshops

and sessions on community development, grant funding, de-sign guidelines, jet skis, and other issues. The conference sched-ule is developed through a Park-wide survey of local govern-ments, in order to respond to the needs of communities.According to Frank Mezzano, Co-Chairman of the Agency’sLocal Government Services Committee, “The variety of ses-

sions continues to create a vital program and refreshes us interms of gaining knowledge of local needs and aspirations.”

Other Outreach EffortsCentral to the Agency’s Strategic Plan is the goal of improv-ing local government outreach efforts. Several initiatives toaccomplish this goal were undertaken in 2001.

The Agency co-sponsored workshops around the Park onsite plan review, variance, and local administration and en-

James Hotaling and Daniel Fitts, standing from left, welcomes code enforcementofficers to a workshop held at Agency headquarters in Ray Brook, in November2001, in conjunction with the NYS Department of State.

Code Enforcement Workshop held at Agency headquarters in Ray Brook inNovember 2001 in conjunction with the NYS Department of State.

forcement. The New York State Department of State pro-vides support to this effort with advice and information onthe aspects of town and village law and the roles and respon-sibilities of boards and officials who shoulder the main job ofguiding new development activity. Agency staff provided guid-ance on site visits, including a review of soil conditions, visualanalysis, and site access, and distributed copies of the newCD-ROM disc which includes Park-wide resource informa-tion.

Direct Local Program AssistanceAgency staff assisted over 20 communities with specific assis-tance, meeting with local boards on many aspects of localplanning, from the challenge of starting a local plan for thefirst time to fine-tuning existing regulations so that they re-spond to today’s needs. Because of the vast experience of

local governments over the last several years, the Agency cannow provide examples of local plans, special studies and regu-lations from other towns and villages which have been throughthe process.

Agency-approved Local ProgramsThe Agency approved the Town of Chesterfield local land useprogram, the 16th program approved by the Agency. The Townand the Agency also co-sponsored a site review workshop(see above) as an initial effort to help orient local officials andboards to the practical aspects and challenges of developmentreview.

The Agency also approved policies to better process amend-ments and variance records referred from local governmentsas part of the two-tiered system envisioned in the Adirondack

Park Agency Act.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES 21

22 PARK POLICY & PLANNING SERVICES

The Planning Division in 2001continued to expand its presenceand support functions to all theAgency’s divisions. During theyear its staff provided strong sup-port and leadership for a numberof key Agency regional planning,State land and local planning ini-tiatives, including work onrevision of the Agency’s telecom-munications towers policy,strategic planning, regulatory re-vision, public outreach, recordsmanagement, team efforts forState land, scenic road corridorplanning, local government ser-vices, economic services, computer services, staff trainingprograms, and Agency building infrastructure planning andliaison with the Office of General Services (OGS).

The Division also continued its strong support of partnershipactivities in 2001 including support to the “Gateway Com-munities” program, Adirondack Community InformationCenters (the Towns of Inlet, Hamilton County; Star Lake, St.Lawrence County; and Johnsburg, Warren County, amongothers); the New York State Geographic Information Clear-inghouse; the New York State Scenic Byways Program, and anumber of other partnership activities with Park local gov-ernments.

Park Policy and Planning CommitteeDuring 2001 the Park Policy and Planning Committee, aspart of its ongoing responsibilities to update and maintain theState and private land plans and maps for the Adirondack Park,addressed six technical amendments to the Official AdirondackPark Land Use and Development Plan Map. These technicalamendments, authorized by Section 805(2)(c)(4) of the APAAct, provide a public process to identify locations where the

Official Map does not accuratelyreflect State and private landownership boundaries. It helpsassure that the records for realproperty taxation, State agenciesand landowners agree to the de-gree that is achievable withavailable survey informationwithin the Park.

TelecommunicationTowers Policy RevisionIn August 2000 the Agency di-rected the Planning Division tolead an effort to comprehensivelyexamine and revise the Agency’s

existing policy adopted in 1978. During 2001 the Division,with the help of a consultant, conducted research on towerspolicies and practices elsewhere, identified important criteriaand considerations, and reviewed these with the Agency. Mul-tiple drafts of recommended policy language were developedby staff and reviewed with the Agency, leading up to a seriesof five public meetings in November and December to gatherpublic comment. An updated policy is expected to be adoptedby the Agency in early 2002.

Scenic Byways Planning and Project ImplementationDuring the Year 2001 the Agency made continued progresson the implementation of its numerous Scenic Byway projectsin the Park. Over the past several years, the Agency has beenawarded some $2 million in Scenic Byway funds pursuant tothe Federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century(TEA-21). These funds provide direct benefits and opportu-nities for a variety of purposes including road corridorplanning, highway safety, pedestrian facilities and improve-ments, histor ic preservation, visitor information, andpreservation, enhancement and protection of visual resources,among others.

| PARK PLANNING & POLICY SERVICES |

The Park Planning and Policy Services staff: Back row, from left: EdHood; Nancy Heath; James Hotaling and Henry Savarie. Front rowfrom left: Patricia Kimpton; Susan Parker; John Banta; John Barge andWalter Linck (kneeling).

Altogether, these funds will support the completion of twelveScenic Byway planning and improvement projects and ac-tivities in the Adirondack Park, including:

• Route 73: hamlet visitor improvements in the Town ofKeene;

• Route 73: tourism interpretation, information, and educa-tion planning and improvements;

• Route 73: trailhead access assessment, management planand safety improvements;

• Route 73: Marcy Field interpretive and recreational facili-ties improvements;

• Route 28: interpreting theUpper Hudson River Corri-dor;

• Route 3/86/9N: develop-ment and pr inting of aprototype interpretive map ofthe 170-mile Olympic Trail;

• Route 3: development andprinting of an interpretiveguidebook for the NorthwestFoothills Region;

• Route 86/9N: developmentand printing of an interpre-tive guidebook for theWhiteface/AuSable RiverRegion;

• development and printing of a Citizen’s Guide to mitigat-ing stream and road corridor erosion;

• Routes 73, 86, and 9N: development and printing of a map/brochure on the AuSable River and adjacent road corri-dors;

• creation of a web site on the AuSable River watershed; and• Route 28: development and production of interpretive

exhibit panels for the first Adirondack Community Infor-mation Center in the Town of Inlet.

During 2001 the interpretive exhibit project for the firstAdirondack Community Information Center in Inlet was suc-cessfully completed, serving as a model for two additionalcenters opened later that year in North Creek and Star Lake.The Agency received final approval on its contract with theNew York State Department of Transportation paving the wayfor the implementation of most of the Scenic Byway projects.The New York State Comptroller approved the Agency’s re-quest for a sole-source service agreement with the Town ofKeene to enable the Town to take the lead on the Hamlet andMarcy Field projects. A contract between the Agency andthe Town was subsequently developed and approved and

project planning is under way.Requests for proposals (RFP)for this work are scheduled tobe released in early 2002.

The Agency also expects to re-lease an RFP and put aconsultant under contract in2002 for development andcompletion of four linked inter-pretive exhibit stations along theRoute 28 Upper Hudson RiverCor r idor in the Town ofJohnsburg. The Agency alsohired a graphic designer to as-

sist in the development of a citizens guide, map materials, andweb site development. All of this work is under way and isexpected to be complete in 2002.

These Scenic Byway projects will help contribute to the en-hancement, preservation and protection of some of the Park’smost valuable scenic road corridor resources, as well as pro-vide substantial benefits to a number of Park localgovernments.

PARK POLICY & PLANNING SERVICES 23

James Hotaling receives recognition from Commissioners Frank Mezzano(left) and James Townsend (far right) for his 25 years of dedicated service tothe State of New York.

24 PARK POLICY & PLANNING SERVICES

Work on all of the Agency’s Scenic Byway-funded projects isexpected to be completed over the course of the next threeyears.

Geographic Information System,Cartographic Services, and Records ManagementPrincipal among the Year 2001 accomplishments in the Plan-ning Division’s GIS and cartographic services unit are (1) theupdate and reprinting of the Adirondack Park Land Use andDevelopment Plan Map (including update of the State landportion of this map), (2) production of the shared AdirondackPark GIS CD, and (3) development of an interactive mappingapplication that enables internet users to access the Agency’sState and private land class map from the NYS web banner.Visitors to the State’s World Wide Web sites are able to viewand zoom in on any area of the Park to view the private andState lands maps and classifications, waters, roads, municipalboundaries and similar map features.

Cartographic staff continued to enhance the electronic infor-mation available to all staff on their desktops through theAgency’s “Look-up” System. This system uses GeographicInformation System software to combine maps, such as theOfficial Land Use and Development Plan Map, with data suchas information about property ownership from real property

tax rolls, or prior Agency determinations from the Agency’spermit and jurisdictional inquiry indexes. Regarding theAgency’s shared CD, during the year staff compiled over 50data layers from 11 data producers to enhance the use andaccess of the information by local governments and others.

Public access to the Agency’s GIS resources continues to beprovided through the New York State GIS Clearinghouse,maintained on the Internet by the NYS Office for Technol-ogy.

At present the available interactive mapping information islimited to the base map and official land classifications as ademonstration of new on-line public services being consid-ered at the Agency. Planning Division staff maintain theAgency’s web site home page, which received over 22,000visits in 2001.

Planning staff also supervise the Agency’s records manage-ment program. Over 110 boxes of materials were processedfor microfilming and archival storage in 2001. Staff also initi-ated work on establishing a new and faster CD-formattedrecord retrieval system, intended to eventually replace theAgency’s need to maintain microfiche records.

The bulk of the work of theAgency’s AdministrationCommittee focused on re-view and discussion of theTelecommunications TowersPolicy revision being led bythe Planning Division, whichwas initiated in August of2000. This work involved de-tailed discussions with aconsultant hired to spearheadthe effort, the LA Group ofSaratoga, New York. In addi-tion to numerous Agencymeetings and discussions onthis project, five public meetings were held on the proposedpolicy revisions. An updated policy was adopted in early 2002.The Committee put the finishing touches on the Public Com-ment Policy and Meeting Minutes Policy. The Administration

Committee also spent time re-viewing and commenting onthe updated Citizen’s Guide,which is intended to providebasic information about theAgency’s land use regulatoryauthority. The new Citizen’sGuide, released last year, hasbeen applauded for its freshapproach to providing this in-formation and has been verywell received by the citizensof the Park.

Finally, the Committee beganthe process of sorting out and reviewing all existing Agencypolicies and memorandums of understanding with the goalof bringing them up-to-date and including them in the over-all policy system.

| ADMINISTRATION SERVICES |

ADMINISTRATION SERVICES 25

Agency Secretary Bettijane Forrester receives accolades from Commissioner CecilWray, Chairman Lefebvre, and Commissioner William Kissel for her 25 years ofservice.

26 STATE LAND SERVICES

What an exciting time for theprotection, recreational useand enjoyment of theAdirondack’s State land. Un-der Governor Pataki’sleadership the Agency has ini-tiated a number of projects toaccomplish these goals and toresolve a number of long-standing issues.

With the support of the De-partment of EnvironmentalConservation (DEC), an ad-ditional staff person has beenadded to the State Land staffwith the expectation the Agency will fulfill its part of theGovernor’s commitment to complete all unit managementplans in the Park.

A summary of the many State land activities is provided be-low.

Unit Management Planning InitiativeWise management of our State land resources and qualityrecreational opportunities in the Adirondack Park are thecornerstone of Governor Pataki’s initiative to complete allunit management plans for the Adirondack Park. For the pastyear the Agency has been fully committed to and engaged inthis effort.

The Agency was involved throughout the year in the devel-opment and review of 32 individual unit management plansand plan amendments drafted by the DEC and the OlympicRegional Development Authority. This work involved 25site visits, 30 meetings with DEC staff, and 35 responses toDEC requests for information or advice. Staff also partici-pated in two unit management planning conferences organizedby the DEC and created a set of GIS CD-ROMs containing

important, current resourcedata for use by the plannersin their effort.

Americanswith Disabilities ActIn July a landmark settlementof the Galusha lawsuit wasachieved–with Agency par-ticipation–that has cleared theway for implementation ofthe Americans with Disabili-ties Act within the ForestPreserve. This positive turnof events in Park history cre-ates significant new

opportunities for the disabled while preserving the manage-ment of our public land in a manner consistent with the NewYork State Constitution and the Adirondack Park State LandMaster Plan.

| STATE LAND SERVICES |

Agency Commissioner William Kissel visits with the Agency’s Counselor JohnBanta and State Land Project Coordinator Walk Linck at the Agency’s Kid’sChristmas party.

Agency Chairman Lefebvre with Department of Environmental ConservationCommissioner Erin Crotty at the state fair in Syracuse in August, 2001.

Agency ActionsAn amendment to the White-face Mountain Ski Area UnitManagement Plan was ap-proved by the Agency at itsJuly meeting. This amend-ment has enabled the OlympicRegional Development Au-thority to maintain WhitefaceMountain’s international cer-tification and prominence inthe world of downhill ski rac-ing and allows that venue tocontinue to attract world-classskiing competitions to theAdirondacks.

A revised State Land policy on Agency Review of Unit Man-agement Plans was adopted at the October meeting. Thisimportant policy is aimed at ensuring a consistent and timelyprocess for review of unit management plans. It also marks anew day of invigorated cooperation and improved workingrelationships with our sister agency, the DEC.

In addition to unit manage-ment plan activities, 42separate State land projects orissues demanded the involve-ment of staff. A few of thesewere critical and difficult is-sues concerning compliancewith the Adirondack ParkState Land Master Plan.

Comprehensive AdirondackSnowmobile PlanThe Agency participated indiscussions with the DEC andthe Office of Parks, Recre-

ation and Historic Preservation on the development of a planto provide for long-term recreational opportunities forsnowmobilers in the Adirondack Park. We look forward tocontinued work on this project in the coming year and tohearing public perspectives concerning it.

STATE LAND SERVICES 27

Agency Regional Planner Chuck Scrafford (foreground) on a site visit on StonyPond in the Vanderwhacker Wild Forest with Project Supervisor for State LandsWalter Linck.

28 ADIRONDACK PARK LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW BOARD

Section 803-a of the Adirondack Park AgencyAct provides for the establishment of theAdirondack Park Local Government ReviewBoard. As provided by law, the purpose of theReview Board is to advise and assist theAgency in carrying out its mission. TheAgency enjoys a strong working relationshipwith the Review Board through open discus-sion and dialogue focused on local governmentperspectives.

Agency Members and staff regularly attend theReview Board meetings which are heldmonthly throughout the Adirondack Park. At

the monthly Adirondack Park Agency meet-ings, Review Board staff play a prominent andactive role in all deliberations. The Agency’sefforts to achieve balanced decision makingare greatly enhanced by this dialogue.

In keeping with his commitment to foster astrong working relationship with the com-munities of the Adirondack Park, GovernorPataki included $50,000 in operating fundsfor the Adirondack Park Local GovernmentReview Board in the Agency’s budget.

Local Government Review Board StaffCHAIRMAN, Lloyd Moore, St. Lawrence CountyEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Joseph T. RotaCOUNSEL, John C. McDonaldSECRETARY, Carol A. Monroe

Members of the Adirondack Park Local Government Review BoardClinton County ..................................................................... John Maye/Howard AubinEssex County ......................................................................... Dale French/John ParadisFranklin County ..................................................................... Nellie StavesFulton County ....................................................................... Sylvia Parker*Fulton County ....................................................................... Theodore J. Collins, David Edwards (alt.)Hamilton County ................................................................... Richard Amadon/Barry HutchinsHerkimer County .................................................................. Henry Eykelhoff/George Hiltebrant/Linda EykelhoffLewis County ......................................................................... Randolph KerrSt. Lawrence County .............................................................. Lloyd Moore (Chairman)Saratoga County ..................................................................... Bruce Brownell/Jean RaymondWarren County ...................................................................... John O’Neill/Frederick H. MonroeWashington County ............................................................... Bob Banks/John LaPointe*Special liaison

Contact: Joseph Rota, Executive Director, Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board, PO Box 63, Huletts Landing,New York 12841, Phone 518-499-2753.

ADIRONDACK PARK

| LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW BOARD |

Local Government Review BoardExecutive Director Joseph T. Rotameets with Governor Pataki at LPQuinn middle school in Tupper Lake.

The Adirondack Park Institute, Inc. (API) is a New York Statenot-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. It wasfounded in 1989 by a Statewide constituency of private citi-zens interested in raising money to provide environmentallyfocused educational curricula and resources to our commu-nities through the Adirondack Park Visitor Interpretive Centers(VICs).

API is the private funding vehicle for program developmentand resource enhancement at both the VICs. The API’s mis-sion is to give children and their parents the tools to answertheir own questions and learn how to think, especially aboutcaring for the environment around them.

The funding for promotion and support of the educationalprograms available at the Centers comes from two principalsources: the general public in the form of API membershipsand donations, and grants from corporate sponsors and foun-dations.

The API’s goal for the future is to continue to promote andfacilitate funding for the ever-changing and developing pro-grams offered at the Visitor Interpretive Centers. It is essentialto continue to provide communities, and especially children,with up-to-date information concerning the environmentaround them. It is with this knowledge that they may bettercomprehend, relish, utilize and protect the Adirondack Park.

Adirondack Park Institute, Inc.PRESIDENT, Col. Robert C. Lilly, USAF (Ret.)SECRETARY, Mary E. LyleTREASURER, Herman F. ColeASSISTANT TREASURER, George H. CanonVICE PRESIDENT, Development/Membership,

Charles F. Monzeglio, Jr.

TRUSTEES

Frank A. Augsbury, Jr.Sarah BogdanovitchThad P. CollumMichael I. GermanThomas H. GosnellWilliam B. HaleFrank M. HutchinsPieter V.C. LitchfieldGeorge MillerCharles E. SporckRobert Stegemann

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Richard J. Bartlett, Esq.Wayne H. ByrneScott F. Cristman, Esq.Douglass C. Harvey

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Linda J. BennettP.O. Box 256Newcomb, NY 12852518-582-2022

| THE ADIRONDACK PARK INSTITUTE, INC. |

THE ADIRONDACK PARK INSTITUTE, INC. 29

30 2001 BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS & STATISTICS SUMMARY

The Adirondack Park Agency operates three facilities: itsHeadquarters in Ray Brook and two Visitor Interpretive Cen-ters, one in Paul Smiths, Franklin County, and the other inNewcomb, Essex County. In addition to the operating fundsfor these facilities, the Agency’s budget contains a $50,000appropriation for the ongoing operation of the AdirondackPark Local Government Review Board.

The following are the funds appropriated for the 2001-2002fiscal year for the operation and staffing of facilities:

Total Operating Funds $ 4,295,000Local Government Review Board $ 50,000Staffing Level for 2001 65 permanent staff

The Agency budget further contains authorization to receive funds from the United States Environmental Protection Agencyfor ongoing wetland characterization projects in the Park’s major river basins.

Workload Statistics

Project ReviewApplications received ...................................................................... 254Permits issued ................................................................................. 239

Jurisdictional Inquiry OfficeWritten jurisdictional inquiries ....................................................... 853 received, 829 responded to, with an average

8-day response timeTelephone inquiries ........................................................................ 5,582Public inquiries .............................................................................. 309Referrals from other State agencies and departments ....................... 865 receivedFreedom of Information Act inquiries ............................................ 99Wetland delineations ...................................................................... 267 completed in an average of 12.5 days after requestEnforcement cases .......................................................................... 172 current and 2,474 backlog cases closedSite visits conducted ....................................................................... 488State Land Team activities ............................................................... 52 site visits; 80 meetings with DEC;

32 UMPs and 42 projects reviewedVIC Visitors .................................................................................... 96,593VIC School Groups and Special Program attendance ...................... 24,796

2001 BUDGET

| APPROPRIATIONS & STATISTICS SUMMARY |

The Agency bids farewell to staff…

Michael Storey retired inMay. An Adirondack ParkNaturalist, Mike had beenwith the Visitor Interpre-tive Center in Paul Smithssince the facility openedin 1989. He worked forthe Agency in Ray Brookprior to his Paul Smithsappointment, providing

his skills as an Adirondack Park Naturalist in the PlanningDivision. Mike can be credited with much of the design andlayout of the trail systems at both Visitor Interpretive Centers,as well as having a strong hand in the successful InterpretiveProgram the Agency enjoys today.

Alex Hyatt resigned in March. The Senior Public Informa-tion Specialist since 1999, he moved to the Albany region,where he now works for the New York State Office for theAging.

Karen Roy, a long-servingstaff member in theAgency’s RASS unit leftthe Agency to becomethe Director of theAdirondack Lakes SurveyCorporation here in Ray

Brook. The Agency looks forward to many cooperative ini-tiatives with Karen in the future.

Agency Counsel, CharlieFox, accepted a position inthe Governor’s Office inAlbany. The Agency isgrateful for his many con-tributions including rulerevision and policy devel-opment projects.

Sandra Bureau resignedas Director of Interpre-tive Programs to pursueopportunities in the pri-vate sector. She firstserved on the originalVIC Education AdvisoryCommittee and as one of

the first teachers in residence, while a science teacher in LongLake. Sandy was the first naturalist and facility manager forthe Newcomb VIC and worked there from its opening in1990 until becoming Division Director in 1996.

The Agency welcomes new staff…

Andy Flynn joined theAgency’s Visitor Inter-pretive Center in PaulSmiths in July as the newSenior Public Informa-tion Specialist for bothVIC facilities. He is a ten-year veteran of the

journalism trade in the Adirondack Park region, which in-cluded stints as editor and reporter at both the AdirondackDaily Enterprise in Saranac Lake and the Lake Placid Newsand as reporter for North Country Public Radio in Canton.Andy received a bachelor’s degree in communication fromthe SUNY College at Fredonia in 1991.

| CHANGING FACES |

CHANGING FACES 31

32 CHANGING FACES

Cara McCann joined theAgency’s Visitor Interpre-tive Center in Paul Smithsin February as the newArtist Designer 4. Prior toher current job, she taughtvideo art for The Ark, anafter-school program inthe City of Troy. She also

has experience teaching arts and crafts. Cara received abachelor’s degree in Latin American studies from SUNYBinghamton and a master’s degree in studio art from SUNYAlbany in 2000.

Penny Dufrane joinedthe Agency’s Visitor Inter-pretive Center in PaulSmiths in April as theCleaner. Prior to her ap-pointment, this St. RegisFalls native worked at PaulSmith’s College for 12years in the maintenancedepartment.

Ed Snizek joined theAgency’s Legal Divisionin March of 2001 as an ad-ditional EnforcementOfficer hired to help re-duce the backlog of openenforcement cases. Ed alsoserves as the Agency’sHealth and Safety Officer.Ed worked for the

Clinton County Health Department as the Director of Envi-ronmental Health for ten years prior to joining the Agency.He has also held positions with the Oneida Health Depart-

ment and the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation. Ed earnedhis bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University, Vir-ginia, and his master’s degree in zoology from DePauwUniversity, Indiana.

Walt Linck joined theAgency as a Project As-sistant (State Land) in thePlanning Division. Walt’sjob is to assist theGovernor’s Priority Ini-tiative of completing allunit management plansin the Adirondack Park.Walt has earned abachelor’s degree in bi-ology and a master’s in

environmental science from the SUNY College of Environ-mental Science and Forestry. He has held a variety of positionsin environmental education programs and most recently di-rected the Adirondack AmeriCorps Program.

Sean Connin joined theAgency as the AssociateProject Analyst, Freshwa-ter, in the RASS unit.Sean brings experiencein environmental re-search, teaching, andmanagement to theAgency’s efforts to pro-tect and enhance thefreshwaters of the

Adirondack Park. Sean has an undergraduate degree from theUniversity of Colorado, holds advanced degrees from Yale andDartmouth, and has done postdoctorate work at the Univer-sities of Arizona and Arkansas. He has held a variety of privatesector and public positions. Most recently, he directed theAdirondack Aquatic Institute at Paul Smith’s College.

As we reported in the2000 Annual Report,Sunita Halasz, became apermanent member ofthe RASS staff throughappointment to an Envi-ronmental ProgramSpecialist position. Shehad been working withthe Agency on two EPA-funded watershed projectssince 2000. Sunita holds

both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Cornell Univer-sity. Her expertise in the use of geographic information systeminformation and technologies has helped advance a numberof Agency initiatives and projects.

Jennifer Okonuk joinedthe Agency as a ProjectAssistant to the Enforce-ment program. A PaulSmith’s College graduate,Jennifer has been involvedin and focused her workload on the Agency’s ef-for ts to reduce theEnforcement backlog.

In Memory

The Agency sadly notes the passing of Harold Jerry, a pro-genitor of the Agency who was legendary for his love of thePark and tireless efforts to protect its resources.

We also lost “our best man” George R. Farrell in 2001. Georgewas a long-time staff member renowned for his quick witand personality. George loved people and will be long re-membered for the profound impact he had on those whocame in contact with him.

The Agency bid a fond farewell to Robert Traver, who alsopassed away in 2001. Bob was a long-time volunteer in theAgency’s Economic Development Services Program. He wasa summer resident of Mt. Arab in the Town of Piercefield.

Jack Cogan, a long-time VIC volunteer who spearheaded thesummer astronomy program at the Paul Smiths VIC, passedaway in December after moving west. During his tenure, hetaught thousands of people about the stars, solar system andgalaxies – looking at sunspots in the morning and gazing atstars long into the night. Before he left the area, Jack donatedhis astronomy equipment to the Paul Smiths facility.

CHANGING FACES 33

34 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE

The Agency realized significantprogress on implementation ofits strategic plan. ImprovingAgency effectiveness and effi-ciency was evident in thefollowing achievements:

• adoption of the first install-ment of Agency regulatorychanges;

• development and use of newAgency permit shells and ap-plication forms;

• reissuance of a general permitfor removal of beaver damsand initiation of work on other general permits;

• initiation of an effort to redesign the Agency web site;• completion and distribution of a new Citizen’s Guide to

Adirondack Park Land Use Regulations;• development of a draft plan for evaluating Adirondack Park

cultural, economic, and natural resource trends;• continuation of county outreach meetings, and develop-

ment and release of a new monthly newsletter “CommunityChat;” and

• resolution and closure ofseveral thousand outstandingAgency enforcement cases.

The Agency’s Strategic Planemphasis in 2002 will continueto be on performance measure-ment activities, and productsthat will help the Agency pro-duce a more timely and efficientproject review process, reducethe backlog of enforcementcases, and expand the numberand type of public outreach andtraining opportunities available.

The Agency is grateful for the contributions of Mr. RickPilarski of the New York State Governor’s Office on Em-ployee Relations and Mr. Tony Kirby of the New York StateThruway Authority and their respective agencies for partici-pating in this project. Both freely shared their expertise in allaspects of strategic planning and played a major role in thedevelopment and ongoing implementation of the Agency’sPlan.

| STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE |

Tony Kirby of the New York State Thruway Authority and Rick Pilarski ofthe Governor’s Office of Employee Relations, receive an award ofappreciation for their work with the Agency’s Performance Measurementstrategies from Daniel Fitts in June, 2001.

Each year, the Agency celebrates Earth Day by recognizingthose who have given something special to the AdirondackPark. The 2001 Earth Day awards were presented to the fol-lowing individuals who contributed in some way for thispurpose:

Nellie Staves, Tupper Lake–protection of fish and wildlife;Heidi Kretser, Wildlife Conservation Society–Adirondack

Community Information Centers;Theresa Sayward, Town of Westport Supervisor–Noblewood

Park Project;Joe Boardman, Commissioner, NYS DOT–environmental

sensitivity in highway construction;Jim Tinney, NYS DOT–promoting interagency coopera-

tion on roadside landscapes;Stu Buchanan and Sandy LeBarron, NYS DEC–projects to

improve wastewater treatment;Gary Gunther, Environmental Facilities Corporation–

projects to improve water quality; andWilliam Muszynski, US Environmental Protection Agency–

wetland protection projects.

US Highway Administration AwardChairman Lefebvre and Dan Spada of our RASS Division,on behalf of the Agency, proudly received an award from theFederal Highway Administration in Washington, DC, for theDivision’s work on the Nuisance Aquatic Vegetation Programalong Adirondack Park roadsides. Joining the Agency in re-ceipt of this award are the project partners, the New YorkState Department of Transportation, the New York State De-partment of Environmental Conservation, and the AdirondackNature Conservancy.

Adirondack Council AwardAt its annual meeting in the summer of 2001, the AdirondackCouncil presented an award for the interpretive programingat the Visitor Interpretive Centers. Chairman Lefebvre ac-cepted the award on behalf of the Agency and expressed hispride and appreciation to the Council in his acceptance speech.

| AGENCY AWARDS |

AGENCY AWARDS 35

AdministrationDaniel T. Fitts, Executive DirectorVictoria Hristovski, Director of Public InformationDeborah Lester, Secretary to Executive DirectorStephen M. Erman, Special Assistant, Economic AffairsJudith A. Smith, Head ClerkPatrick Farrell, General MechanicSusan A. Carey, Calculations Clerk 2Lauretta H. Bullis, Keyboard Specialist 1Bettijane Forrester, Keyboard Specialist 1Robert Kreider, Senior Computer Program AnalystHoward Baker, Green ThumbCharlyne Phillips, Green Thumb

LegalCharles G. Fox, Counsel (left Agency 4/01)Barbara A. Rottier, Associate CounselKathleen D. Talbot, Secretary 2Richard R. Terry, Senior AttorneyEllen Egan George, Senior AttorneyMitchell Goroski, Senior AttorneyPaul Van Cott, Senior AttorneyColleen C. Parker, Environmental Program Specialist 1Rita G. Quinn, Environmental Program Specialist 1Brian Ford, Environmental Program Specialist 1Emily M. Tyner, Environmental Program Specialist 1Donald D. Smith, Environmental Program Specialist 1Michael P. Hannon, Environmental Program Specialist 1Edward S. Snizek, Environmental Program Specialist 1

(joined Agency 2/01)Susan Van Wormer, Keyboard Specialist 1Mary Reardon, Keyboard Specialist 1

PlanningJohn S. Banta, Director of PlanningEdward J. Hood, Assistant Director of PlanningPatricia A. Kimpton, Secretary 1Nancy M. Heath, Principal ClerkSusan H. Parker, Cartographic Technician 3James W. Hotaling, Chief, Local Government ServicesHenry A. Savarie, Senior Natural Resource PlannerCharles W. Scrafford, Supervisor of Regional PlanningJohn W. Barge, Senior Natural Resource PlannerWalter W. Linck, Project Coordinator(State land)

(joined Agency 2/01)

Resource Analysis & Scientific ServicesRaymond P. Curran, Supervisor, Natural Resource AnalysisDavid B. Fleury, Soil & Water Engineering SpecialistSean Connin, Associate Project Analyst, Freshwater

(joined Agency 5/01)Brian F. Grisi, Associate Project Analyst, Forest ResourcesDaniel M. Spada, Associate Project Analyst, Biological ResourcesKaren M. Roy, Project Analyst, Physical Resources

(left Agency 2/01)Mark W. Rooks, Biologist 2 Trainee (Ecology)Sunita S. Halasz, Environmental Program Specialist 1

(joined Agency 3/01)

Regulatory ProgramsWilliam J. Curran, Director of Regulatory ProgramsMark Sengenberger, Assistant Director of Regulatory ProgramsTheresa LeBaron, Secretary 1Tracy Frechette, Keyboard Specialist 1Richard D. Jarvis, Environmental Program Specialist 3Gary J. Duprey, Environmental Program Specialist 2George V. Outcalt, Environmental Program Specialist 2John L. Quinn, Environmental Program Specialist 2Suzanne B. McSherry, Environmental Program Specialist 1Thomas E. Saehrig, Environmental Program Specialist 1Virginia Yamrick, Environmental Program Specialist 1Douglas Hamernik, Environmental Program Specialist Trainee

Interpretive ProgramsPaul Smiths Visitor CenterSandra Bureau, Director of Interpretive Programs (left Agency 12/01)Joanne B. McDowell, Administrative AideMichael J. Storey, Environmental Educator 3 (retired 5/01)Michael Brennan, Environmental Educator 3Andy Flynn, Senior Public Information Specialist (joined Agency 7/01)Cara McCann, Artist Designer 4 (joined Agency 2/01)Brian McCallister, Coordinator of Volunteer ServicesClarence G. Hare, Maintenance Supervisor 1Robbie Cox, LaborerPenny Dufrane, Cleaner (joined Agency in 4/01)

Newcomb Visitor CenterRynda McCray, Environmental Educator 3Ellen Rathbone, Environmental Educator 1Mary Hall, Coordinator of Volunteer ServicesKathleen Jennings, Keyboard Specialist 1Michael Tracy, Maintenance AssistantEmily Dehoff, Seasonal Naturalist

| STAFF ROSTER |

36 STAFF ROSTER

Agency staff in Ray Brook: Back row, from left: Ed Snizek; George Outcalt; Gary Duprey; Ray Curran; Sean Connin; Douglas Hamernik; Nancy Heath; RobertKreider; Brian Grisi; Theresa LeBaron; Thomas Saehrig; James Hotaling; John Banta; Mitchell Goroski; Richard Terry; John Quinn; Daniel Fitts and Ed Hood. Middlerow, from left: David Fluery; Susan Parker; Susan Carey; Patricia Kimpton; Kathleen Talbot; Susan Van Wormer; Deborah Lester; Mary Reardon; Tracy Frechette; MarkSengenberger; William Curran and Howard Baker. Front row, from left: Patrick Farrell; Daniel Spada; Henry Savarie; Sunita Halasz; Paul Van Cott; Mark Rooks; JohnBarge; Suzanne McSherry; Walt Linck; Cheri Phillips and Emily Tyner.

State of New York Paul Smiths Visitor Newcomb VisitorAdirondack Park Agency Interpretive Center Interpretive CenterRoute 86 Route 30 Route 28NP.O. Box 99 P.O. Box 3000 P.O. Box 101Ray Brook, NY 12977 Paul Smiths, NY 12970 Newcomb, NY 12852518.891.4050 518.327.3000 518.582.2000www.state.ny.us

George E. Pataki, GovernorRichard H. Lefebvre, ChairmanDaniel T. Fitts, Executive Director

The Adirondack Park Agency

Documents

Transcript of The Adirondack Park Agency