Legislative session delivers mixed outcomes, notes ADK Council

ELIZABETHTOWN | The Adirondack Park will benefit from several funding and policy victories during the just-concluded session of the State Legislature but still faces continued setbacks on key issues, the Adirondack Council said. In a session that delivered mixed outcomes for the Park's environment and rural communities, the Adirondack Council applauded efforts to broaden the diversity and technical knowledge of the Adirondack Park Agency board. The organization lauded the approval of an important Constitutional Amendment that will protect state Forest Preserve. But the Council was discouraged by the lack of progress to curb road salt pollution, it said. Road salt is already causing significant harm to water quality and public health across the Adirondacks and throughout the State. "Overall, it was a solid Legislative Session for the Adirondacks," said Adirondack Council Executive Director Raul J. Aguirre. "Gaining final approval for the Constitutional Amendment on Mt. Van Hoevenberg capped a years-long effort to defend the 'forever wild' clause of the New York Constitution. The end of session also brought approval for better deer management and improved water quality monitoring...The Senate also approved a slate of new board members for the Adirondack Park Agency that broadens diversity and the technical expertise of the APA board." "We're disappointed that the Assembly didn't pass legislation establishing a New York State Road Salt Reduction Council," Aguirre said. "We have great tools for preserving winter road safety and for protecting water from salt contamination. What we need is an oversight board that coordinates efforts between agencies statewide and reports on progress. No one agency is equipped to do this job." The bill would have created a Road Salt Reduction Council and Citizen Advisory Committee to implement the suite of best practices developed through the work of the Randy Preston Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force, which issued its report in 2023. Road salt is a health hazard in drinking water, degrades infrastructure, rusts out home appliances, and depletes oxygen from lakes and ponds, killing plants, fish and other aquatic wildlife. Lake Association Bill Passes Senate, not Assembly The Adirondack Council also said it had hoped the Legislature would pass a bill to provide technical support and funding to lake associations to develop and implement watershed management plans that address invasive species controls, cleanup of failing septic systems, road salt contamination, and other threats to water purity. The bill (S.1733/A.2627) passed in the Senate but not the Assembly. PFAS Biosolid Spreading A bill to stop the spreading of sludge and other materials containing PFAS (known as 'forever chemicals') passed the Senate but stalled in the Assembly. Constitutional Amendment Will Be on Nov. 4 Ballot Statewide Aguirre said the Adirondack Council would work to educate and inform voters about the merits of the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Amendment that would resolve existing encroachments on protected public lands at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex. The amendment presents voters with an opportunity to approve an agreement under which the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) would purchase no less than 2,500 acres of new Forest Preserve to compensate state residents for having constructed part of the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic facilities on more than 300 acres of Forest Preserve lands. The amendment would also prohibit ORDA from building tourist attractions that are incompatible with the Forest Preserve, such as zip lines or slope-side hotels/condominiums on the Forest Preserve it manages. As a component of its outreach, the Council will reactivate its Committee to Defend Forever Wild to manage its outreach campaign. Enabling Legislation Awaits Governor's Signature The Legislature also passed the "enabling legislation" needed to carry out the details of the agreement. That bill will require the Governor's signature. Aguirre said the Council would urge her to approve it prior to Nov. 4, so the voters know how it will be implemented before they cast ballots. Unlike some recent amendments, this one is not a land swap. The lands under ORDA's sports facilities will remain public Forest Preserve, and the 2,500 acres purchased in compensation will become Forest Preserve too. The amendment was sponsored by Assemblyman D. Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay, and Senate Environmental Conservation Committee Chairman Pete Harckham, D-Peekskill. The enabling legislation was sponsored by Jones and Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury. Details on Other Important Bills Passed with Support of the Adirondack Council Crossbow legislation (S.6360a/ A.8330a) This bill would redefine a crossbow as archery equipment rather than as a "muzzle-loading weapon," which would allow for a much longer hunting season and fewer restrictions on use. Crossbows could be used to hunt big game such as deer anywhere and any time longbows are allowed. The deer population is causing significant damage to forest regeneration in parts of the state. Crossbows are more user-friendly, and accessible to diverse populations. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Harckham and Assemblymember Carrie Woerner, D-Saratoga Springs. Open Water Data Act (S.1211a/ A.5254a) This bill advances a top recommendation in the Adirondack Council's VISION 2050: Fulfilling the Promise of the Adirondack Park urging state officials to establish a shared research agenda for the Adirondack Park. It requires all water quality data collected in New York State to be shared through the state's OpenNY data sharing platform. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Rachel May, D-Syracuse and Assemb. Anna Kelles, D-Ithaca.

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Legislative session delivers mixed outcomes, notes ADK Council

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