APA chair retires, state approves two new commissioners

RAY BROOK | Adirondack Park Agency (APA) Chairman John Ernst is officially retiring after nearly a decade with the agency. The June meeting was his last to lead APA, a role he accepted in 2021 having been appointed to the Board of Commissioners in 2016. Gov. Kathy Hochul's North Country Regional Representative Ali Webbinaro presented Ernst with a citation from the governor, thanking him for "skillfully guiding APA through complex deliberations on longstanding regional planning issues." Hochul credits Ernst with strengthening APA's legacy of environmental and economic support for local communities and for fostering strong relationships with government leaders and residents. APA Executive Director Barbara Rice said Ernst has led with quiet strength and integrity. "His steady leadership and universal respect for John inside and outside the agency have been vital," she said "His leadership has been so important to our relationships to local government, our ability to increase staffing." With critical guidance on the policy front, Rice said, "we are in a stronger place today and that is very much because of you, John." Ernst will retire at the end of his term, June 30. The state has not yet named the new chairperson. TWO NEW COMMISSIONERS The chairman announced at the meeting's start that the state senate has approved commissioners on unexpired terms. Commissioners Benita Law-Diao, Daniel Wilt, Ken Lynch, Mark Hall and Zoë Smith will continue their work with the APA board. Commissioner Arthur Lussi will continue to serve on his current appointment. Appointments made by Gov. Hochul also cleared the Senate mid-May, adding two new APA board members, Jose Almanzar and Rush Holt Jr., whose terms begin in July. According to an APA news release, Almanzar is an attorney with over 15 years of legal experience in environmental law and policy matters across numerous industries, including real estate and renewable energy. A resident of Nassau County, he will fill an Out of Park seat. Almanzar currently works for the law firm Holland & Knight and is a member of the firm's Public Policy and Regulation Group with legal expertise in environmental due diligence for corporate and real estate transactions, regulatory compliance and permitting, and enforcement defense. Previously an environmental scientist, Almanzar conducted site reviews and assessments and issued project reports. Rush Holt Jr. is a scientist and former United States representative for New Jersey's 12th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in Congress from 1999 to 2015 and on the House Committee on Natural Resources, advocating for environmental legislation to address climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and renewable energy. Holt taught public policy and physics at Swarthmore College, and served as chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science from 2015 to 2019, and led Science magazine as executive publisher. Holt lives in Clinton County and fills in In Park seat. APA's board is comprised of 11 commissioners, eight are nominated by the governor and confirmed by the senate. Five commissioners have to be residents of the Adirondack Park. Three ex-officio members represent the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Department of State (DoS) and the Department of Economic Development. NEW DIRECTOR, REGULATORY PROGRAMS Additional changes in APA staff include the appointment of John Burth as deputy director for Regulatory Programs, a central, supervisory post overseeing APA project review, permitting and enforcement programs. Burth has over 18 years of APA regulatory and enforcement experience. He joined the agency in 2007 as an Environmental Program Specialist 1. Burth holds a Master of Professional Studies in Natural Resource Management from SUNY ESF and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Union College. "Deputy Director Burth brings so much to this position, including a wealth of historical knowledge, an outstanding familiarity with the Adirondack Park's regulatory framework, and a proven track record of steady leadership," Rice said in a statement announcing the new deputy director. "We are excited to see him serve in this critical role at the Adirondack Park Agency." APA is currently working on an amendments package to the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan (ASLMP). At the June meeting, staff provided the board with a summary of public comments received and a proposed final package for discussion. "The majority of comments focused on the accessibility amendments, where the public voiced strong opposition to the addition of other power-driven mobility devices language. Recognizing this, we are stepping back to review this specific part of the package," a memo from APA staff reported to board members. DEC is currently developing statewide policy for mobility devices, and APA will partner with them on policy specific to the Adirondack Park. The slate of proposed APSLMP amendments will go before APA commissioners for discussion and, eventually, to vote later this year.

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APA chair retires, state approves two new commissioners

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