As an environmentally informed resident of Saratoga Springs and an outdoor enthusiast, I feel it is my duty to weigh in on the contentious discussion of the classification of the Boreas Ponds Tract in the Adirondack Park. Concerned citizens of New York cannot allow the Adirondack Park Agency to move forward with any proposal that allows motorized access all the way to the ponds.
The use of snowmobiles and cars, permitted within Wild Forest areas, would scar this landscape.
I understand that nearby towns may favor this proposal because they expect looser regulations will lead to more tourism and stimulation of their economies. However, improved tourism is even more plausible if the landscapes are kept pristine, attracting people from all over the country to hunt, fish, kayak, hike, and camp over the longer period of time that the land will remain unspoiled.
A road and parking lot close to the ponds will lead to harmful runoff from cars and other vehicles into the ponds and surrounding ecosystems.
Jack Curry, Saratoga Springs
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