About Gwendolyn Craig

Gwen is an award-winning journalist covering environmental policy for the Explorer since January 2020. She also takes photos and videos for the Explorer's magazine and website. She is a current member of the Legislative Correspondents Association of New York. Gwen has worked at various news outlets since 2015. Prior to moving to upstate New York, she worked for a D.C. Metro-area public relations firm, producing digital content for clients including the World Health Organization, the Low Income Investment Fund and Rights and Resources Initiative. She has a master's degree in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She has bachelor's degrees in English and journalism, with a concentration in ecology and evolutionary biology, from the University of Connecticut. Gwen is also a part-time figure skating coach. Contact her at (518) 524-2902 or gwen@adirondackexplorer.org. Sign up for Gwen’s newsletter here.

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Comments

  1. Dan Canavan says

    This should be considered negative encroachment into the principles of having the Adirondack Park in the first place. Once this door is opened it will be very close to impossible to close it. This is a carpet bagger non- resident defense contractor’s self interest project that will degrade the quality of life of many residents of Lewis. I am proud to be an American and live in a free country. Many of the residents of Lewis do not feel that this disturbing intrusion of a project is the sound of freedom. There are other designated places to test munitions and weapons including Fort Drum in New York and the Ethan Allen range in Vermont. I hope that the Adirondack Park Agency will carefully consider the negative ramifications of allowing this project to proceed within their jurisdiction.

  2. Boreas says

    Mines need to be where the resources are. Howitzer firing ranges don’t NEED to be located within the Adirondack Park. Shouldn’t we be looking at DECREASING noise pollution within the Blue Line?

    I live not far from Lewis, and will likely be affected by these blasts. I have also been forced to put up with noise increases from overhead F-35 flights originating in BTV. F-16s were quaintly quiet compared to the “new” F-35s.

    NIMBYism? You bet! My front and back yard are in the Adirondack Park. I used to think that was a good thing, but the area is becoming a dumping ground for unwanted noise downstate.

    • ADKresident2 says

      The owner suggests it would be unpatriotic of the APA not to approve his profit-generating venture? Nice try, but no. Preservation of Park resources trump your own selfish interests.

    • Shawn Typhair says

      My front and back yard are also in the park. I live 25 minutes from Drum as the crow flies. I constantly hear booms and jets Maybe the department of defense should shut Drum down because I shouldn’t have to listen to noise because I live in the park. Lol

  3. Rob says

    One – two shots per day, for 3 consecutive days. So 3-6 shots per week and people are upset about noise?? I’d hate to see what happens when a classic car or a Harley drives by their house. I wonder what my neighbors think when we are at camp and shooting for a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday morning?? Well at least the neighbors who aren’t there

  4. Dan Canavan says

    As a resident of Lewis and having lived most of my life in the Adirondack Park; I don’t necessarily object to APA Project 2023-0111 in regards to erecting “tents”. However, there is no place in the Adirondack Park for his open application 2021-0276 for cannon munitions testing. I feel Mr. Hopmeier is just chipping away at the rock with this current project, further trying to legitimize his development plans. In paraphrasing the mission statement of the Adirondack Park Agency; your role is to protect the resources of the Adirondack Park. Mr. Hopmeier’s attempts at creating a back door proxy military installation is of great concern to many of the residents of Lewis. It should also be of concern to anyone who cares about the Adirondack Park.

    This project is to erect tents to protect his secret drone testing. This is only a small piece of the Hopmeier grand scheme. Mr. Hopmeier is not transparent with his plans and that should be evident to anyone who follows this issue. Specifically, his inability to provide a complete application for the open proposed project for cannon testing. Not only will the cannon testing be a negative disruption to many residents of Lewis, but there is the real potential that it will have a negative impact to wildlife and fish in and around Church Brook that runs through his property as well as many of the surrounding landowners. That being said, The military does not have a strong record of environmental concern.
    It is my understanding the liners of the cannon barrels are very toxic with a potential for ground and water contamination. All residents in the area secure their water from wells.

    Will this proxy military installation negatively impact property values and ruin the area for any future eco-friendly use?

    There is a lack of transparency cloaked in national security. If this project is allowed, Mr. Hopmeier will be allowed to hide his defense contract drones under tents. So what you say, again chipping away at the rock, further legitimizing his grand scheme unchecked. He is currently conducting military training exercises at the site and on leased adjacent property, as well as drone testing and cannon/munitions testing. It appears that Mr. Hopmeier does not care about the residents of Lewis or the potential negative ramifications to the future of the Adirondack Park. An example of his disdain for the residents of Lewis was an unannounced military training exercise that occurred on 3/24/23 and 3/25/23 between the approximate hours of 11:00pm and 4:30 am by having multiple helicopters flying tree top low over many residences with spot lights all night long. As you can imagine many residents were up all night. Also when he is “training” there have been hours of large caliber automatic machine gun gunfire. He does not make a good Adirondack neighbor and is not transparent with his grand scheme.

    Putting on a unbiased hat, I can’t make an argument against “tents”. However, I hope that the bigger picture is being considered with any applications Hopmeier may propose.
    So many people over the years have worked so hard to establish and protect the sanctity of the Adirondack Park. It just feels so “gut” wrong to allow this type of development within the blue line. There is a place for these types of activities; just not in the Adirondack Park. I truly hope that the Adirondack Park Agency representatives will make the correct decision on whether to allow this project. I also hope the Adirondack Park Agency will look not only at the current issues but with the open cannon testing project 2021-0276. Please don’t be swayed by powerful influences that Hopmeier may utilize to get his way. The Adirondack Park Agency in making decisions in regards to Hopmeier’s grand plans, need to look at the bigger picture and the long-term negative issues of allowing a back door proxy military facility to be established and operated in the Adirondack Park.

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