Application to fire howitzer remains incomplete
By Gwendolyn Craig
The owner of a former Atlas F nuclear missile silo in Lewis is still hoping for Adirondack Park Agency approval to test-fire military artillery made at Benét Laboratories in Watervliet. After nearly two years since the first application submission, however, the agency said it remains incomplete.
Michael Hopmeier, president and principal investigator for Florida-based Unconventional Concepts Inc., has been testing the ballistics of smaller munitions indoors at the missile silo site in rural Essex County. Benét Laboratories is looking to test the internal ballistics of U.S. military cannons to make them lighter, more efficient, and less expensive. The Watervliet Arsenal in Albany County does not have the capacity to test such large-caliber guns, the Army told the Explorer last year.
Unconventional Concept’s latest application proposes testing the internal ballistics of howitzers, a weapon similar to a cannon, with long-range capabilities.
Hopmeier plans to conduct tests in the area of Hale Hill Lane, shooting into a pile of sand and using privately owned Big Church Mountain as a backstop. He plans a series of one to two shots per day for a maximum of three consecutive days, according to records. The tests would occur over five years.
The closest resident to the test site is James Pulsifer, who owns the land on Hale Hill Lane where Hopmeier plans the tests. Pulsifer has been supportive of the project and is leasing his land to Hopmeier.
However, five sets of neighbors expressed concern about the proposal last year, including the owners of Magic Pines Family Campground, whose business is about two miles from the test site.
The APA oversees public and private development in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park, and issued a fourth notice of incomplete application to Unconventional Concepts on March 16. Hopmeier and his attorney Matthew Norfolk responded to some of the agency’s questions in a July 31 submission. The APA said it is waiting for additional information in response to staff’s questions before determining if the application is complete.
Most of the agency’s questions concerned noise the project would generate.
According to the Adirondack Park Agency Act, staff and the board must consider “development considerations” when approving a permit, which could have the “potential for adverse impact upon the park’s natural, scenic, aesthetic, ecological, wildlife, historic, recreational or open space resources.” Noise and noise levels are two considerations.
But Hopmeier does not believe the APA has any valid reasons to deny his application. When asked about his proposed timeline, Hopmeier expressed frustration at how long the application process was taking.
“We’re kind of at their mercy,” Hopmeier said.
The proposed test site is surrounded by parcels assigned a hodgepodge of different land uses. Within a few miles, Taylor Pond Wild Forest and Jay Mountain Wilderness are constitutionally protected forest preserve. Also within a few miles are the mining operations of NYCO Minerals, (which were purchased by Imerys), lands zoned specifically in the park for industrial use.
The howitzer’s sound levels when fired are expected to be above 160 dba, louder than a jet engine, according to the application. At one parcel of nearby wild forest, sound levels from howitzer firing are expected to be around 107 dba, about the equivalent of a chainsaw motor.
At four other nearby wild forest parcels, “no appreciable change to ambient sound levels” are expected. The sound study noted the nearby mining operation is permitted to blast at decibel levels higher than what Unconventional Concepts proposes.
Hopmeier said his testing site is further from sensitive state lands than the mining operation. He thinks the APA feels it is “OK to strip resources out of the park,” but does not want to approve something beneficial to national security.
Hopmeier’s business has submitted a second application to the agency, this one to erect several tents on the missile silo property. The tents will keep various equipment from the rain and hide anything from drones, according to the application records. The APA requires a permit because the tents are considered a “greater than 25% expansion of an existing commercial use.”
The APA has deemed the tent application complete and it is currently out for public comment. Comments are due by Sept. 7 to Fred Aldinger, P.O. Box 99, Ray Brook, NY 12977 or to RPcomments@apa.ny.gov referencing APA Project 2023-0111.
Do we really need howitzer ballistic tests in the Adirondacks? Go do your testing in a desert out west.
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.
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.
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.
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
Will the APA cave in on another Norfolk client?
In this case let’s hope they do.
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
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.
Fair review of the situation.
Thanks!
This sounds quieter than deer season in the southern tier!