APA accepting comments on this and two other projects until Aug. 4
By Gwendolyn Craig
The Adirondack Park Agency is seeking public comments about the building of the Adirondack Rail Trail and its impact on wetlands.
The 34-mile multi-use trail connecting Tupper Lake and Lake Placid will be built out in phases through 2024. In an environmental notice bulletin, the DEC said the entire project build-out will impact less than 0.5 acres of wetlands. The trail will cross the towns of Tupper Lake, Santa Clara, Harrietstown and North Elba.
The APA is accepting public comments on the wetlands impacts through Aug. 4. Comments may be submitted in writing to Bart Haralson at P.O. Box 99, Route 86, Ray Brook, NY 12977 or to RPcomments@apa.ny.gov. Phone comments may also be made to (518) 891-4050.
At the monthly APA meeting in July, Megan Phillips provided commissioners an update on the trail’s progress and alerted them to the comment period. Phillips, the agency’s deputy planning director, said the DEC is in phase one of four.
Construction bids have been received for building out the first section of trail from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake. Phillips said that will be finished in 2023. Phase two will build out the trail from Route 86 by the Aubuchon Hardware store in Saranac Lake to Floodwood Road in Tupper Lake. The final stretch in Tupper Lake is expected to be finished by 2024.
Long Lake dam comments
The agency is also accepting public comments on the repair and rehabilitation of Sperry Pond Dam on Route 30 in the Town of Long Lake. The dam is owned by Cedar Heights Timber. The work involves wetlands and thus requires APA review. The project will bring the dam up to the DEC’s safety requirements.
The comment period ends Aug. 4. Feedback should be submitted to Trevor Fravor at the Adirondack Park Agency, P.O. Box 99, Route 86, Ray Brook, NY 12977 or to RPcommetns@apa.ny.gov.
Broadalbin cabins
A company called LeCavanna out of Putnam County is looking to build a new tourist accommodation in the Town of Broadalbin. The APA is seeking public comments by Aug. 4.
The outfit plans to erect eight 14-foot by 22-foot tent platforms for 14-foot by 16-foot tents. It also wants to convert an existing garage and house into a check-in building and bathouse, expand the existing wastewater treatment system and build a new parking area, according to the project description.
Comments should be submitted to Trevor Fravor at the same addresses as above.
Adirondack policy, in plain speak.
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Has the APA conducted any wetland impact studies on the areas impacted?? Publish the results and give us something to comment on.
What was effected in the wetlands by removing the rails? Wasn’t there a impact study done on the corridor when the rails were in place? ????????
more crap and red tape, they should have left the railroad in place and made the trail next to it…snowmobilers, Atv’s and 4 wheelers will destroy it! Just like many other area’s where out of towners come in and ruin other landowners property.
Why don’t you do a environmently impact statement on my property that was ruined by out of towners ripping up and down the road with smoke and noise pollution!
They have already decided what they are gonna do. They are doing it..
What is the point of “comments” now??
The powers that be are just trying the Protect there backsides
from Protect the XXXXXX pro bono lawyers me thinks
Obviously public comment means nothing or the rails would be out to Old Forge from LP rather than a smoke spewing train on creosote stinking ties to the tune of $19.1 million that only covered a small amount of the rail restoration to Tupper Lake now a year over due and $$$$$$$$$$$$$over budget.