Greenway merger faulted

NYC: Gas Drilling Will Raise the Cost of Water by 30 Percent

link to complete article is here:
http://www.propublica.org/article/new-york-city-calls-gas-drilling-effects-crippling-1216#6643 Using some of the strongest language yet regarding the impacts that natural gas drilling in New York state could have on New York City's drinking water supply, the city's chief accountant warned state officials that drilling could have "crippling implications" for the city's water system.

City Comptroller William Thompson wrote State Department of Environmental Conservation officials Monday following a city council hearing about the threats upstate drilling might pose for the city. Thompson warned that drilling near the Catskill reservoirs that provide some nine million people with drinking water could degrade the water quality enough to force the city to build a new $10 billion water treatment plant. New York City is currently one of just four cities in the U.S. that the EPA allows to provide residents water without any filtration. If that permit is revoked, New York would have to borrow the money for the plant and, Thompson warned, city residents would pay a 30 percent water increase just to cover the interest payments.

Thompson's letter, and the City Council's hearings, follow a series of stories by ProPublica that detail a pattern of water contamination from gas drilling in seven states. We have also raised questions about New York state's regulatory preparedness for gas drilling. After those stories were published, New York began a fresh environmental review and has held a series of public hearings across the state.

Monday, December 22, 2008 By Stephen Williams (Contact) Gazette Reporter link to full article is here: http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2008/dec/22/1222_adirondack_tax_cap/ ADIRONDACKS — Local government officials and environmental groups are finding a rare point of agreement in criticizing Gov. David Paterson’s proposal to cap the state’s property tax payments to local governments on Forest Preserve land. Capping those payments, they said, would break with a policy in place since 1886 to keep local governments and schools from being financially penalized because the state owns Forest Preserve land in those communities. In some Adirondack towns, the state is the biggest landowner. The payments help support local services like schools, clearing roads and fire protection. The governor’s proposal last week as part of his 2009-2010 budget, subject to approval by the Legislature, is that those payments not increase next year, even if local property tax levies go higher. “Clearly, private individuals living on tight budgets don’t have the option of deciding how much property tax they pay, and neither should the state,” said William Farber, president of the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages. Farber is supervisor of the town of Morehouse and chairman of the county board in Hamilton County, where the state is the largest landowner in most towns. “The governor’s plan would bring 122 years of cooperation to a screeching halt,” said Brian L. Houseal, executive director of the Adirondack Council, one of the region’s leading environmental advocacy groups. But Jeffrey Gordon, a spokesman for the state Division of Budget, said the proposal is consistent with plans to freeze all local government aid, as the state wrestles with a projected $15 billion shortfall. “Given the state’s fiscal circumstances, this budget proposes to maintain or reduce aid to local government, and this is consistent with that,” Gordon said. Gordon said the proposal is for all state-owned land subject to property taxes, not just Forest Preserve. The state paid $183.7 million in local taxes statewide last year, he said. That would rise to $187.4 million next year because of new land acquisitions, but Gordon said the payment on any specific piece of state land will be frozen. Groups like the Adirondack Council, Adirondack Mountain Club and Association for Protection of the Adirondacks generally favor more state land ownership of open Adirondack land as a way of preserving the natural environment, and see the state’s tax payments as a way of mitigating potential local opposition. “This is not only unfair, it is bad public policy that would undermine local support for open space protection in the Adirondacks and Catskills,” said Neil Woodworth, executive director of the Adirondack Mountain Club. The state owns about 2.7 million acres within the 6 million-acre Adirondack Park. The proposed cap also applies to about 288,000 Forest Preserve acres in the Catskills. Those lands are protected as “forever wild” under the state constitution, meaning they won’t be logged or otherwise developed. Local state legislators are coming out against the proposed cap, as well. “The state has an obligation to pay its fair share of taxes. Not doing so would shift the state’s responsibility unfairly to local taxpayers,” said Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, the state senator for most of the Adirondacks.

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By Tom Grace

Cooperstown News Bureau

December 16, 2008 04:00 am

link to full article is here: http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_351040018.html/resources_printstory
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If the $2 billion, 400,000 volt NYRI power line must be built, paralleling the Marcy South line would be preferable to following the company's preferred route, according to staff at the state Public Service Commission.

Marcy South is a controversial 345,000 volt power line, operating since the late 1980s. It runs through the towns of Richfield, Exeter, Burlington, New Lisbon, Laurens, Oneonta, Franklin, Delhi, Colchester and Downsville on its way from Oneida to Orange counties.

NYRI Inc. has a preferred route that runs through Chenango and Delaware counties, and an alternative that roughly follows Marcy South. In a letter dated Nov. 26, PSC attorney Steven Blow wrote that the staff has refined a route based on NYRI's Marcy South alternative and believes it is superior to both options the company has offered.

The PSC staff's alternative would deviate less from Marcy South than the company's alternative, and might allow more owners to sell residences than if the project were built along the company's alternative route.

``Briefly stated, we believe an alternative route that includes these segments is more reasonable than both NYRI's proposed route and its Marcy South Alternate,'' he wrote. ``The deviations away from and then back to the Marcy South right-of-way proposed by NYRI result in `islanding' these residences just to avoid taking them, possibly by eminent domain.

``It is the DPS (Department of Public Service) staff position that the affected property owners should be given the option of selling their property to NYRI. Only if they decline should NYRI's proposed deviations be used.''

On Monday, Anne Dalton, PSC spokeswoman, noted that routes come into play only if the commission decides the project is needed, which it has not.

NYRI's proponents say the 190-mile line from Oneida to Orange counties will reduce transmission bottlenecks and improve the flow of electricity to the New York City area. Opponents say the project is destructive and if downstate needs more power, generating facilities should be built close to where the power is needed.

In an e-mail Monday, NYRI spokesman David Kalson said the company would accept running its line along its Marcy South alternative or its original route.

``As you know, the PSC ultimately is responsible for choosing the route,'' he wrote.

Earlier this month, the Otsego County Board of Representatives went on record as opposed to the project. Previously, county board Chair James Powers, R-Butternuts, has said the county and its municipalities will vigorously resist NYRI.

Monday, Rep. Betty Anne Schwerd, R-Burlington, whose house lies in the shadow of Marcy South, said ``I knew they were going to try this. This whole route game is just a bait and switch routine.''

Nearly two years ago, Schwerd predicted that when NYRI was ready to be built, regulators would looking at Marcy South.

Ann Law of Route 357 in Franklin lives next to Marcy South and the last thing she wants to look at is another power line.

``I regret it every time I see it out the window,'' she said.

When Marcy South was built by Power Authority of the State of New York, the preferred route would have come near Otsego Lake and the Davenport home of U.S. Senator Daniel P. Moynihan. Groups formed to fight the preferred route and the line ended up being built along its present course, a path of lesser resistance.

Law said it seemed that a historical pattern is poised to repeat.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.

Tax cap eyed for forest lands Plan could hurt Adirondack towns that rely on state payments for property taxes

link is here: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/storyprint.asp?StoryID=751664

By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer Click byline for more stories by writer. First published: Thursday, December 18, 2008

ALBANY ? If local property taxes in the Adirondacks and Catskills climb in the next year the state won't pay more on its 3 million acres of forever-wild lands, under a cost-cutting measure in Gov. David Paterson's proposed 2009-10 budget. The governor's proposed tax cap would be a first for the state, which started paying local property taxes on state Forest Preserve lands in the Adirondacks in 1886. These payments are key revenue for local governments in areas with large amounts of state land. Paterson wants the Legislature to approve capping state tax payments on such land at 2008 levels. In the future, any portion of increasing town, county or school property taxes not paid by the state would have to be made up through higher taxes on remaining property owners. "The governor's proposal is shortsighted and unfair to all local taxpayers," said Peter Bauer, executive director of the Fund for Lake George. "It has been a point of pride among Adirondack environmental advocates that the state, unlike the federal government, pays its full share of taxes to local governments and school districts throughout the Adirondack and Catskill Parks." Matt Anderson, a Budget Division spokesman, said the tax cap is "consistent" with the governor's plan to freeze aid to local governments during the fiscal crisis. The state Forest Preserve includes 2.7 million acres in the Adirondack Park and 288,000 acres in the Catskill Park. This year, the state paid $69 million in local taxes on forest preserve lands, Bauer said. Around Lake George, Bolton, Dresden and Fort Ann each receive over $1 million annually in combined county, town and school taxes from the state. Many other Adirondack communitiwes receive higher payments due to larger acreages of Forest Preserve within town boundaries. In Warren County, Johnsburg has roughly half its land in the preserve and relies on state taxes for about one-fifth of its budget. "A cap will harm communities and school districts with large amounts of forest preserve as other tax payers within these jurisdictions will inevitably be called upon to pay an inequitable share of local taxes as future costs increase for school costs and various local governmental services and support," Bauer said. Brian Nearing can be reached at 454-5094 or [email protected].

Posted: 2:54 am
December 18, 2008

IT just keeps coming.

Snow and more snow is being dumped on ski areas from the Catskills to the Green Mountains with 3-6 inches falling in this latest storm and more predicted for tomorrow and Sunday.

This sets up great skiing and riding for the Christmas holidays.

After last weeks mention of Killingtons anniversary, our old buddy at Hunter Mountain, Jerry (Two Ls) Villanova, reminds us that Hunter is also in the midst of their 50th anniversary celebration.

The Hunter Mountain Ski Bowl will kick off the festivities Jan. 10. They say the party will continue for 365 days, ending Jan. 9, 2010. In between, there will be lots of parties, events, contests and competitions.

Hunter has been owned for these 50 years by the Slutzkys, who built the mountain trails then purchased it from a group of Broadway folks who built the place as a private playground.

Hunters owner and head of the family, Orville Slutzky, has spent most of that time mastering snowmaking to enhance conditions during Catskills winters.

The resorts first trails were named after New York City streets and locations. The resorts claims to fame, providing the largest singles location between New York and Montreal, and being the "Snowmaking Capital of the World" have drawn skiers and riders for all over the tri-state area.

Hunters snowmaking capabilities and recovery rates are famous with Hunters snowmaking team being called on many times to assist other mountains and events in snowmaking.

"The 50th Anniversary celebration is a one of past, present and future," said Russ Coloton, President of Hunter Mountain. "It is rare to find a family-owned and operated business that has remained as such since its opening. Fifty years of successful operation is something to be proud of in any and all industries, and we'd never be here without our guests."

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Delaware towns to gain from waterfront grant

Delhi News Bureau

December 18, 2008 04:00 am

link to full article here:

http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_353040012.html/resources_printstory

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Delaware County communities are among six towns and villages that will benefit from a recently awarded state Local Waterfront Revitalization Program grant.

The town of Olive applied for a $91,417 grant for the Esopus-Delaware Corridor Revitalization project, which involves six communities along the state Route 28 corridor from Olive in Ulster County to Andes in Delaware County.

The partnership involves the Central Catskills Collaborative, the landscape architecture program of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development.

The groups will conduct community visioning exercises and produce both corridor-wide and site-specific designs for communities along the Esopus Creek and the East Branch of the Delaware River. Student internships will be included, according to a state document announcing LWRP grants.

"This award showcases the importance of community collaboration and the tremendous benefits that arise when towns and counties view each other as neighbors and partners _ not rivals," Lisa Rainwater, Catskill Center executive director said in a media release.

"All the towns along the Route 28 corridor will benefit from this revitalization strategy, and we look forward to working on this project," Olive Town Supervisor Berndt Leifeld said in a media release.

The Central Catskills Collaborative includes representatives from seven municipalities along the Route 28 corridor _ the towns of Andes, Hurley, Middletown, Olive and Shandaken and the villages of Fleischmanns and Margaretville.

The state Department of State Office of Coastal, Local Government and Community Sustainability will coordinate the grant with the town of Olive and provide technical assistance.

The grant grew out of the recent designation of the Esopus Creek as a Designated Inland Waterway by the state Legislature, which was signed into law by Gov. David Paterson in February.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.

link to full article is here:

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/December08/18/CCC_EPF-18Dec08.html

ARKVILLE - Four towns and two villages in the heart of the Catskills are hailing the award of a state grant to help revitalize their communities through the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program of the state Department of State.

The Town of Olive applied for the grant for the Esopus-Delaware Corridor Revitalization project and received over $91,000.

Town of Olive Supervisor Berndt Leifeld said the funds will be used to spruce up the Route 28 corridor to promote tourism and business growth.

“It’s time the state put a little money in (Rt.) 28,” he said. “It happens to be the Catskills’ biggest off-Thruway road and main street, basically, for the Catskills, especially in this area. It needs some work and some beautification and hopefully we can do something.”

Six communities along the Route 28 corridor -- from Olive in Ulster County to Andes in Delaware County – have formed a partnership involving the inter-municipal Central Catskills Collaborative, the landscape architecture program of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and the regional non-profit, The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, Inc. 

Together they will conduct community visioning exercises and produce both corridor-wide and site-specific designs for communities along the Esopus Creek and the East Branch of the Delaware River.