Sunday, November 29, 2020

VW Settlement funds advance clean transportation in NYS and Akwesasne

electric vehicle courtesy decA report from Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA):

Earlier this month, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that $11M in funds from the State’s allocation of the federal Volkswagen Settlement will be used to expand electric transportation infrastructure across New York.

The program addresses goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) to increase access to clean energy and the benefits of sustainable infrastructure. This latest announcement will advance EV adoption and improve access to charging stations in disadvantaged communities in upstate and northern New York.

Charging station developers for the North Country region are invited to apply by February 18, 2021.

This is great news, coming on the heels of ON-RAMP, ANCA’s clean transportation summit, where we convened stakeholders and partners who are committed to advancing clean transportation efforts in the region.

In the far north of the state, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Environmental Division announced it will use Volkswagen Settlement funds to invest in electric vehicles and charging stations in the Akwesasne community. Kudos to the National Tribal Air Association for advocating for Indigenous communities to be included in the federal settlement, and to St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Air Quality Program Manager Angela Benedict, whose hard work resulted in $249K for the purchase of two new trucks and installation of four charging stations in 2019. The second settlement payment will go toward the purchase of low-emission vehicles for the community’s casino and transfer station.


Saturday, November 28, 2020

OSI Protects Warren County Property in Southern Adirondack Foothills

Newly protected property, located west of the West Mountain Ski Area, aids in clean water protection and efforts to fight climate change

The Open Space Institute (OSI) has announced the permanent protection of land in the Town of Lake Luzerne- building on over thirty years of land protection in and around the Adirondack Park Preserve. The town is composed of hard and softwood forests and wetlands, within the Hudson River watershed. This acquisition will be providing protections for clean water, as well as contributing to the fight against climate change via the capture of carbon.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Reminder: Cutoff Date for Fertilizing Lawns is December 1

If you plan to fertilize your lawn this fall, remember that it is against New York State law to fertilize lawns between December 1 and April 1. Some areas also have local laws about selling and using lawn fertilizers.

Visit DEC’s Lawn Fertilizer webpage for more information. The law does not apply to agricultural fertilizer or fertilizer for gardens.

Choose a lawn fertilizer with no phosphorus.

Lawn fertilizer can have unnecessary phosphorus that runs into waterbodies. Excess phosphorus in freshwater lakes and ponds can cause algae overgrowth, with serious impacts to the environment and public health.


Saturday, November 14, 2020

Kildare and Five Mile Recreation Management Plans up for public comment

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Comments on Draft Amendments Due by Dec. 4, 2020
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released for public review and comment revised draft amendments to the Kildare Recreation Management Plan and the Five Mile Interim Recreation Management Plan (RMP).

The revised draft amendments to the Kildare Tract Conservation Easement and the Five Mile Tract Conservation Easement RMPs will provide for public motor vehicle/overland access to the Kildare tract for the first time since it was acquired in 1989.

» Continue Reading.


Friday, November 13, 2020

Harmful algal blooms found on Lake George, Mirror Lake

In an unfortunate coincidence that may be no coincidence at all given the warm temperatures, two of the region’s famed lakes have been partly covered by harmful algal blooms in the past several days.

The first is Lake George, which hadn’t had a confirmed algal bloom on its surface.

The second is Mirror Lake, the lake at the center of the Village of Lake Placid. This algal bloom could also be a first for that lake.

I’ve been writing about the potential for harmful algal blooms to strike Adirondack lakes over the past year, starting with a look at the worst case scenario, which is what years of runoff have done to Lake Champlain. That story include a quick primer on what we’re talking about:

» Continue Reading.


Friday, November 13, 2020

DEC Awards Mohawk River Watershed Grants to Prevent Flooding, Improve Habitat

Mohawk River Watershed and Adirondack ParkNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos has announced funding for seven projects throughout the Mohawk River watershed. The projects will contribute to flood risk reduction and resiliency, improve stewardship and stakeholder engagement, and protect fish and wildlife and associated aquatic and riparian habitats. The grants are supported via the State’s Environmental Protection Fund.

“The Mohawk River basin is an environmental, recreational, and economic asset that will benefit from the projects announced today and the ongoing partnerships we are helping to strengthen,” Commissioner Seggos said. “This funding will help reduce flooding due to climate change, increase habitat, and improve water quality, ensuring the preservation and protection of the Mohawk watershed and the communities that depend on it.”

» Continue Reading.


Monday, November 9, 2020

The ups and downs of the Saranac River

Over the summer, long before any hint of fall and far before the fall of snow, I spent a while on the phone talking about the ups and downs of the Saranac River.

The Saranac was dammed way back in the late-1700s and hasn’t been the same since. Now, a series of dams along the river cause dramatic changes in the flow and elevation of the river. Those changes, the ones that started over 200 years ago and continue to this day, upend the lives of fish and insects in the river and make it hardly the sort of wild river it at first may appear.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, November 9, 2020

Postconsumer Paint Collection Program to begin next year

Hang on to those paint cans in your basement and garage just a little bit longer!

Soon, consumers will have more opportunities to recycle their unwanted waste paint. On December 16, 2019, the Governor signed the Postconsumer Paint Collection Program into law.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, November 8, 2020

Kids take part in invasives control with release of leaf-munching beetles

An adult beetle feeding on a plant

An adult Galerucella beetle feeds on a potted purple loosestrife plant inside a hatchery.

Hamilton County students got a first-hand look at controlling the spread of invasive plants, thanks to the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Leaf Munchers project. As part of the program, kids reared and released leaf-munching beetles to keep the invasive wetland plant purple loosestrife in check.

» Continue Reading.


Thursday, November 5, 2020

Effects of climate change on birds in the Adirondacks

Bird
Boreal forests — and the birds that live in them — are especially sensitive and vulnerable to climate change. Using current research and personal observations, bird expert Joan Collins offers insight into wildlife changes occurring in boreal habitats of the Adirondack forest, primarily as a result of climate change.

An upcoming presentation at 6:30 pm tonight via Zoom will focus on boreal species such as Black-backed Woodpecker, Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, Canada Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Bicknell’s Thrush, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird, and Blackpoll and Palm Warblers, among others, and their high and low elevation habitat. The presentation will utilize photographs, video, and audio of these iconic bird species of the Adirondacks, along with a few mammal species.

The one-time program will be on the Zoom platform and Thursday, November 5th at 6:30 PM EST. Presented by The Wild Center, this live, online program is free for Wild Center members, and is available to others for $15 per household. If not already signed up, click here to register.
After registering for this event, you will receive a confirmation, followed by an email that has the link for joining. The presentation portion will be approximately 45 minutes, followed by Q&A.

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Living the Green Life: Time to Weatherproof

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As leaves and temperatures are falling it’s that time of year for sweaters, apples, and pumpkins. It is also the right time to prepare your home for winter. We have a few tips that you can use to save energy and money, help curb climate change, and preserve natural resources. So, roll up your sleeves – or roll them down and put on proper safety gear if insulating – and let’s start weatherproofing.

Tips for your home:

  • Test run your furnace early in the season to make sure it is ready when cold weather hits.
  • Use foam electric outlet and switch sealers on the inside and outside walls of your home. These sealers are one way to prevent cold air from entering through outlets.
  • Seal cracks in your driveways, walkways, and stairs. This can protect against water seeping in, freezing, and making cracks worse.

Interested in more weatherproofing tips? Visit Living the Green Life on DEC’s website for monthly updates to help you be a friend of the environment. Follow DEC on social media and share your pictures and ideas with us by using #LiveGreenNY in your social media posts — we would love to hear from you.


Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Hikers Seek Solitude and Wildness in the High Peaks, Survey Reveals

Temporary Parking Closures, Parking Permits, Shuttles & Trail Closures Acceptable to Users

Two leading conservation organizations, The Adirondack Council, The Adirondack Mountain Club, and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) released the preliminary results of a two month hiker survey for the High Peaks Wilderness Area, showing most hikers preferred solitude and wildness, and would welcome limits on visitation in order to prevent damage to the “forever wild” forest preserve.

The survey, “Recreational User Experience and Perspectives: Adirondack Park” is undergoing its initial analysis, but the institutions involved look forward to releasing the final results in a few months.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, November 2, 2020

Rangers return from stint fighting western fires

South Dakota, California, and Colorado
Fighting Wildfires: On Oct. 16, DEC welcomed back the State’s third team of Forest Rangers, staff, and volunteers deployed to help battle and contain wildfires raging in western states. The wildland firefighting crew began their assignment on Sept. 30. The crew includes a DEC Forest Ranger crew boss and nine firefighters from the ranks of Forest Rangers and other DEC programs.

Shown at left: New York State wildland firefighter in South Dakota

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, November 1, 2020

Invasion of the Murder Hornets 

They’ve been in the headlines since last December: Giant Murder Hornets Arrive in North America; Murder Hornet Nest Found in Washington State; A Sting that Can Kill.

They look and act like something out of a science fiction movie or taken straight out of a Steven King novel. They’re huge. They spit venom. And their stings can be lethal to humans.

» Continue Reading.


Friday, October 30, 2020

Rivers and Dams

Over the past several months, I’ve begun to explore the role that dams play in the Adirondacks.

There are about 750 in the North Country. About 30 are a hazard with known safety problems. That’s the worrying part about dams.

But, at the moment I write this, about 21 percent of the state’s power is coming from some dam or another, making hydroelectricity one of the cleaner sources of power available.

“Cleaner” — not necessarily greener.

» Continue Reading.



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