Governor will review rules for lake access
By ZACH SUBAR, The Leader-HeraldA state office has reviewed revisions to the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District's proposed access permit system rules and has sent them to Gov. David Paterson's office without making significant changes.
The Governor's Office of Regulatory Reform, which is charged with "helping the State and its agencies write better rules and regulations," according to its Web site, formally reviewed the revisions after the regulating district's board unanimously adopted them at its May meeting.
The suggested changes were made by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. If adopted, they would take away access permit holders' exclusive rights to the shoreline and make all the land around the lake similar to a public park. Anyone could access any part of the shoreline as long as they arrive there from a public property or from the water.
GORR spokesman Tim Beadnell said the governor's office will now look at the rules. He said GORR had not made any substantial changes to them.
GORR will consult with the governor, his counsel and others before it makes any final recommendations. Once that process is complete, GORR could decide whether to prohibit the regulating district from putting certain rules in the state register, where the rules must be published before a mandatory 30-day public comment period begins. It could also publish the rules in the state register as they now stand.
The regulating district's monthly meeting was scheduled to take place today at 10 a.m. in Inlet, Hamilton County, at the town hall. A good deal of public comment was expected, because the proposed revisions to the rules have sparked anger among the lake's permit holders.
Board member Patrick Dugan, who was absent from last month's Hudson River-Black River meeting, said he would have voted against adopting the rules had he been there. Dugan lives on the lake and has an access permit.
"What the DEC did to the people, or is trying to do to the people up here, is just plain vindictive," Dugan said.
He expressed concern that the rules could cause property values in the area to plummet, and said he would speak out against the rules at the meeting.
Fellow board member Ronald Pintuff, who also lives on the lake and who voted for the regulations, could not be reached for comment.
Some town officials have expressed concern the rules could cause them to close their public beaches.
Mayfield officials have said they are concerned the rules would no longer allow them to charge admission to their town beach, because anyone would be allowed to access the beach from the water. Northampton officials have expressed similar concerns.
Broadalbin Supervisor Lee Hollenbeck said it was possible the rules could cause his town to lose revenue, since it charges more money for out-of-town beach visitors than it does for local people.
Zach Subar can be reached at ruralnews@leaderherald.com
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Patriot1
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06-11-09 11:05 AM
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Architect's comments implies that he is "plugged in" to Albany's inner workings and desires. If indeed so, it is difficult to ascertain why Albany would wish to take an action which would diminish property values which in turn would diminish the tax base. Logically extended, simply another manifestation of Albany's self-defeating dysfunctionality.
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Vroman
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06-10-09 4:52 PM
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I'm tellin' you, the heart of the problem is the APA. Those are the folks that need their feathers trimmed. They've stifled everything from logging to Wal Mart. Jim
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Forthegood
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06-10-09 11:27 AM
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The simple fact in all this debate is that people with a vested (or invested) interest in the rules governing the Sacandaga Lake or any properties for that matter will be the most responsible for the care of not only their interests but for the interests of the greater good.Let the property and permit holders keep the Lake a jewel in southern Adirondacks.
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Bronte415
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06-10-09 6:57 AM
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Why are the rules changing now? Will there be any reason to have a permit system in the future? (loss of revenue) Who will be liable for damage or personal injury? Why would anyone want to buy lakefront property that has no real beach "rights" --like the right to privacy! Why else do people buy waterfront property? What idiot these rules up?
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Discobulous
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06-09-09 11:26 PM
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Hire that lawyer with the run-on sentences. Sounds like she could confuse and confound the enemy with voracious rhetoric. What's a GORR anyway? Sounds scary.
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laker88
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06-09-09 9:32 PM
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and let the class action lawsuit begin....
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TheArchitect
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06-09-09 9:26 PM
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The Governor will review rules for lake access as he signs it into law. The decision has been made, it is now just a formality. The Sacandaga Reservoir will be just the first location where this action will be applied statewide.
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MohawkMan
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06-09-09 8:12 PM
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I have waterfront property on the Mohawk River, and I routinely wake up in the winter with someone x-country skiing in front of my window. It's just a fact of life, I'd never really though much about it till now. It's State property.. But I must tell you that IF all your Sacandaga Lake-ians want to keep this supposed `privledge` of exclusive right to State property, then the legality of the ENTIRE Mohawk river system must be reviewed and changed. Did any (who voted so unanimously no to your legislation) of you research the way the state land at the river is run? Do you CARE? (I'm guessing *NO*) It seems that these laws are only a problem because when they affect *YOU*... how selfish. I'm not saying it's right or wrong in this post, but I'm certainly saying you are a bunch of selfish people who haven't totally thought it thru. Do some research.
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NancyNugent4law
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06-09-09 2:58 PM
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I live in Northville and spent 10 years as a Trustee and Board member of the NYS Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), among other positions of public trust that demanded the highest regard for the citizens and businesses served - and an adherence to tenets of policy-making integrity that cleave to the letter of the law. The HRBRRD, DEC and GORR high-speed destruction of Sacandaga permit history, clueless disregard for the benefit to the greater economy and shocking state-sponsored harm to the region at large defies explanation. The growing light of public scrutiny finds the time-crunched process taken by these government entities ever dark. Time for the HRBRRD, DEC and GORR to be called on the carpet and reviewed as the HRBRRD Rules fall into a swamp, as they should, Governor and State leaders with integrity. Find me on face book.
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mpm227
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06-09-09 11:53 AM
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With a republican senate, the govenor will need to be more responsive to issues important to the districts with republican senate members. So the electorate needs to lean on the senators from their districts along with the govenor.
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