For Immediate Release: June 21, 2024
Contact:
Keith P. McKeever | Public Information Officer | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
Board Approves Permits for Four ProcellaCOR Projects and Hosts Town of Ausable Community Spotlight
RAY BROOK, NY – At the June Agency meeting, the Adirondack Park Agency Board approved four permits authorizing the use of ProcellaCOR to combat Eurasian watermilfoil, heard a community spotlight presentation from the Town of Ausable, and was briefed on applications of carbon assessment data in New York State.
First, the Board approved four permits authorizing applications of ProcellaCOR EC to combat Eurasian watermilfoil. Two permits authorize the Lake George Park Commission to make one-time applications of ProcellaCOR EC in Lake George’s Sheep Meadow Bay and Blair’s Bay respectively. Another authorizes the Town of Willsboro to make a one-time application in Highlands Forge Lake. And a fourth authorizes the Chateaugay Lake Foundation to make a one-time application of ProcellaCOR EC in Chateaugay Lake. All four permits require conditions that include adherence to Clean, Drain, Dry standards for equipment and a post-treatment concentration monitoring report and aquatic plant survey. More details about each project can be read online.
Regarding these authorizations, APA Board Chair John Ernst said, “The APA board’s decision was based on the best available science and guided by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s stringent pesticide regulations and approved registrants. NYS DEC conducts extensive science-based reviews of aquatic pesticide products prior to approval for use in New York State to ensure these products are fully protective of public health and the environment. Scientific evidence and studies have been conducted to ensure this product is fully protective of public health and the environment when applied at the approved application rates.”
Next, the Board heard a Community Spotlight presentation about the Town of Ausable from Town Supervisor Tim Bresett. Community Spotlights are an opportunity for local elected officials to directly inform the Agency about the strengths, priority needs, and special characteristics of their communities.
Formed in 1893, the Town of Ausable contains the hamlets of Au Sable Forks, Clintonville, Harkness, and Keeseville. It has a year-round population of 3,183 (2020 census) and borders the Ausable River, a significant waterway classified as a Recreational River by New York State's Wild, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers System Act. In his presentation, Supervisor Bresett highlighted the Town’s rich history and its recent collaboration with the Town of Chesterfield to improve their downtown areas through the NY Forward program, which invigorates downtowns in New York's smaller and rural communities.
Finally, the Adirondack Park Agency was provided with a joint overview of how carbon assessment data is being applied in New York State by Dr. Colin Beier, Associate Professor at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Ian Crisman, Climate Forester for the NYS DEC Division of Lands and Forests.
Dr. Beier provided an update on the New York State Carbon Assessment Report, a map-based carbon accounting system of New York’s forests that has produced estimates of past, present, and future climate benefits based on publicly available data and open-source tools. As a part of this, he provided an overview of how the assessment was developed, demonstrated its outputs, and highlighted some applications to public and private sector decision-making under New York's Climate Act.
Crisman followed with examples of how carbon assessment products are being used by the NYS DEC Division of Lands and Forests in collaboration with NYSERDA to develop a solar scorecard. The scorecard addresses multiple solar siting considerations and site management practices from the perspective of agricultural, environmental, and climate interests.
Agency staff concluded the presentation with remarks on how carbon data can aid in the Agency review process. This included an overview of how the Agency is using carbon data in combination with current regulations to map where solar energy projects could be more appropriate in the Adirondack Park.
The mission of the Adirondack Park Agency is to protect the public and private resources of the Adirondack Park through the exercise of the powers and duties of the Agency as provided by law.