Opinion

Adirondackers' rights diminished

In My Opinion

By TERESA SAYWARD
Published: November 6, 2009

I write this to the people who for generations have lived in the Adirondack Park and to the people who work hard and try to make a living in the little communities that string along the beautiful lakes and rivers. We all truly love this place and want to stay here, but the future looks grim.

The Adirondack Forest Preserve was originally created by the New York State Legislature in 1885. When it was decided to set aside land for protection in the Adirondacks. It was never envisioned that this place would be a park. It was to be an experiment to show that it is possible to have sustainable communities while still preserving a great wilderness area. A recent survey by the LA Group shows the demographics of the "park" and how the population is aging, families are diminishing and businesses are few. It becomes more and more evident that the experiment has failed.

It takes a constitutional amendment to change Article XIV of the New York State Constitution. Article XIV protects state land in the Adirondacks, while there is no provision within the constitution that protects the people and their way of life.

I have been working for several years with NYCO Minerals, a mining operation in Willsboro. NYCO employs 75 to 100 people. These are family-sustaining jobs that support our communities, stores, churches and businesses and keep children in our schools. NYCO is currently trying to reach an agreement to amend the New York State Constitution so the company can continue to mine deposits of the mineral that are adjacent to their current operations. The mineral rests beneath state land. If you remove land from the Forest Preserve, it must be replaced, and NYCO is willing to do that. NYCO, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the State Education Department, Sen. Little and I have been working with environmental groups to see if they could support such an amendment. Without this amendment, future operations at NYCO could be shortened by many years.

NYCO was recently notified by the environmental group "Protect the Adirondacks!" that when the concept of a land swap between NYCO and New York State was presented to their board, the response was, and I quote, "The employment issues and community of Willsboro economic issues were voiced as positive benefits of the proposal; however, they fail to sway the majority regarding the high threshold needed to amend Article XIV," end quote. The other environmental groups in the Adirondacks remain at the table trying to work through this issue.

People chose to come here because this is a beautiful and special place. Those of us who live here know that and don't want anything to change; yet as time goes by, our presence is becoming meaningless. Our opinions don't matter!

When people first began discovering the Adirondacks, we carried their packs, cut their trees, built their homes, dug their ditches, labored in their mills, taught their children, healed their sick and welcomed them like family. Most have become our friends and our neighbors, but those who came with their own agenda have stood judge and jury on what is acceptable for growth in our communities, which roads will be closed, what areas of our beloved mountains will remain accessible to the handicapped and aged, what kind of vehicles are allowed on trails, and even if we can keep our traditional hunting camps on state-owned land. Are we not part of the state? What about the great experiment?

I am very angry, but even more, I am very sad. The great experiment is a failure, and there is no balance. My family, friends and neighbors are being forced out of existence, and few seem to care.

Teresa Sayward (Rep., Ind.-Willsboro) is a member of the New York State Assembly representing the 113th District.