I attended the Common Ground Alliance meeting on Friday at Gore Mountain in North Creek. Groups from across the Adirondack Park come together and talked about policy issues they care about and how to better be heard in Albany. Topics included housing, broadband and cell service, climate change, invasive species and bond act and environmental protection funding.

From these discussions, the alliance will create its annual “Blueprint for the Blue Line.” You can see past ones here: https://www.commongroundadk.org/blueprints-for-the-blueline.

We, too, are covering many of these issues in our print and web pages of the magazine and look forward to continuing our reporting. You’ll see some follow-up stories building on the conversations at the alliance.

Projects up for public comment

View all APA public comment and hearing opportunities at: https://apa.ny.gov/Hearings/index.cfm. New public comment opportunities include:

• New York State Electric & Gas plans to remove vegetation and conduct work impacting wetlands as part of its upgrades to the High Falls Development Intake on the Saranac River off Soper Road in the town of Saranac. Comments are due by Nov. 9. To learn more and submit comments, go to https://apa.ny.gov/Hearings/ApaCommentPopup.cfm?ProjectNumber=2023-0178.
• The Virginia W. McLoughlin Trust is applying for a two-lot subdivision for two single-family dwellings serviced by one on-site wastewater treatment system within 100 feet of wetlands. Both lots are on the Lake Ozonia in the town of Hopkinton. Comments are due Nov. 9. To learn more and submit comments, go to https://apa.ny.gov/Hearings/ApaCommentPopup.cfm?ProjectNumber=2019-0100.

Last week’s state Department of Environmental Conservation’s environmental notice bulletin had some new projects out for public comment.

• The DEC plans to remove 108 trees between one- and three-inches in diameter at breast height to relocate a section of the Jackrabbit Ski Trail from private to public lands in the town of North Elba. The relocation will require 2 miles of new ski trail, according to the project description. The DEC will collect comments on the work plan until Nov. 1. View the work plan at https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/125057.html. Submit comments to Keith Carrow, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Region 5 Office, Division of Lands and Forests, P.O. Box 296, 1115 State Route 86, Ray Brook, NY 19277 or email [email protected].
• The DEC has announced a notice of availability for reviewing a final scoping document for the construction of a new K through 12 campus and bus garage for the Boquet Valley Central School District. The action involves acquiring a new 100-acre parcel from Essex County and building a new 122,000 square-foot school and 4,000 square-foot bus garage, parking area and athletic facilities. The final scoping documents can be viewed at www.aesnortheast.com and https://www.boquetvalleycsd.org/home/ or in person at AES Northeast, 12 City Hall Place, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 or the Boquet Valley Central School District Office, 25 Sisco Street, Westport, NY 12993. There is no public comment offered, but questions should be directed to Scott Allen, AES Northeast, 12 City Hall Place, Plattsburgh, NY 12901, (518) 561-1598, [email protected].

This first appeared in Gwen’s weekly “Adirondack Report” newsletter. Click here to sign up.

Photo at top: Participants gather for a group photo at the 2023 Common Ground Alliance Forum meeting at Gore Mountain in North Creek. Photo by Gwendolyn Craig