People Protecting the Lake
Since 1885.
Lake George
Association – P.O. Box 408 – Lake George, NY 12845
(518) 668-3558 – Fax
(518) 668-4702 – www.lakegeorgeassociation.org
June 13, 2007
For
Immediate Release
Contact: James Hood
Communications Coordinator
Lake George Association
Phone: (518) 668-3558
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS PLEDGE TO RAISE MONEY TO PURCHASE
EASEMENT ON GASLIGHT VILLAGE PROPERTY
Lake George, NY – The three leading environmental non-profit groups working to protect Lake George have pledged to raise $2.1 million to purchase a conservation easement to aid in efforts to buy the former Gaslight Village property from the Charles R. Wood Foundation.
The Fund for Lake George, the Lake George Association (LGA) and the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) are working with officials from Warren County and the Village of Lake George to purchase the property and to use that land to capture and treat stormwater runoff coming from Route 9 in Lake George.
West Brook bisects the property before entering into Lake George. Several studies have identified the West Brook watershed, which receives runoff from Route 9 and I-87, as the single biggest contributor of non-point source pollution in Lake George’s southern basin.
Chris Ballantyne, executive director of the Fund for Lake George, stated that closing on the property is key to moving the environmental project forward.
“Until now, the environmental groups were putting most of their focus on the details of the project and left the acquisition to the municipal groups. That was our role,” said Ballantyne. “Now, with the opportunity to purchase the easement, we are happy to be able to step in and help move things along.”
According to Walt Lender, the Lake George Association’s executive director, the environmental groups have always been committed to providing a significant amount of financial support. This support includes applying for and receiving a $92,000 Quality Communities grant award from the NYS Department of State, which will go toward hiring an environmental engineering firm to design the project.
“The West Brook project is our highest priority,” said Lender. “There is a solid commitment from the “3-E’s,” from Warren County, and from the Village of Lake George. By purchasing a conservation easement, we will all be taking a big step forward.”
Nancy
Williams, executive director of the Lake George Land Conservancy, feels that
purchasing a conservation easement is
the right participation by the environmental groups.
“A conservation easement will protect in perpetuity the vision of a park shared by the municipal buyers and the environmental partners,” said Williams.
Bill Thomas, Chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, was pleased with offer from the three lake organizations.
“This has been a great negotiating process with a lot of give and take from both the county and the environmental groups,” said Thomas. “This is a winning situation for all those involved.”
Village of Lake George Mayor Robert Blais stressed that the project will benefit the entire Lake George region.
Said Blais, “It will answer the stated needs and priorities of the Village of Lake George, while protecting our most important and valuable asset, the lake itself.”
“We are pleased to be working in this public-private partnership to protect and improve the water quality of Lake George,” said Ballantyne.
According to Lender, the groups have already reached out to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The eventual goal would be to transfer the conservation easement over to the state. Talks were held yesterday afternoon at the DEC offices in Albany to brief the Executive Deputy Commissioner, the new Region 5 Director and other high-level officials.
“With the change of administration in Albany, a certain amount of background information on the project was required to bring everyone up to speed,” said Lender. “They were very impressed with the project and are eager to continue discussions, which is a great sign.”
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