2019 Saranac Lake Wild Forest Unit Management Plan (UMP)
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SARANAC LAKES WILD FOREST and Lake Placid Boat Launch Lake Flower Boat Launch Upper Saranac Lake Boat Launch Raquette River Boat Launches Unit Management Plan River Area Management Plans Saranac River, Ausable River, and Raquette River Final Environmental Impact Statement NYS DEC, REGION 5, DIVISION OF LANDS AND FORESTS P.O. Box 296, 1115 State Route 86, Ray Brook, NY 12997-0296 [email protected] www.dec.ny.gov April 2019 This page intentionally left blank OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway, 14th Floor, Albany, New York 12233-1010 P: (518) 402-8545 IF: (518) 402-8541 www.dec.ny.gov MEMORANDUM TO: The Record FROM: Basil Seggos SUBJECT: Saranac Lakes Wild Forest Unit Management Plan The Saranac Lakes Wild Forest Unit Management Plan has been completed. The Adirondack Park Agency has found the Plan to be in conformance to the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan. The Plan is consistent with Environmental Conservation Law, and Department Rules, Regulations and Policies and is hereby approved and adopted. Basil Seggos Commissioner New York State Department of Environmental Conservation This page intentionally left blank wvoRK JEOF Adirondack ORTUN•rv. Park Agency KAREN FELDMAN TERRY MARTINO Acting Chair Executive Director RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE ADIRONDACK PARK AGENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE SARANAC LAKES WILD FOREST, LAKE PLACID BOAT LAUNCIH, LAKE FLOWER BOAT LAUNCH, UPPER SARANAC LAKE BOAT LAUNCH, RAQUETTE RIVER BOAT LAUNCHES PROPOSED FINAL UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN AND RIVER AREA MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR THE SARANAC RIVER, AUSABLE RIVER, AND RAQUETTE RIVER February 15, 2019 WHEREAS, Section 816 of the Adirondack Park Agency Act (APA Act) directs the Department of Environmental Conservation (Department) to develop, in consultation with the Adirondack Park Agency (Agency), individual management plans for units of land classified in the Adirondack Park State Land Master (APSLMP) and requires such management plans to conform to the guidelines· and criteria of the ARSLMP; and WHEREAS, in addition to such guidelines and criteria, the APSLMP prescribes the contents of unit management plans (UMPs) and provides that the; Agency will determine whether a proposed individual UMP complies with such guidelines and criteria; and WHEREAS, the Department and the Agency commenced a planning process for the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest in 2002, with an open house seeking public participation and a series of meetings with a citizens' discussion group; and WHEREAS, the Department prepared a Draft UMP for Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, Lake Placid Boat Launch, Lake Flower Boat Launch, Upper Saranac Lake Boat Launch, and Raquette River Boat Launches and Draft River Area Management Plans for the Saranac River, Ausable River, and Raquette River in 2017 (June 2017 Draft UMP) and presented the Draft UMP to the Agency in June 2017; and WHEREAS, the June 2017 Draft UMP included a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and the Department published notice of: acceptanae of the DEIS, two staff availability sessions, two public meetings, and a public comment period on the Draft UMP/DEIS from June 7, 2017 through August 11, 2017, in the Environmental Notice Bulletin (ENB) on June 7, 2017; and WHEREAS, the Department revised_ the June 2017 Draft UMP after receiving a substantial number of oral and written comments during the public comment period and presented a Proposed Final UMP for Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, La~e Placid Boat Launch, Lake Flower Boat Launch, Upper Saranac Lake Boat Launch, and Raquette P.O. Box 99 • 1133 NYS Route 86 •Ray Brook, NY 12977 •Tel: (518) 891-4050 •Fax: (518) 891-3938 • www.apa.ny.gov Saranac Lakes Wild Forest UMP February 15, 2019 Page 2 River Boat Launches and Draft River Area Management Plans for the Saranac River, Ausable River, and Raquette River to the Agency in June 2018 (June 2018 Proposed Final UMP); and WHEREASJ on June 7, 2018, the Agency authorized staff to solicit public comment on the conformance of the June 2018 Proposed Final UMP with the APSLMP guidelines and criteria; and WHEREASi the Agency received 83 public comments between June 7 and July 13, 2018 on the conformance of the June 2018 Proposed Final UMP on issues including water access, water body use, carrying capacity, assessments and inventories, invasive species, mountain .bike trails, primitive tent sites, snowmobile trails, and access for persons with disabilities; and WHEREAS~ the public comments raised several points with respect to conformance of the June 2018 Proposed Final UMP with the APSLMP guidelines and criteria for the management and use of Wild Forest and DEC has further revised the UMP to reflect changes to conform with the APSLMP guidelines and criteria in a new Proposed Final UMP presented to the Agency on February 15, 2019 (February 2019 Proposed Final UMP); and WHEREAS, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP implements the Management Guidance for Snowmobile Trail Siting, Construction and Maintenance on Forest Preserve Lands in the Adirondack Park adopted in November 2009 (Snowmobile Guidance), proposjng construction of 2.43 miles of new snowmobile trails and closure of 15.23 miles of snowmobile trails to comply with standards in the Snowmobile Guidance, resulting in no mat~rial increase of snowmobile trail mileage; and WHEREAS, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP proposes to construct no more than four new primitive tent sites, close one existing primitive tent site and relocate 73 existing primitive tent sites to comply with the APSLMP primitive tent site guidelines requiring primitive tent sites be out of sight and sound and generally one-quarter mile from any other primitive tent site or lean-to; and WHEREAS, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP proposes to prohibit direct trailered launching !of boats at the following fishing and waterway access sites that have a history of being used for the direct launching of trailered boats, in order to comply with the APSLMP: Ampersand Bay, Axton Landing, Follensby Clear Pond (north), Lake Clear Outlet, Lake Colby, Moose Pond, and Polliwog Pond; and WHEREAS, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP will continue to allow motorboats on all Waters currently open to them, but proposes horse power limits on several water bodies, speed limits on Weller Pond, and increased enforcement of motor boat speed limits on the Raquette River; and Saranac Lakes Wild Forest UMP February 15, 2019 Page 3 WHEREAS, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP implements the Management Guidance for Siting, Construction and Maintenance of Singletrack Bicycle Trails on Forest Preserve Lands in the Adirondack Park adopted in March 2018 (Bicycle Trail Guidance), proposing the construction of 35 miles of new bicycle trails open for mountain biking to comply with standards in the Bicycle Trail Guidance; and WHEREAS, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP includes a provision for 7,400-acres to be managed as a trail-less area, which will provide undeveloped recreational opportunities; and WHEREAS, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP provides new and enhanced opportunities for persons with disabilities, including new accessible trails and primitive tent sites, improved existing trails, and the availability of accessibility information regarding the area's facilities; and WHEREAS, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP highlights ongoing cooperation between the Department and the Agency to develop a guidance framework · for monitoring wildlands in the Adirondack Park which will assess the effects of management actions and public use and inform future management of the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest; and WHEREAS, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP proposes to establish desired conditions to determine if water body carrying capacity has been exceeded, and develop and implement a comprehensive monitoring program for water bodies; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act, the Department has accepted the Final Environmental Impact Statement incorporated in the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP and filed notice thereof in the Environmental Notice Bulletin on December 5, 2018; and WHEREAS, the Agency has considered the foregoing recitals, the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP, the February 6, 2019 Memorandum from Kevin Prickett to Terry Martino, Agency staff's presentation, public comment and responses, and the deliberations of Agency Board Members and Designees at the Agency's February 15, 2019 meeting. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that pursuant to Section 816 of the Adirondack Park Agency Act and the APSLMP, the Agency finds the February 2019 Proposed Final UMP conforms with the APSLMP guidelines and criteria for Wild Forest lands; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Agency Board authorizes its Executive Director to advise the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation of the Agency's determination in this matter. Saranac Lakes Wild Forest UMP February 15, 2019 Page4 Ayes: Karen Feldman, John Ernst, Art Lussi, Bill Thomas, Dan Wilt, Lynne Mahoney, Brad Austin, Bob Stegemann Nays: Dr. Chad Dawson Abstentions: None Absent: None Acknowledgements Planning Team: Kevin Burns, Forest Ranger Josh Clague, Natural Resources Planner Jon Fieroh, Fisheries Biologist Steven Guglielmi, Forester Lt. Julie Harjung, Forest Ranger Jeffery Hovey, Environmental Conservation Officer Paul Jensen, Wildlife Biologist Joe LaPierre, Forest Ranger Doug McCabe, Operations Megan McCone, Forest Ranger Nick McKay, Operations Kevin Prickett, Adirondack Park Agency Scott VanLaer, Forest Ranger David Winchell,