Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Action Alert from Catskill Mountainkeeper
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Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Mountainkeeper Spring 2009 News
(May 2 & 3) Potters of Sullivan County Host Annual Hot Kiln Tour to Benefit Mountainkeeper
This year, for the first time, the Potters of Sullivan County have teamed up with the Catskill Mountainkeeper for the Annual Hot Kiln Tour Weekend on May 2 & 3 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Although many of the potters have studios and gift shops that are open year round, this is your chance to tour the county, visit the potters, see their process and the new work that has inspired them during the quiet months of winter.
The potters all start with the same lump of clay, but their finished products are as varied as they are. Potters participating this year are Duke Pottery, Earthgirl Pottery, Honey Hill Pottery, Cecily Fortescue Ceramics, Sunshine Pottery, Hillside Studios, Claryville Pottery and Catskill Artists Gallery. Directions to studios are on the Sullivan Co. Pottery Trail Map. These free maps can be found in area shops & restaurants, or visit the official website of the Potters of Sullivan County, www.seepotsspun.com. Once you start the tour, each potter will be happy to give you directions to the next potter. (A percentage of all sales for the weekend will be donated to Mountainkeeper).
Although many of the potters have studios and gift shops that are open year round, this is your chance to tour the county, visit the potters, see their process and the new work that has inspired them during the quiet months of winter.The potters all start with the same lump of clay, but their finished products are as varied as they are. Potters participating this year are Duke Pottery, Earthgirl Pottery, Honey Hill Pottery, Cecily Fortescue Ceramics, Sunshine Pottery, Hillside Studios, Claryville Pottery and Catskill Artists Gallery. Directions to studios are on the Sullivan Co. Pottery Trail Map. These free maps can be found in area shops & restaurants, or visit the official website of the Potters of Sullivan County, www.seepotsspun.com. Once you start the tour, each potter will be happy to give you directions to the next potter. (A percentage of all sales for the weekend will be donated to Mountainkeeper).
DEC announces partnership with Sullivan County to keep the Beaverkill Campground open for the 2009 season
Youngsville, NY - April 24, 2009 - Catskill Mountainkeeper applauds the NYS DEC's decision to partner with Sullivan County to keep the Beaverkill Campground open during these tough budgetary times.
We would like to thank Commissioner Pete Grannis and Region Three Director Willie Janeway for their efforts on this important issue. Catskill Mountainkeeper organized a campaign to help keep the Beaverkill Campground open including an online petition that received more than 600 signatures in partnership with Friends of the Beaverkill, Roscoe Chamber of Commerce, Livingston Manor Chamber of Commerce and the Sullivan County Visitors Association.
"This is how government should work" said Ramsay Adams, Executive Director of Catskill Mountainkeeper. "Community leaders organized a campaign; the County and State heard the call and worked hard to find a solution."
Catskill Mountainkeeper would also like to thank Senator John Bonacic, Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Legislators Elwin Wood and Jonathan Rouis along with the rest of the County Legislators and Sullivan County Manager David Fanslau.
622 people have signed the petition as of Monday April 27, 2009
View the signatures here
Mountainkeeper to Give Talk on Gas Drilling at Cooperstown Village Library
The Friends of the Village Library of Cooperstown announces the April Adult Lecture Series for Thursday, April 30th at 7pm in the Cooperstown Village Meeting Room, just below the village library on Main Street. Ramsay Adams and Wes Gillingham from the Catskill Mountainkeeper organization will present an informative program on gas drilling. This educational lecture will include a general overview of gas drilling, hydraulic fracturing and regulatory issues.
If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Lippitt at 607-547-8154.
(April 15, 2009) Mountainkeeper featured in Earth Island Journal story:
The Battle Over New York's Marcellus Shale
“One thing that’s happened,” says Wes Gillingham, Program Director of Catskill Mountain Keeper, “is that this whole issue has awakened people to the complexity of hydro fracking and the whole issue of regulatory oversight and whether it’s adequate or not. And to the basic question of whether it can be done safely at all.” Read the entire story by Adam Federman, Contributing Writer, Earth Island Journal here
Thursday, March 12, 2009
River Reporter Article on Beaverkill Campground
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Community groups unite to save the Beaverkill Campground
http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/March09/04/BvkillCmgnd_CM-04Mar09.html
 Covered bridge at the Beaverkill Campground |
ROSCOE – The Catskill Mountainkeeper organization, the Roscoe Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of the Beaverkill are teaming up to lobby for the state to keep the Beaverkill Campground open this summer.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation last week announced the Beaverkill and a handful of other campgrounds would be closed because of low attendance and the need to save money given the state of New York’s fiscal condition.
Catskill Mountainkeeper Executive Director Ramsay Adams said the campground is a key component to the Sullivan County tourism economy.
The savings by closing the campground would be $10,000 to $15,000, said Adams. “The amount of money that the state will save in their cost they pay to keep the campsite open is greatly outweighed by the amount of money Sullivan County is going to lose in tourism dollars, and that’s just in one year.”
The state maintains attendance has been low in recent years, but Adams said that is because during the 2006, 2007 and 2008 camping seasons, the site was hit with three “100 year floods,” the main road to the site was closed or only allowed local traffic and for much of that period, the Beaverkill Covered Bridge was closed for repair, limiting access to the campsites.
Green organizations team up in Sullivan
Green organizations team up in Sullivan
MONTICELLO — Sullivan County environmental groups that oppose gas drilling in western Sullivan, casino gaming in Thompson, the landfill expansion in Monticello and the mushroom plant in the southern Town of Mamakating are getting together.
They're not, they say, teaming up to oppose economic development projects.
"This is not to fight anything," said Janet Newberg, president of Special Protection of the Environment for the County of Sullivan.
Newberg said the concept is modeled on organizations in Pennsylvania, which have pooled their expertise, established goals for environmental protection and sustainable economic development and educated the public.
For example, SPECS has done lots of research on recycling and composting, whereas other groups are experts on solar energy, community cleanup projects, green building practices and the environmental review process.
"People are thirsty for information," she said.
Several of these groups, however, such as SPECS, which opposes the county landfill expansion, have been focused on a single issue.
Tim McCausland, president of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development, said he doesn't feel threatened by the prospect of having to debate a super-sized opponent at public hearings — provided they don't gum things up with unrealistic objectives.
"It comes down to hysteria and total irrelevant issues that are brought up that make my life and economic development projects more difficult," he said.
The groups held their first meeting Thursday in Monticello. Others attending included the Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development, Catskill Mountainkeeper, The Delaware Highlands Conservancy and The Basha Kill Area Association. Representatives from the Gerry Foundation and Sullivan County Planning Department also attended.
vwhitman@th-record.com
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Environmental groups urge citizen participation
Wayne Independent
Fri Nov 28, 2008, 10:13 AM EST
Region -
Click here for more information
How do citizens participate in the NYS Department of Conservation (DEC) scoping process on gas drilling? A community workshop to describe the procedure will be held on Monday, Dec. 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Tusten Town Hall in Narrowsburg, NY.
The public is invited to attend to learn more about this process and how to participate in the public hearings which are being held throughout the state as part of the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement.
The Dec. 1 community workshop is designed to provide a foundation of understanding of the current Generic Environmental Impact Statement on gas drilling in New York State and to highlight issues that are being reviewed as part of the Supplemental Study.
“This process can be overwhelming to understand and participating at a public hearing of this nature can be somewhat intimidating. We want to give people an opportunity to learn as much as they can to become comfortable,” said Bruce Ferguson, of Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy.
Presenters will review the process that is currently underway, how individuals and organizations might participate most effectively, and the time line for the review. Topics to be covered include: basic background on gas drilling; review of 1992 Generic Environmental Impact Statement; outline of Supplemental GEIS; the scoping process and hearing format; testifying and written comment.
The DEC hearing on the scoping process for Sullivan County is scheduled on Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Field House at Sullivan County Community College.
Information on gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale can be found on the website of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
“The DEC will need to respond to all issues raised as part of the scoping process in some way. Individual and organized testimony will raise the issues that will help to ensure further protections for our region,” said Ramsay Adams, executive director of Catskill Mountainkeeper.
The Community Workshop is being offered by Catskill Mountainkeeper, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, the Open Space Institute, the River Reporter, and Sullivan Renaissance. Call 845-482-5400 to register. Refreshments will be served.
NATURAL GAS DRILLING IN THE CATSKILLS - TAKE ACTION!
CATSKILL MOUNTAINKEEPER CO-SPONSORS COMMUNITY WORKSHOP ON 'HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GAS DRILLING SCOPING HEARINGS'
The Meeting was held on Monday December 1st at the Tusten Town Hall in Narrowsburg, New York
LISTEN TO THE FORUM AS IT AIRED ON 'MAKING WAVES' HOSTED BY MARY HALL AND PRODUCED BY KEVIN GREFF ON PUBLIC RADIO WJFF CATSKILLS
This community workshop was designed to provide a foundation of understanding of the current Generic Environmental Impact Statement on gas drilling in New York State and to highlight
issues that are being reviewed as part of the Supplemental Study.
Click here for the press release
The LAST Scoping Session scheduled in the Catskills is THIS THURSDAY at 4:30 PM at the Sullivan County Community CollegeClick here for more information
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