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).

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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

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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.

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(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

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