David A. Paterson, Governor
HUDSON RIVER-BLACK RIVER REGULATING DISTRICT
February 1, 2010
Dear Access Permit Holder:
This letter is intended to provide you with an update of various issues that could affect you and all access permit holders around Great Sacandaga Lake. Please contact our staff at the Sacandaga Field Office (SFO) with any questions you may have now or in the future.
Hudson River-Black River Regulating District Tel: (518) 661-5535
Sacandaga Field Office Fax: (518) 661-5720
737 Bunker Hill Road E-mail: sacfo@hrbrrd.com
Mayfield, NY 12117
Rule Making for the Permit System at Great Sacandaga Lake Ends: As many of you are aware, the rule making process for the Access Permit System at Great Sacandaga Lake has ended. The Hudson River-Black River Regulating District did not file a Notice of Revised Rule Making with the New York Secretary of State. By not filing this notice, due by June 11, 2009, the Rule Making process expired.
Floating Dock Configurations: At the January 12, 2010 Board Meeting held in Johnstown, New York the Board of the Regulating District has given guidance for floating docks on non-commercial access permit areas. Engineering drawings of the new specifications may be viewed on the Regulating District’s website at http://www.hrbrrd.com/gslpermitsystem.html. Please note that there are two dock configuration drawings, one for access permit areas 20 feet in width and less, and one for access permit areas greater than 20 feet in width. Also note that any change to an existing dock system, including a change to the new specifications, requires a work permit from the Regulating District. Work permit applications may be obtained on our website at http://hrbrrd.com/pdf/appforwrkperm.pdf, or by visiting the Sacandaga Field Office.
Board gives guidance on Back-Lot Access Permits Areas: At the January 12, 2010 meeting of the Board, guidance was given by the Board to staff regarding back-lot access permit areas. The Board affirmed its wish to not increase the number of back-lot access permit areas. This guidance will not impact the renewal of current back-lot access permits, nor will it impact those eligible individuals on waiting lists for back-lot access permits. It also does not prevent staff from relocating existing back-lot access permit areas to more suitable locations, if the need arises.
Appeal Process for Great Sacandaga Lake Permit System modified: The Regulating District Board adopted Resolution 10-04-01 at the January 2010 Board meeting regarding the Regulating District’s Due Process Procedure for Permit Holders at Great Sacandaga Lake. The Board’s Resolution slightly modified the appeal process to require that, no later than ten days before an appeal hearing, both the aggrieved permit holder and the Regulating District staff must present each other, and the Board, with copies of all materials which will be presented to the Board at the hearing. The Resolution also eliminated the requirement that a permit holder must be present at the hearing at which an appeal is heard. The Board will continue to provide permit holders with ample opportunity to fully present their cases. For detailed information please visit our website at http://hrbrrd.com/pdf/dueprocessprocedures.pdf, or contact the Sacandaga Field Office.
Permit System Survey: During the 2007 permit year, the Regulating District sent a survey to each Commercial and Non-Commercial/Special Access permit holder. Permit holders should have received a blank Permit System Survey with their 2007 Application for Renewal of Access Permit at Great Sacandaga Lake. The Board of the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District asked all current and new access permit holders to complete and return a survey form. If you have questions about the survey, or if you need another copy of the survey, please use one of the links on the Regulating District’s website or contact our Sacandaga Field Office. If you wish to correct or revise a survey you submitted previously, please complete and submit another survey. Indicate in the “comment” section that you are submitting a “revised survey”. The two surveys can be found at the following web pages:
Survey for Non-Commercial Access Permit Holders at www.hrbrrd.com/psnc.doc.
Survey for Commercial or Special Access Permit Holders at www.hrbrrd.com/psc.doc.
Information regarding frequently asked questions about the permit system survey can be found at http://www.hrbrrd.com/pdf/permitsystemFAQ.pdf.
Historic Properties Management Plan: The Regulating District’s Historic Properties Management Plan (HPMP) at Great Sacandaga Lake has been revised. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has offered comments, which have been incorporated into the document approved by the Board of the Regulating District. The revision to the HPMP was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on March 11, 2009 as a requirement of the FERC license held by the Regulating District for Great Sacandaga Lake. The revised HPMP is in place and is available on the Regulating District’s website at http://www.hrbrrd.com/pdf/HPMP03112009.pdf.
Rope Swings: Please do not allow rope swings on your access permit area. Rope swings have never been, and are not now, allowed on the Lands of the People of the State of New York surrounding Great Sacandaga Lake (GSL), including all access permit areas. Any rope swing discovered by Regulating District personnel will be promptly removed. The access permit area on which it was found will be recorded and the access permit holder will be notified.
Reservoir and River Report: The Regulating District’s recorded message of the Reservoir and River Report can be accessed by calling (518) 661-6775 or (315) 782-5690. This data is updated each business day and is also available on the Regulating District’s website at http://www.hrbrrd.com/gauges.html. All reservoir elevations, river stage and flow data are given as reported at the various locations by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Thank you for taking a few moments to read this informational update. Again, please contact our staff at the Sacandaga Field Office at (518) 661-5535 with any questions you may have regarding the above topics, or any other concerns. For your reference and convenience, we have posted this letter on the following web page at: http://www.hrbrrd.com/gslpermitholderletter2010.html.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Clark, P.E.
Hudson River Area Administrator and
Permit System Manager
--Tear Here--
When appropriate, the Regulating District would like to use Email to save postage. If you are willing and able to correspond by email, please fill in the requested information on this tear-off coupon and return it with your Access Permit Renewal Form.
Signature: E-mail address:
Print name: Access Permit #: