News Release

September 19, 2007

REGULATING DISTRICT POSTS ANSWERS TO PERMIT SYSTEM QUESTIONS

The Hudson River - Black River Regulating District has posted the answers to questions about the Permit System at Great Sacandaga Lake on its website.  The Board held three public meetings last summer to gather public input regarding the revised draft rules for the Permit System.   In addition to questions posed at the public meetings, written public comments and questions were received from July 16 to August 31, 2007.  From the public input, the Regulating District Board is developing proposed rules which they hope to finalize by September 27, 2007.  These proposed rules will then be sent to the Governor’s Office of Regulatory Reform for review and approval.

“The Regulating District Board wanted to provide everyone with the opportunity to benefit from the answers to these questions about the permit system rules asked at the summer meetings and submitted in writing,” stated Glenn A. LaFave, Executive Director.  “We were very pleased with the response as we received literally hundreds of comments and questions.  We were delayed in posting the answers as approximately 150 comments were submitted on the last day of the public comment period.  Initially, the Regulating District Board hoped to act on the proposed rules at the September 10 meeting.  However, due to the many responses and their desire to adequately review the public comments, the Board members postponed action on the proposed rules.”  The special Board meeting will be held on Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 11 a.m. in the Johnstown City Hall.

The Regulating District hopes to formally adopt the rules by December 10, 2007 and forward them to the Department of Environmental Conservation for review and approval.  After DEC approval, the new rules could be implemented in 2008, with the exception of permit system fees which have been capped until 2010.

The permit system questions and answers have been posted on the Regulating District’s website at http://www.hrbrrd.com/psqanda2007.pdf.  Copies of these questions and answers are available at the Regulating District’s Albany and Sacandaga (Mayfield) offices.