Governor Patterson has proposed in his 2010 Executive Budget to "sweep" $5 million dollars from the snowmobile trail development and maintenance fund into the general fund over the next several years. What you may not be aware of is that the Governor proposes to sweep $1 million from the trail fund this current fiscal year! This unprecedented sweep, comes less than two years after a previous attempt to take $1 million during the 2008-2009 budget process.
This unprecedented sweep is being proposed less than two years after a previous attempt to take $1 million during the 2008-2009 budget process was avoided with the understanding by NYSSA and its supporters that similar raids would not be attempted in the future. Governor Paterson stated in a press release at the time that the state would "ensure that money from these registration fees will be spent in a way that specifically benefits snowmobilers... solely on trail maintenance and related program activities."
Jessup River Wild Forest UMP 2010 Amendment
The recently issued amendment 2010 draft amendment to the 2005/2006 Jessup River Wild Forest Unit Management Plan has a number of signifigant negative changes. NYSSA is very concerned that the are trail closures that are unnecessary under the guidelines and as a result will isolate users and businesses who have historically had access to the trail system. The amendment should have leveraged the Class I Trail guidelines to preserve access by residents, visitors and businesses.
Your calls, e-mails, and letters are needed to preserve trail access to all snowmobilers.If you utitlize the example letter, it is critical that you personalize, edit and add your own comments on this matter for your letter to count.
JRWF Example Letter (MS word format)JRWF Example Letter (text file)The entire set of JRWF UMP Plan documents can be downloaded from the NYSDEC website
HEREThere is a summary of the amendment from the NYSDEC at the bottom of this page, and the specific amendment on which the DEC is currently accepting comments on can be found
HEREComments are due to the NYS DEC by
February 19, 2010 to the attention of Mr. Thomas Kapelewski.
Thomas Kapelewski, Senior Forester, NYS DEC
PO Box 1316
Northville, NY 12134
Fax: (518) 863-2546
Email:
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All DEC UMPs and process on DEC website
HERE
