The next meeting of the Hudson River-Black River Regulating district will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, at Northville Central School, 131 South Third Street, Northville, NY.

CRISIS AT GREAT SACANDAGA LAKE -- A TIME-OUT

In June, New York State nearly succeeded in reversing 78 years of practice by converting the access permit zone ringing Great Sacandaga Lake into a free public park open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This raised the frightening prospect of all-night beer parties held within a few feet of bedroom windows. Of strangers clambering over docks, boats, and beach chairs -- and taking permit holders to court if they got hurt. Of the difficulty or impossibility of obtaining liability insurance covering permit areas because access was open to the public.

As for who was responsible for picking up the public's litter, the state wanted to require permit holders to do that. In one final insult to people who have acted as good environmental stewards, treating permit areas with pride and care, the state even wanted to outlaw the mowing of grass.

Great Sacandaga's 4,800 permit holders rightly viewed these proposed rule changes as a threat to their quality of life and property values. In the face of intense public pressure -- applied by thousands of phone calls, e-mails, and letters -- the Governor's Office backed down at the last minute and withdrew the proposed rule changes. The bad news is that the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, backed by the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District, says it's going to try again.

The lake community is taking the State at its word and is quickly mobilizing to identify our rights and to fight for them. Permit holders, business people, and lake users have come together to set up a Sacandaga Protection Committee (SPC) to safeguard our legal, economic, and environmental interests.

You'll be hearing more from the Sacandaga Protection Committee in the near future.

June 25, 2009 issue of the BBAC Newsletter
June 17, 2009 issue of the BBAC Newsletter
DAILY GAZETTE story
BBAC Statement at June 9, 2009 Board Meeting
June 6, 2009 issue of the BBAC Newsletter
May 28, 2009 issue of the BBAC Newsletter
List of Official Contacts
BBAC Letter to GORR
May 19, 2009 issue of the BBAC Newsletter
DEC's Cover Letter
DEC's Proposed Rule Changes
HRBRRD's Public Comment Form
DAILY GAZETTE Story
LEADER-HERALD Story
THE RECORDER Story

Batchellerville Bridge Replacement Project

The NYS Department of Transportation has made a final decision on its Preferred Alternative. This alternative proposes to construct a new bridge to the south of the existing bridge. It will have a vertical navigational clearance at center span of 42 feet. The new bridge will have two 11-foot-wide travel lanes, two 5-foot-wide shoulders, and a raised 5-foot-wide sidewalk with curb on the north side.

NYSDOT's Notice of Preferred Alternative
May 21, 2007 BBAC Newsletter

Media coverage

April 22, 2007 BBAC Newsletter

BBAC Calls for Postponement

Contacts & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

History of the Project

Time to End Batchellerville Bridge Game

Bridge Proposal to Get Formal Review

DOT Revokes Compromise Bridge Design

April 11, 2007 BBAC Newsletter
April 7, 2007 BBAC Newsletter
March 30, 2007 BBAC Newsletter
January 26, 2007 BBAC Newsletter
The Survey's Secret -- It's Voluntary!
January 9, 2007 BBAC Newsletter
December 4, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
November 27, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
DOT Revokes Compromise Bridge Design
November 4, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
New Batchellerville Bridge Funded - News, October 24, 2006
October 17, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
District Holds Hush-Hush Meeting on Rules
September 27, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
September 25, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
August 30, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
August 11, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
July 27, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
BBAC's 2nd Letter to Gov. Pataki on High Water Levels
June 28, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
June 2, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
May 25, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
May 15, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
HRBRRD Caps Permit Fees Until 2010
April 30, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
BBAC Statement on High Water Levels - April 10, 2006
GSL News Roundup
March 24, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
GSL News Roundup
February 10, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
January 25, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
January 18, 2006 BBAC Newsletter
January 3, 2006 BBAC Newsletter