The New York Appellate Division, Third Department ruled to uphold approvals by the NYS Adirondack Park Agency for the 6,000-acre Adirondack Club & Resort Project

Protect the Adirondacks is disappointed in the decision by the New York Appellate Division, Third Department issued today to uphold the approvals by the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) for the 6,000-acre Adirondack Club and Resort project in 2012. The Appellate Court released this decision today. Protect the Adirondacks filed a lawsuit with 29 allegations to challenge the legality of the approvals in March 2012.

Read the court decision here.

Protect the Adirondacks was confident in the merits of this lawsuit. “We fought the good fight for a wild and green Adirondacks. We’re terribly disappointed in this decision,” said Chuck Clusen, Chairman of Protect the Adirondacks.

“This is a great loss for the Adirondack Park and the Adirondack Park Agency because it sets a precedent for forest fragmentation across the Adirondacks and codifies for the first time in 40 years of APA history that the APA Act is to be reduced to mere guidance and not law,” said Peter Bauer, Executive Director of Protect the Adirondacks.

“Today could mark a point of no return in the history of the Adirondack Park. This follows a series highly political decisions regarding Forest Preserve management and private land development in the Adirondacks,” said Peter Bauer. “Many saw this project as shaping the future of Tupper Lake, PROTECT always saw this project and lawsuit as shaping the future of the Adirondack Park.”

Protect the Adirondacks is reviewing its options for next steps. The Adirondack Club & Resort Project must now finalize its approvals and secure final permits with the APA, obtain permits from the Department of Environmental Conservation and Army Corp of Engineers, and obtains approvals from the Attorney General’s Office.

Protect the Adirondacks is extremely grateful for the stalwart support of our members throughout the effort.