Recently in the New York Times, there was an interesting response
to the op-ed “An Adirondack Wilderness Imperiled” written by Edward Zahniser. Zahniser
discussed Governor Cuomo’s proposal to set in motion a plan that would allow
open pit mining on 200 acres of wilderness his father once set aside as forest
preserve. For most of his article, Zahniser criticizes Cuomo for discrediting
his father’s previous efforts to preserve the Adirondacks, and remains staunchly against open pit mining.
Outraged, Joe Martens, the Commissioner of the Department of
Environmental Conservation, wrote a letter to Zahniser in response. Martens noted
that since being elected, Andrew Cuomo has approved the classification of
34,745 acres of land as wilderness or primitive in the Adirondacks and the
Catskills, and signed one of the largest land acquisition deals in the park in
more than a century, adding 69,000 acres to the Forest Preserve by 2016. Additionally,
Martens clarified that Cuomo, in collaboration with the DEC, has taken every measure
to ensure that exploratory drilling on the 200-acre parcel is done in a
protective manner and minimizes any possible effects to the land.
The Adirondack Council and the Adirondack Mountain Club have
endorsed the amendment, and 1.2 million voters approved it last November. It turns
out that Cuomo has in fact spent more time in the Adirondack Park than any modern-day
governor.
Despite the two different arguments, here’s a picture that
captures the scope of open pit mining. Does this look like this will preserve
the Adirondacks? Do you think Cuomo should allow this practice?
Source: www.panoramio.com
Hi Sarah, this is a fascinating situation. On the one hand, Cuomo sounds like a great guy and quite knowledgable about the Adirondack Park. It makes me wonder why he sees this mining operation as beneficial, when it clearly ravages the land and leaves behind literal gaping holes. There must be some benefit that outweighs the cost, because Cuomo seems to take his role as a steward of the land pretty seriously.
ReplyDeleteAnyone have ideas on what the benefits to open pit mining are in the Adirondacks?
This is a really difficult decision that Cuomo faces, because, from what I can tell, there are several pros and cons to open pit mining. Firstly, open pit mining is a much more efficient and reduce the cost of mining significantly. Also it is much more safe for workers to work at a open pit site than a shaft mine. There is a record low number of deaths associated with open pit mining compared to other techniques. On the other hand, vegetation is completely stripped at the surface of the site and this can lead to random landslides and rockslides because there is no vegetation to stabilize the surface. Also, open pit mining can provoke acid mine drainage, which ultimately leaks metalloids into streams and rivers and kills most life in and around these bodies of water for miles. So, this is definitely a complex issue that can't be decided lightly.
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