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Local action: Committees and Individuals

Published in the PRESS REPUBLICAN May 19, 2008 10:00 pm - We hope the DEC hears substantial opinion in support of a proposed ban on open burning. Various towns have enacted a ban, but enforcement is a problem. Let the state enact a rule and then enforce it.

EDITORIAL: State moving on open burning

The state is proposing changes to rules to control most open burning statewide. The Press-Repubican has written many times that this initiative will help clear the environment, restore free breathing to neighborhoods and save volunteer firefighters aggravation and risk to their health and even lives.

The Department of Environmental Conservation will hold legislative public hearings on these changes. This is the formal title of the initiative: Part 215, Open Fires, Part 191, Forest Fire Prevention and Part 621, Uniform Procedures, pursuant to Environmental Conservation Law, Sections 1-0101, 3-0301, 19-0105, 19-1103, 19-0103, 19-0105, 19-0301, 19-0303, 19-0305, 70-0707, 71-2103 and 71-2105.

Part 215 is being revised to ban most open burning statewide. It is currently banned only in cities and villages and in towns with populations greater than 20,000.

In addition, the revised rule will limit agricultural burning to naturally grown products, such as vines, branches, leaves and stubble. It will also specifically allow certain exceptions: fire training, small cooking and campfires, and ceremonial fires, such as for the proper disposal of an American flag.

The only hearing in our region will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 26, at the Harrietstown Town Hall, Main Street and Lake Flower Avenue, in Saranac Lake. It is accessible to the handicapped.

The Department invites all persons, organizations, corporations and government agencies that may be affected by the proposed revisions to attend the hearings. We encourage the many people who have a stake in this vital rule to attend and be heard. Anyone may address the hearing, but DEC asks that oral statements also be submitted in writing. The Department says it will give equal weight to written and oral statements.

Information may be obtained from Robert Stanton at the DEC's Division of Air Resources, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-3254. He can be reached by phone at 518 402-8403; or by e-mail: 215fires@gw.dec.state.ny.us. Written statements may be submitted until 5 p.m., July 10, 2008.

A copy of the proposed regulation may be obtained from any DEC office. In our area, Region 5, the address of headquarters is 232 Golf Course Road, P.O. Box 220, Warrensburg, NY 12885, Attention: James Coutant.

This is a burning issue in both senses of the term. We have emphasized many times the extreme discomfort to which neighbors and passers-by are exposed by open burning. We've been told of people with respiratory diseases whose lives are actually threatened by it. Toxic materials are introduced into the atmosphere, in addition to the agonizing effects of the choking smoke, itself.

It's time for action, and attending the DEC hearing or submitting written statements is a critical first step.

We hope the DEC hears substantial opinion in support of the proposed ban. Various towns have enacted a ban, but enforcement is a problem.

Let the state enact a rule and then enforce it.

Published in the PRESS REPUBLICAN April 27, 2008 10:00 pm - Champlain Centre mall played host Sunday to the second-ever Environmental Awareness Fair, organized by the Champlain Valley Family Center's Learn and Serve America Program, the League of Women Voters and the Girl Scouts.

STUDENTS , COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER TO PREACH ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

By RYAN HUTCHINS Contributing Writer

PLATTSBURGH -- The students were the teachers at the second-ever Environmental Awareness Fair at Champlain Centre mall Sunday.

Their information booths were scattered throughout the building. Elementary students from the City of Plattsburgh were armed with facts and figures about environmental issues, from global warming to deforestation.

Olivia Keever warned passersby that the polar ice cap is disappearing.

"It would most likely give us major flooding if Antarctica melted," said Keever, a fifth-grader from Oak Street Elementary.

Like others in her class, Keever spent several weeks piecing together a poster for the fair.

The two-hour event was organized by the Champlain Valley Family Center's Learn and Serve America Program, the League of Women Voters and the Girl Scouts. It opened with comments from Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Bernie Bassett and City of Plattsburgh Mayor Donald Kasprzak.

Local poet John Cochran, joined by youth from the Unitarian Fellowship in Plattsburgh, presented an interactive dance about the environment and what it provides for the community.

"The trees make it possible "¦" was one theme of the dance, which highlighted how trees have allowed for many worldly creations, like televisions, buildings and toys.

It seemed that connecting the environmental issues to tangible, everyday possessions helped raise the interest levels of some students.

For Josh Boise, also of Oak Street Elementary, losing trees would mean losing some important tools.

"That means no more skateboards, no more hockey sticks," said Boise, standing in front of a "Fun Tree Facts" poster that he created with classmates Devin Clarke and Anna Baxley.

Their poster highlighted reasons for planting trees and explained what trees are "good for."

Arthur P. Momot Elementary School fourth-grader Ashley Sharp did her project on how everyone can help save the earth.

"No matter how big or small you are, you can help," read her poster.

She assembled her project with the help of several friends and Meaghan Moffitt, a Plattsburgh State education major who mentors Sharp. Moffitt and Sharp gave out handmade bookmarks featuring various slogans promoting environmental awareness and action.

"Plant it forward," read one. "I love Earth," proclaimed another.

The fair, which was held for the first time last year, was scheduled to coincide with Global Youth Awareness Day and Earth Day.

News from the Environmental Committee

The LWV Recycling committee and Learn and Serve have been busy with plans for Earth Day/ Environmental Awareness Fair. It will be held at the mall on April 27th from 12 to 2 p.m. We have will have many local groups, students, 4 H, and Girl Scouts exhibiting. Speakers will be Mayor Kasprzak, Bernie Bassett and Craig Squire. We are also having a logo contest for students. Next Recycling Comm. meeting will be on March 13th at 12:30 p.m. at Oak Street School

Hazardous Waste day is June 7th, 2008 at the local landfill.

LWV and Learn and Serve, in an effort to prevent waste, are preparing a booklet on groups and organizations that can use items that might normally end up in the land fill . Work is progressing on this project.

A GLORIA STEINEM DAY FOR FAIR PAY

Wednesday April 2, 2008
Albany, NY

LOB (Legislative Offi ce Building)
9:45-11:30 AM + program begins at 10, light refreshments at 9:30 Hear Gloria Steinem speak and field questions from the press about pay equity. Other invited speakers: Governor David Paterson, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Assembly Speaker Shel- don Silver, Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith, Assembly Minority Leader James Te- desco, Senator George Maziarz, Senator Craig Johnson, Assemblymember Susan John.

Attendance is free. For parking information + barbandbob220@verizon.net
NYS PAY EQUITY COALITION

PRESS REPUBLICAN EDITORIAL

Published November 10, 2007 05:30 pm - The recently heightened interest in local issues reminds us that the League of Women voters exists to spread information and access to candidates to make voters better equipped and, thereby, to make our communities better.

EDITORIAL: LWV advocates for better communities

Before we leave the 2007 elections to the custody of archivists, we want to pay tribute to what may be an under-appreciated component of many local elections hereabouts: The League of Women Voters of the Plattsburgh Area.

People with the time, ability and inclination to become involved in activities outside their normal comings and goings have a vast range from which to choose locally. The public is extremely fortunate that some of them chose to devote time to the league.

Why?

The league has long been an advocate for dissemination of information to the public on matters that are important to the smooth functioning of government. Sometimes, the governments have resisted. Usually, the league prevails.

The good the league has done around here has not always been to fight the public's battles in confrontations with government. Rarely has that been necessary, in fact. But, when it has been necessary, the league has been there. Media outlets, the Press-Republican included, have gone toe to toe with various segments of government, over the years, particularly before the enactment of the state's Freedom of Information Law. Almost always, this newspaper, at least, considered the league an important potential ally if push were to come to shove.

In most cases, what the league does for all of us has nothing to do with confrontation. This past election season, for example, the league moderated several forums where citizens were invited to meet candidates and question them on the issues.

Meet-the-candidate forums were held -- at the invitation of citizens -- in the Town of Wilmington, the Town of Plattsburgh and the City of Plattsburgh. A debate forum was also conducted for Clinton County treasurer.

In the city, six forums were held over three consecutive evenings at the Koffee Kat in downtown. There, people were introduced to the candidates running for the Common Council in each of the six wards and heard what they had too say. They were able to ask questions. Attendance varied, but several dozen attended each session.

Some residents of the Town of Peru had wanted to set up a similar arrangement so the public would have access to the candidates for the Town Council in that contentious community. The league was asked to set up a forum and would have, except the idea broke down through no fault of the league. That probably would have been an extremely useful session for voters. Nevertheless, that's the kind of responsiveness typical of the league.

Most people are aware of what the league is doing only when the so-called higher offices are the focus of televised debates on Mountain Lake Public Television, which the league sponsors and conducts.

But, as you can see, it does much more. The recently heightened interest in local issues reminds us that the League of Women voters exists to spread information and access to candidates to make voters better equipped and, thereby, to make our communities better.

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Recycling Committee to Speak to Fifth Grades at Oak Street School

On October 17th the League of Women Voters Recycling committee will be talking to two fifth grades at Oak Street School. The format will include a brief history of the LWV and information on the importance of recycling household products and electronics. Myra Decker, Betsy Metz and Barbara Landes will be presenting this as part of a Learn and Serve project. Future plans include work on projects for Earth Day and a recycling booklet. We could use extra help if you'd like to join us in making the next generation aware of environmental problems and solutions. If interested contact Barbara Landes at: 518-562-2897

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Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley League of Women Voters of New York State New York Public Interest Research Group, NYPIRG New Yorkers for Verified Voting

News Release

For Immediate Release Wednesday, September 19, 2007 For more information contact:

Bo Lipari: 607-351-2314
Aimee Allaud: 518-482-2617
Neal Rosenstein 917 575-4317

State Board of Elections Must Not Allow Untested DREs into New York's Polling Places Citizen advocacy organizations announced opposition to the New York State Board of Elections proposal to allow touch screen voting machines, or DREs, in polling places in 2008. The groups expressed grave concerns about the Board's proposal to allow DREs to be used as accessible ballot marking devices in 2008 by disabling the device's vote counting functions and using the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) as the ballot. In August, at a meeting of the State Board of Elections and county commissioners, Co-Executive Director Peter Kosinski stated that DREs used for this purpose would be subjected to a "truncated certification process." The groups strongly support implementing accessible voting in all New York polling places in 2008 but are opposed to any plan that allows DREs to be used as accessible voting machines. "The League of Women Voters supports the goal of fully accessible voting for all people, but using uncertified, untested and inaccessible equipment does not bring that goal any closer to being met," said Aimee Allaud, Elections Specialist, NYS League of Women Voters. She added, "voting machines used by all voters should be treated equally during the NYS mandated certification process and subjected to the same performance standards for their security, accuracy and reliability." "Citizens with disabilities just want to exercise their right to vote on an accessible, secure, and verifiable voting system - the same as all other citizens." said Cliff Perez, Systems Advocate with the Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley. "But voters with visual impairments cannot verify a VVPAT produced by a DRE." "'The State Board of Elections apparently is looking to sneak untested DREs into every polling site across the state in the guise of allowing them to temporarily function as "Ballot Markers" -- machines that are designed to help voters mark and print out a paper ballot,'" said NYPIRG Legislative Counsel, Russ Haven. "Like the residents of ancient Troy, we should beware of such Trojan Horses from the Board." "Other states have had endless problems with their touch screen voting machines and are rapidly abandoning multimillion dollar investments in this bankrupt technology." said Bo Lipari, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Verified Voting. "Why does the State Board of Elections want to allow these broken machines into our polling places in spite of the abundant evidence that DREs are a failed experiment?"

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Letters to the Editor: June 24, 2007

Thanks for cleanup

TO THE EDITOR: I'd like to extend a warm thank-you to all those who participated in this year's Plattsburgh Cleanup Day! The showing was spectacular with upwards of 90 volunteers.

Kudos to Sunrise Rotary, Mission of Hope, Adirondack Mountain Club, Lake City All-Stars, SUNY Sororities, local confirmation classes, PHS Key Club, League of Women Voters, Girl Scouts, Plattsburgh City Public Works and Recreation Departments, Mayor Kasprazak and council members, and to those individual community residents who gave of their time. The garbage bags were donated by Casella Waste Management, the coffee by Starbucks (as well as muscle) and bottled water by Hannaford Supermarket. A special thank-you to Gail Williams for her ongoing commitment and support and to CP Rail who keep our volunteers safe while cleaning the railroad tracks.

At the end of the day, most volunteers remarked at and were appalled by the amount of cigarette litter. Let's do our part every day and dispose of garbage and waste in a thoughtful manner, working to keep our fair city clean for everyone. See you next year.

Amy Valentine

Plattsburgh

The following CHEERS appeared in the Press Republican on the editorial page January 22, 2007

CHEERS: to area grocers P&C, Grand Union in Peru, Hannaford, Price Chopper and Wal-Mart for undertaking recycling of their plastic bags. Hannaford had been doing it for years, without any prodding; Price Chopper used to, stopped, and restarted after being asked. The asking came from the local chapter of the League of Women Voters, which has been promoting the value of the effort. How much better it is to recycle and reuse these bags than to toss them into the landfill to take up space for eons. And, while we're at it, CHEERS also to Myra Decker, who was the head asker on behalf of the league, who wouldn't take no for an answer.

The following article appeared in the December 22, 2006 issue of the Press Republican.

Students can design environmental logo PLATTSBURGH -- Students in grades K-12 are invited to participate in a logo-design contest for an Environmental Awareness Fair, sponsored by Learn and Serve America, the League of Women Voters of the Plattsburgh Area and the Girl Scouts of the North Country.

Designs must be handmade, in no more than two colors and submitted on letter-sized paper.

They are due on Friday, Jan. 12, and should be mailed to Michelle Ouellette, Champlain Valley Family Center, 20 Ampersand Drive, Plattsburgh, NY, 12901, or dropped off at Oak Street Elementary School in Plattsburgh.

The Environmental Awareness Fair will be held at Champlain Centre mall on Earth Day, April 22. On this day, students and other concerned citizens will work to educate the public on the steps people can take to protect our planet.

The fair is part of the Plattsburgh City School District's Learn and Serve America Program. The program is funded through grants from the State Department of Education and the United Way.

In addition to the students doing their own research on issues related to recycling and the environment, the League of Women Voters of the Plattsburgh Area has been working with students through Learn and Serve.

Girl Scouts of the North Country has agreed to put together arts and crafts using recycled materials, in an effort to teach people one way they can make a difference.

For more information about the contest or the fair, call Michelle Ouellette at 562-9009 or e-mail her at mentors@cvfamilycenter.org.

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