BILL NUMBER: S8047
SPONSOR: STEC
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the
Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would amend the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) to imple-
ment a constitutional amendment authorizing the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olym-
pic Sports Complex on Forest Preserve lands in the Town of North Elba,
Essex County.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill would amend Article 9 of the Environmental
Conservation Law by adding a new Title 22:
--ECL § 9-2201 would provide the legislative purpose and intent in
authorizing the use of the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex as
a world-class Nordic and biathlon Sports complex.
--ECL § 9-2202 would define "appurtenances" and "Mt. Van Hoevenberg
Olympic Sports Complex."
--ECL § 9-2203 would allow not more than 322.26 acres of Forest Preserve
land to be used for the Olympic Sports Complex and requires a unit
management plan authorization for new development and approval by the
Adirondack Park Agency.
--ECL § 9-2204 would require that no less than 2500 acres of land be
added to the Forest Preserve elsewhere in the Adirondack Park and
require legislative approval of the acquisition.
Section 2 of this bill would provide that this bill would take effect
on passage of a constitutional amendment authorizing legislation
pertaining to the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex located in
part on the lands of the State in Essex County.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation implements an amendment to Article XIV, Section 1 of
the Constitution, which protects the integrity of the Forest Preserve by
constitutionally authorizing the existing Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic
Sports Complex and allowing for a limited expansion of the Nordic and
biathlon trails and appurtenances thereto, to comply with modern inter-
national standards necessary for accommodating international Nordic
skiing and biathlon events. This legislation also implements that part
of the constitutional amendment which, as an offset to the total 322.26
acres of land that could potentially be developed for the Olympic Sports
Complex, requires the addition of 2500 acres or more of land elsewhere
in the Adirondack Park.
The Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex traces its origins as far
back as 1929, when a bobsled run was built to accommodate the 1932 Olym-
pics. The entirety of the Olympic Sports Complex now includes portions
of the Nordic ski and biathlon trails and related facilities on Forest
Preserve lands, as well as portions of the Nordic ski and biathlon
trails and the bobsled run on land owned by the Town of North Elba over
which the State has an easement. The amendment and this legislation
apply to those portions of the Olympic Sports Complex that are located
on State Forest Preserve lands.
The constitutional amendment allows the construction, operation, and
maintenance of Nordic ski trails and "appurtenances thereto" on Olympic
Sports Complex lands on 322.26 acres of Forest Preserve land, but does
not define the term "appurtenances." This legislation defines "appurte-
nances" narrowly; clarifying that appurtenances include only those
structures and improvements which are directly related to and necessary
for the construction, operation, and maintenance, and public use of
modern Nordic skiing and biathlon facilities. The legislation also clar-
ifies that the amendment specifically excludes improvements such as zip
lines, hotels, condominiums, swimming pools, tennis courts and other
structures or improvements which are not directly related to and neces-
sary for operation, maintenance, and public use of the sports complex,
as well as structures located at or above 2200' feet in elevation above
sea level that would be used for the sale of any goods, servic-es,
merchandise, food, or beverage.
The legislation also confirms that any new development at the facility
must be authorized through the unit management planning process. This
process includes State Environmental Quality Review Act review, and a
public review and comment period. As required by section 816 of the
Executive Law, unit management plans and amendments thereto are not
effective until and unless the Adirondack Park Agency finds that the
proposals contained therein conform with the Adirondack Park State Land
Master Plan. The public comment and review process and Adirondack Park
Agency Review will ensure that the construction, operation, and mainte-
nance of all facilities at the Olympic Sports Complex comply with the
terms of both the constitutional amendment and this implementing legis-
lation. The legislation repeats the requirement in the constitutional
amendment that, as an offset to the potential use of 322.26 acres of
Forest Preserve land for the Olympic Sports Complex, the State must
acquire at least 2500 acres of land for inclusion in the Forest
Preserve, and that the legislature must approve the acquisition. Thus,
the legislature will be able to ensure that the acreage requirement is
met and that the land being acquired is a suitable addition to the
Forest Preserve. In addition, ORDA has committed to request that the
Adirondack Park Agency reclassify approximately 200 acres of this
currently classified Intensive Use Area to Wilderness, making it part of
the adjacent High Peaks Wilderness Area. This will not only add addi-
tional acreage to this Wilderness area, but will decrease the footprint
of the existing Mt. Van Hoevenberg Intensive Use Area from 1240 acres to
approximately 1039 acres.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
03/07/22 referred to environmental conservation
01/26/23 referred to environmental conservation
01/03/24 referred to environmental conservation
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None, although the economy of the Lake Placid area and the State as a
whole will benefit from the amendment.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill would take effect upon passage of a constitutional amendment
pertaining to the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex located in
part on lands of the State in Essex County.