Thirty-Sixth Annual Meeting
of the Basha Kill Area Association
Sunday, October 19, 2008

During 2008, the BKAA’s activities and programs exuded energy and vitality whether they were relentless advocacy challenges, exciting fresh projects, or expansion of popular established venues. The BKAA seldom refused any opportunity to educate others about our organization and the resources we are charged to protect!

BKAA Board: Through a year marked by profound loss and significant change, including the passing of veteran board member Toni Garrett, who received the BKAA’s most distinguished commendation, the Great Blue Heron Award, along with resignations by former President Maryallison Farley and board member Gregg Squires, the BKAA’s leadership consistently furnished dedicated service. Departing board members Maryallison Farley, Toni Garrett, and Gregg Squires enriched this governing body with exceptional guidance, commitment, and wisdom, while their newest counterparts, Anita Altman and Bill Lucas will contribute novel approaches, diverse experiences, and enhanced vigor.

Developments in the Basha Kill Watershed:
Ventures that precipitated the greatest expenditure of BKAA resources this year and presumably in the coming months entailed: Yukiguni Maitake, New York Regional Interconnect Power Line, gas drilling leases, casinos, the Basherkill Subdivision, as well as Spring Mountain Resort (Homowack), Kingwood, and Fordham Estates mega-enterprises.

Yukiguni Maitake

• October 29 – A meeting occurred in Representative Maurice Hinchey’s office to discuss YM’s “scaled down” site plan with applicant’s representatives.
• November 27 – The town planning board granted YM a one year extension (ending February, 2009) to fulfill conditions imposed in the original site plan Resolution of Approval.
• December 27 – Appellate Division ruled against BKAA in its Article 78 lawsuit against the planning board and YM over the site plan and special use permit approval. BKAA filed a motion for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeals in order to continue mushroom plant litigation.
• April 6, May 27 – YM formally presented its second site plan to Mamakating’s planning board.
• June 5 – BKAA’s motion for leave to appeal was denied by the Court of Appeals, eliminating further legal recourse to thwart YM’s initial site plan.
• August 27, September 23 – The town planning board conducted public hearings on YM’s second site plan. Representing BKAA interests at these meetings were engineer Andy Willingham, hydrogeologist, Dr. Katherine Beinkafner, ecologist J. G. “Spider” Barbour, and consulting attorney, Alex Smith.

New York Regional Interconnect Power Line (NYRI)

• February – NYRI submitted additional information to the Public Service Commission (PSC) after its initial application was declared incomplete.
• March 24 – The PSC ruled NYRI’s second application to be incomplete.
• May 12 – Mt. Hope’s Town Board unanimously approved a donation to the Communities Against Regional Interconnect (CARI).
• NYRI applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for federal price supports for the 190 mile power line as provided under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. FERC judged the application to be “deficient, lacking documentation, and without justification.”
• June 28 – NYRI’s PSC application was proclaimed incomplete for the third time.
• NYRI’s PSC application is finally considered complete.
• September 29 – Jon Reed represented the BKAA at a SayNo2NYRI strategy meeting in the Town of Wallkill.
• Informational forums and public hearings on the PSC application will be held on the following dates:
  October 28: Kuhl’s Highland House, 1 PM forum, 2 PM hearing. Valley Central High School, 6 PM forum, 7 PM hearing.

  October 29: Delaware Community Center, Callicoon, 1 PM forum, 2 PM hearing. Sullivan West, 6 PM forum, 7 PM hearing.

Gas Drilling Leases:

• Gas companies are interested in leasing lands which contain notable deposits of Marcellus shale, as in Pennsylvania and Sullivan County.
• Numerous public informational workshops and meetings have addressed the pros and cons surrounding gas drilling leases in order to educate the public about this critical issue.
• December 4, 2008 – Public hearing on the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) draft scope of its new Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on gas drilling at Sullivan County Community College.

Casinos:

• January 4 – Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne rejected reservation casino applications from St. Regis Mohawks at Monticello Gaming and Raceway as well as the Stockbridge-Munsee casino at Bridgeville.
• February 6 – Empire Resorts severed its partnership with the St. Regis Mohawks.
• February 11- Empire and Concord owner Louis Cappelli reached an agreement to move Monticello Gaming and Raceway to a proposed $700 million Entertainment City complex on the Concord’s property at Kiamesha Lake.
• Current – With the promise of enormous tax benefits, Cappelli’s venture has begun construction.

Basherkill Subdivision

• September 10 – public hearing on the DEIS of this proposal. BKAA consultants David Clouser (engineering), Dr. Katherine Beinkafner (hydrogeology), and “Spider” Barbour (ecology) testified.
• October 22 – second DEIS public hearing.

Spring Mountain Resort (Homowack):

• December – Property was the site of an oil spill caused by a ruptured pipe.
• February 5 – Wurtsboro and Summitville Fire Departments expressed safety concerns regarding this parcel to Mamakating’s Town Board.
• Spring Mountain applied for renewal of its State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit.
• April 25 – DEC granted the public a 30 day written comment period to address worries about Spring Mountain’s SPDES application.
• May 29 – Times Herald Record stated that no property or sales tax had been collected on this land since current owners purchased the Homowack in July, 2006.
• August 1 – DEC agreed to a conditional 5 year renewal of the discharge permit. Conditions were imposed due to notable input from area residents.

Kingwood:

• DEC declared itself lead agency for environmental review of this project.
• November 15 – The applicant revised its Environmental Assessment Form after receiving a DEC mandate to do

Fordham Estates:
Though this property, at the nexus of Mt. Vernon and Fordham Roads in Summitville, recently the site of a proposed 230 single family home development, was in foreclosure, it was repossessed by project owners at a later county auction.

Networking:
Throughout this past year, the BKAA carefully nurtured new contacts and constantly rejuvenated our connections with long standing friends and supporters. These priceless collaborations, with their myriad resources, positively influenced BKAA accomplishments.

• Jon Reed continued his invaluable assistance to the Wurtsboro Renaissance as the BKAA representative. This role was particularly crucial during the initial stages of planning the “Come Clean” endeavor.
• Patricia Diness, Cathy Dawkins, Jackie Broder, and Tara Buckstad were primary “movers and shakers” behind “Come Clean,” a collaborative effort between the BKAA, Wurtsboro Board of Trade, and the Wurtsboro/Sullivan Renaissance groups to rid Wurtsboro of plastic bags.
• The BKAA continues its affiliation with the Sullivan County Visitors Association (SCVA), whose website and publications highlight BKAA programs as well as the wetlands resource. On 5/22/08, we participated in a tailgate brochure exchange with other SCVA members.
• The BKAA maintains a continuous presence on the Shawangunk Ridge Coalition Executive Committee. On 6/7/08, we celebrated National Trails Day with ridge partners on the LaFarge acreage in Summitville, which soon will be transferred to DEC for annexation into Wurtsboro Ridge State Forest Preserve.
• The BKAA derives support on issues of mutual concern like the Basherkill Subdivision from members of the Orange County Open Space Alliance.
• In our efforts, we also networked with local politicians and obtained inestimable assistance from Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey and his Sullivan County Representative Chris White, as well as from Legislator Kathy LaBuda, who remained outspoken against Yukiguni. Legislator Jonathan Rouis was also helpful by discussing mega developments proposed for Mamakating with BKAA representatives and local citizens on 11/15/07. Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther endorsed “Come Clean.” Advocacy efforts over the Basherkill subdivision prompted more intensive contact with Congressman John Hall and his District Representative Frank Giancamilli.
• The BKAA enjoyed consistent backing and encouragement from our loyal partner, Sullivan County Audubon Society (SCAS), whose President, Valerie Freer, invited Paula to meet with SCAS board members and Audubon New York’s Executive Director, Al Caccese, to address pertinent YM issues.
• Paula, on behalf of the BKAA, assumed a mentoring role with citizen action groups and individuals, spending considerable time assisting local residents to devise oppositional strategies against construction of a 280 foot high cell tower targeted for Spring Glen.
• Rich Morris, in particular, as well as Bill and Carol Lucas, Andy Weil, and Eileen Haworth Weil regularly admonished municipal officials to follow legal processes and introduce greater transparency to government.
• November 14 – Paula joined other environmental leaders at an Albany meeting, where DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis introduced his Executive Staff and addressed his agency’s vision for New York State.
• January, February, March – BKAA representatives volunteered at the Eagle Institute’s Eagle Watch project established at various locales along the Upper Delaware River. Patricia Diness, Eagle Watch Institute and BKAA volunteer coordinated this operation.
• June 21 – Paula visited the Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development’s First Annual Benefit and Solstice Celebration in Hurleyville.
• July 5 – Paula provided Cragsmoor Association members with updated BKAA happenings at the Association’s annual meeting.
• September 9 – Jon and Paula attended an Executive Committee meeting of the Sullivan County Legislature, where proposed amendments to the county charter were deliberated.

Town of Mamakating Meeting Coverage:
Paula normally monitored all town and planning board sessions. Zoning board meetings were attended on an as needed basis.

“Come Clean:”
The “Come Clean – One Village at a Time” project is a collaborative endeavor between the Basha Kill Area Association, Wurtsboro Board of Trade and Wurtsboro Renaissance begun in the Spring of 2008. The purpose of Come Clean is to eliminate plastic shopping bags from the Village of Wurtsboro, while focusing on three key segments of our community: Business Development, Reducing Our Footprint in the County Landfill, and Educating Students on creative ways to integrate the concerns of both businesses and environmentalists.

The goals of Come Clean are to:

• Reduce the waste footprint of the Village.
• Reduce the amount of curbside trash visible in the village.
• Provide positive publicity for the village and our shopkeepers.
• Create a positive, multi-faceted community activity.
• Reduce our input of non-biodegrading plastic into the County Landfill.
• Develop and integrate an educational program as a corollary.

In this short time, Come Clean has purchased 10,000 re-usable shopping bags, developed and implemented an education program about landfill impacts of these bags, and successfully created a media campaign to highlight our village and the project. All this without any cost to our village shopkeepers. The Basha Kill Area Association applied for, and received organizational and corporate grants and gifts which paid for the entire effort.

The initial bag distribution focused on shops, residents and service organizations in the Wurtsboro area, along with sponsors, media and politicians. Throughout the summer, bags have been distributed at local events where they make the biggest impact. To date, we have distributed more than 8,000 bags.

Our efforts have drawn significant media attention, including articles in the Times Herald Record, the Sullivan Democrat, The River Reporter, the Mid-Hudson News, the Ellenville Journal, the Hudson Valley Business Journal, the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development newsletter, and multiple BKAA newsletters. Further, we have received radio and TV coverage from the Mid-Hudson News and Channel 6 News.

We have also received attention from the Sullivan County Legislature. The Legislature issued a proclamation at their September monthly meeting, to endorse a “Bring Your Own Bag” day for all of Sullivan County on October 15th. This idea is a product of our collaboration with Sullivan Renaissance, Erika’s Better Bags and the Sullivan West School’s Project Earth Sack initiative.

The BKAA and the Come Clean Team continue to hear, on a regular basis, from other villages, towns, schools, and non-profit groups asking for advice on how to “Come Clean”. In order to assist these individuals and groups, we have posted a “How To” on the Basha Kill Area Association website (thebashakill.org).

We anticipate that the Bring Your Own Bag Day will produce additional interest and focus on our project and our mission.

Local Environmental Activities:

• April 19 – The BKAA launched its 27th Annual Basha Kill Cleanup with 100 participants engaging in an inaugural recycling effort.
• May 31 - Jon arranged an organizational display at Mamakating Walks! Heart Walk, which was sited at the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area (BWMA).
• June 11 – BKAA sponsored DEC wildlife intern Benjamin Stafford’s river otter presentation at an assembly of 300 students at Wurtsboro’s Emma Chase Elementary School. Special thanks to Jackie Broder for facilitating this event.
• July 22 – Russ Barnett, Justina Burton, Jim Carney, as well as Brad and Cathy Dawkins, labored with DEC staff to eradicate an invasive phragmites patch adjacent to Haven Road.
• October 4 – Fourteen ambitious volunteers worked several hours on the BKAA’s second organized wetlands cleanup in 2008.

Campers:
The BKAA selected and partially funded Jesse from Highland Mills and Mary Rose from Queens for this year’s NYS DEC Environmental Camp. Both chose to attend Camp DeBruce in Livingston Manor.

Jack Orth Scholarship:
The BKAA persists in offering scholarship opportunities to deserving students attending Sullivan County Community College.

Water Testing:
We have collected another year of water quality data for the Baska Kill (specifically fecal coliform readings from five wetland sites). Thanks to Stephen Erny for meticulously managing a vital BKAA responsibility.

DEC Update:
As an official steward of the Basha Kill under DEC’s Adopt –A – Natural Resource program, the BKAA honored our commitments to conduct an annual cleanup, retrieve water samples from throughout the Basha Kill Drainage area and to initiate on site educational pursuits.

Basha Kill Walks and Educational Presentations:
These activities are notable components of the BKAA’s core work, which teaches others about the value of the Basha Kill and surrounding area along with ways to safeguard these precious resources.

• Maryallison Farley once again performed yeoman services establishing the BKAA’s educational agenda for 2008 and assembling the talented group who implemented it. Bob Fiore’s popular star gazing venture inspired 20 participants to engage in the inaugural event of this year’s educational agenda. Scott Graber and Mike Medley conducted the early spring canoe outing with a record 32 kayaks and 2 canoes, while this duo also piloted a fall expedition of 4-5 vessels. John Haas, bird expert extraordinaire, was accompanied by 30 followers during his first session on bird migration and focused on fall warblers with 12 devotees in his second outing. John Kenney led an early summer wildflower ramble with 6 people and interacted with 16 individuals during his well-received “blooms and butterflies” stroll. Bill Cutler, joined by knowledgeable friends, introduced 15 attendees to the Basha Kill’s amphibians and reptiles.
• March 17 – Mike Medley led a Cub Scout troop, including parents and siblings on a wetlands walk, eyeing nesting eagles through a scope along the way.
• May 24 – Mike conducted a Huntington Long Island Audubon Club through the BWMA.
• May 28 – Mike enlightened the Leadership Sullivan Class of 2008 about the BWMA via a talk followed by a guided stroll.

Basha Kill Nature Watch Program:

The sixth year of the BKAA Nature Watch volunteer program came to a close at the end of June. Success in this program is measured by several factors – whether or not volunteers and visitors can view nesting bald eagles and ospreys from the South Road boat launch site, the number of people reached by this educational outreach effort and the number of participating volunteers.

On all three counts 2008 was a banner year! Visitors were able to see the nesting bald eagle pair and the nesting ospreys from our location. At the same time, our volunteers recorded observations about these two raptor pairs and their developing offspring. While covering shifts at the boat launch, Nature Watch volunteers spoke with and surveyed some 1,066 people (compared to 671 people last year). The higher number of visitors recorded may be related to our expanded hours of coverage at the boat launch (up from three hours of coverage on Saturday and Sunday to six hours each day in 2008). We were also thrilled to have 37 volunteers working in the program this year (twice as many as last year). Volunteers provide visitors with information about the Basha Kill’s plant and animal residents and also offer information about local businesses and other points of interest in the area.

Other highlights this season were the addition of a second powerful viewing scope, using monies from the BKAA’s general fund and the continued cooperation of the Eagle Institute. Director Lori McKean once again provided valuable information at our Annual Volunteer Training and the Institute’s winter program was the source of a new group of volunteers to our program this year. Thanks to the Eagle Institute and of course, to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, our sponsoring agency.

Finally, special thanks to our wonderful cadre of dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers and to Maryallison Farley and Patricia Diness who together run this important volunteer outreach program for the BKAA.

Other Outreach Events:

• October 30 – Mike and Paula presided over a Basha Kill table at Sullivan County Community College’s Water Symposium.
• February 20 – March 27 – “The Basha Kill – A Quiet Treasure,” the first ever large scale art exhibition featuring only works that accentuated the Basha Kill wetlands was undertaken at Orange County Community College (OCCC). Kudos to the show’s originator Rosalind Hodgkins and its organizer Dorothy Szefc, OCCC Cultural Affairs Coordinator.
• May 1 – Mike and Paula educated 100 sixth graders from Ellenville, Saugerties, and Kingston about wetlands ecology during Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County’s 4-H Environmental Awareness Day at Kingston Point Park.
• May 3 – Mike and Paula presented the “Come Clean” venture during “Your Coal Connection Energy Expo and Symposium” undertaken at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) in Dingman’s Ferry, Pennsylvania.
• May 10 – Jodi Rubenstein organized a BKAA presentation at Greystone Program Inc’s Spring Celebration in Sugar Loaf.
• August 23 – Anita Altman, Lorraine Haring, Jon Reed, and Paula discussed BKAA issues with visitors to the Shawangunk Mountain Wild Blueberry and Huckleberry Festival” in Ellenville.
• September 13 – Jackie Broder and Gil Kulick took the BKAA’s “dog and pony show” to the Green Earth Fair, sponsored by the Delaware Highlands Conservancy and the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition and held in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania.
• September 21 – Mike and Paula represented the BKAA at “Earth Day in Autumn” during Bethel Wood’s Harvest Festival.

Workshops:
As a means of continually educating ourselves about prominent natural resources, advocacy strategies, along with planning and zoning, BKAA members engaged in myriad workshops and seminars this year.

• November 16 – Jon and Paula attended a conference at Mohonk Mountain House entitled “Watershed Connections: Economic and Ecological Value of Streams, Buffers and Floodplains.”
• March 10 – Jon and Paula audited a seminar at the Center for Discovery, which explored areas of green and sustainability relevant to planning, zoning, and code enforcement.
• June 27- Jon and Paula observed an education forum entitled “Natural Gas Drilling in the Upper Delaware Region: Issues and Strategies for Property Owners and Municipalities” at Liberty High School.
• July 1 – Paula went to a DEC sponsored gas drilling forum at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Liberty.
• September 22- Paula participated in a seminar at CVI in Ferndale on “Designing for Conservation Subdivisions, Corridor Redevelopment.”

Field Guide to the Basha Kill:

• November 24, 2007 – The BKAA heralded its newly published and much anticipated The Basha Kill Wetlands: A Field Guide at a book party hosted by the Catskill Hiking Shack.
• 245 copies of the 500 printed have been sold this year.
• Facilitating sales has been notable publicity like a review in the Tines Herald Record.
• Publications are currently for sale at the Bashakill Vineyards and Canal Towne Emporium, Wurtsboro, Morgan Outdoors and Hamish and Henry Booksellers, Livingston Manor, an information venue on the Palisades Interstate Parkway, Borders at the Galleria Mall, Middletown, the Cragsmoor Free Library, Cragsmoor, and online.
• Through the intercession of Maryallison Farley, all Sullivan County public libraries now have field guides compliments of the BKAA.

BKAA Brochure:
This brochure continues to be one of the most utilized BKAA public relations tool and, as such, possesses inestimable value for the organization.

The Great Crepes Fundraiser:
Hosted by Natalie Fuz & Kelly McGowan, who originated the idea and Maryallison Farley, who generously opened her beautiful home to over 40 guests, this first official BKAA fundraiser secured a whopping $1000 for the organization. Also contributing to this spectacular outcome was Lilith Jones’ donation of an original field guide drawing for the fundraiser’s raffle.

Membership Renewal/Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer:
These key board functions were expertly managed by Lorraine Haring, Toni Garrett, and Jon Reed. Thanks for an amazing commitment of time and energy!

Publicity/thebashakill.org/Action Alerts:

• The BKAA is grateful to member Susan O’Neill for continued dedication to her role as our group’s public relations guru, writing and distributing all news releases.
• Our website www.thebashakill.org, produced by Arrow Web Designs, and Action Alerts are requisite communications tools utilized to supply updates on BKAA programs and general news as well as to rapidly galvanize and organize our members when we are faced with impending threats.
• Maryallison Farley did a dynamite job maintaining and administering the Action Alerts, a role now assumed by Hattie Grifo. However, Maryallison continues being the BKAA’s contact with Arrow Web Designs. Currently, Jon Reed fields our emails.
• Special thanks to John and Susan Lavelle, former owners of Wurtsboro’s Hiking Shack, for 10 years of distributing our literature and selling BKAA merchandise in their shop. We appreciate the Lavelle’s support and loyalty through these many years and were so sorry when the Hiking Shack closed.
• Board Member Emeritus Buff McAllister has completed another successful year editing and “putting together” the Guardian, our primary connection to BKAA members. Thanks Buff for your ongoing dedication and the level of excellence persistently applied to this effort.

BKAA Consultants:
We have really depended upon the expertise provided by our consultants this year on both the YM and Basherkill subdivision issues. Our “team,” consisting of attorney Alex Smith, engineers David Clouser and Andy Willingham, hydro-geologist Dr. Katherine Beinkafner, and ecologist J. G. “Spider” Barbour enabled the BKAA to maintain its strong advocacy work. Thanks to all of you!

Respectfully Submitted,

Paula Medley,
President