The New York Department of Environmental Conservation is putting a hold on a logging project across 90-plus acres of the Zoar Valley Conservation Area, but environmental activists are doubtful that will remain the case.
Despite the DEC’s announcement, Zoar Valley Coalition members say they’re not confident in changes being made. Coalition president Lynn Kenney says there needs to be more effort to have public forums exchanging dialogue with residents.
“An informational meeting means the DEC puts out their plan of logging and why they think it is a good plan. It's not accepting public input, so there is a very (big) difference between a public hearing, which actually lets the public do the talking, and then that is recorded.”
Having a hearing is also important because the recording can then be used to help with a management plan for the project Kenney said.
Coalition members say the number of residents joined against the project has increased in recent months, and organizations like the Sierra Club Niagara are also showing support.
