Enacts the "Adirondack sportsmen's club preservation act"

Title of bill

An act to amend the state finance law and the environmental conservation law, in relation to enacting the "Adirondack sportsmen's club preservation act"

Purpose

To establish the "Adirondack sportsmen's club preservation act"

Summary of provisions

Section one: Contains the short title.

Section two: legislative findings: the provisions of this act are intended to grant any such club the right of first refusal to purchase or attain a long term lease of the land utilized by the club and additional land including, but not limited to, a deeded right of way at fair market value. Sportsmen's clubs shall be deemed to retain exclusive access to and usage rights for hunting and fishing, while allowing public access to the land for other recreational activities

Section three: amends paragraph (d) of subdivision 6 of section 92-s of the state finance law, stating that moneys from the open space account shall be available, pursuant to appropriation, for any open space land conservation project undertaken with a willing seller provided that such moneys shall not be used to acquire lands on which hunting and fishing camps are located if the lease agreements are to be discontinued

Section four: amends section 54-0301 of the environmental conservation law by defining "open space projects" to mean acquisition projects undertaken with willing sellers

Section five: amends subdivision 6 of section 54-0303 of the environmental conservation law, by omitting existing language and adding "the use of eminent domain in connection with any open space land conservation project shall be limited to lands with respect to which the owner or leaseholder has consented to the use of eminent domain or where the use of eminent domain is required to quiet title"

Section six: This act shall take effect immediately

Justification

Hunting and fishing camps are an important piece in the fabric of the Adirondacks. Generations of families have been traveling to the Adirondacks to participate in these important American pastimes. The economy of this area of the state is dependent on tourism and recreational activities. It is estimated that tens of millions of dollars annually is injected into the local economy from members of sportsmen's clubs through the purchase of goods and services. Not only is there an economic benefit from these clubs, their members are true stewards of the land, and provide important environmental and habitat preservation.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None to the state.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.