N.Y. Const. art. XIV, § 1: Forest preserve to be forever kept wild; certain uses and exceptions authorized

ARTICLE XIV

Conservation

Section 1. The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired,

constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever

kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged,

or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber

thereon be sold, removed or destroyed. Nothing herein contained shall

prevent the state from constructing, completing and maintaining any

highway heretofore specifically authorized by constitutional amendment,

nor from constructing and maintaining to federal standards federal aid

interstate highway route five hundred two from a point in the vicinity

of the city of Glens Falls, thence northerly to the vicinity of the

villages of Lake George and Warrensburg, the hamlets of South Horicon

and Pottersville and thence northerly in a generally straight line on

the west side of Schroon Lake to the vicinity of the hamlet of Schroon,

then continuing northerly to the vicinity of Schroon Falls, Schroon

River and North Hudson, and to the east of Makomis Mountain, east of the

hamlet of New Russia, east of the village of Elizabethtown and

continuing northerly in the vicinity of the hamlet of Towers Forge, and

east of Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain and continuing northerly to the

vicinity of the village of Keeseville and the city of Plattsburgh, all

of the aforesaid taking not to exceed a total of three hundred acres of

state forest preserve land, nor from constructing and maintaining not

more than twenty-five miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet

wide, together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than

five miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet

wide, on the north, east and northwest slopes of Whiteface Mountain in

Essex county, nor from constructing and maintaining not more than

twenty-five miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet wide,

together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than two

miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet wide,

on the slopes of Belleayre Mountain in Ulster and Delaware counties and

not more than forty miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet wide,

together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than eight

miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet wide,

on the slopes of Gore and Pete Gay mountains in Warren county, nor from

relocating, reconstructing and maintaining a total of not more than

fifty miles of existing state highways for the purpose of eliminating

the hazards of dangerous curves and grades, provided a total of no more

than four hundred acres of forest preserve land shall be used for such

purpose and that no single relocated portion of any highway shall exceed

one mile in length. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the state

may convey to the village of Saranac Lake ten acres of forest preserve

land adjacent to the boundaries of such village for public use in

providing for refuse disposal and in exchange therefore the village of

Saranac Lake shall convey to the state thirty acres of certain true

forest land owned by such village on Roaring Brook in the northern half

of Lot 113, Township 11, Richards Survey. Notwithstanding the foregoing

provisions, the state may convey to the town of Arietta twenty-eight

acres of forest preserve land within such town for public use in

providing for the extension of the runway and landing strip of the

Piseco airport and in exchange therefor the town of Arietta shall convey

to the state thirty acres of certain land owned by such town in the town

of Arietta. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to

legislative approval of the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual

transfer of title, the state, in order to consolidate its land holdings

for better management, may convey to International Paper Company

approximately eight thousand five hundred acres of forest preserve land

located in townships two and three of Totten and Crossfield Purchase and

township nine of the Moose River Tract, Hamilton county, and in exchange

therefore International Paper Company shall convey to the state for

incorporation into the forest preserve approximately the same number of

acres of land located within such townships and such County on condition

that the legislature shall determine that the lands to be received by

the state are at least equal in value to the lands to be conveyed by the

state. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to

legislative approval of the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual

transfer of title and the conditions herein set forth, the state, in

order to facilitate the preservation of historic buildings listed on the

national register of historic places by rejoining an historic grouping

of buildings under unitary ownership and stewardship, may convey to

Sagamore Institute Inc., a not-for-profit educational organization,

approximately ten acres of land and buildings thereon adjoining the real

property of the Sagamore Institute, Inc. and located on Sagamore Road,

near Raquette Lake Village, in the Town of Long Lake, county of

Hamilton, and in exchange therefor; Sagamore Institute, Inc. shall

convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve

approximately two hundred acres of wild forest land located within the

Adirondack Park on condition that the legislature shall determine that

the lands to be received by the state are at least equal in value to the

lands and buildings to be conveyed by the state and that the natural and

historic character of the lands and buildings conveyed by the state will

be secured by appropriate covenants and restrictions and that the lands

and buildings conveyed by the state will reasonably be available for

public visits according to agreement between Sagamore Institute, Inc.

and the state. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions the state may

convey to the town of Arietta fifty acres of forest preserve land within

such town for public use in providing for the extension of the runway

and landing strip of the Piseco airport and providing for the

maintenance of a clear zone around such runway, and in exchange

therefor, the town of Arietta shall convey to the state fifty-three

acres of true forest land located in lot 2 township 2 Totten and

Crossfield's Purchase in the town of Lake Pleasant.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative

approval prior to actual transfer of title, the state may convey to the

town of Keene, Essex county, for public use as a cemetery owned by such

town, approximately twelve acres of forest preserve land within such

town and, in exchange therefor, the town of Keene shall convey to the

state for incorporation into the forest preserve approximately one

hundred forty-four acres of land, together with an easement over land

owned by such town including the riverbed adjacent to the land to be

conveyed to the state that will restrict further development of such

land, on condition that the legislature shall determine that the

property to be received by the state is at least equal in value to the

land to be conveyed by the state.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative

approval prior to actual transfer of title, because there is no viable

alternative to using forest preserve lands for the siting of drinking

water wells and necessary appurtenances and because such wells are

necessary to meet drinking water quality standards, the state may convey

to the town of Long Lake, Hamilton county, one acre of forest preserve

land within such town for public use as the site of such drinking water

wells and necessary appurtenances for the municipal water supply for the

hamlet of Raquette Lake. In exchange therefor, the town of Long Lake

shall convey to the state at least twelve acres of land located in

Hamilton county for incorporation into the forest preserve that the

legislature shall determine is at least equal in value to the land to be

conveyed by the state. The Raquette Lake surface reservoir shall be

abandoned as a drinking water supply source.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative

approval prior to actual transfer of title, the state may convey to

National Grid up to six acres adjoining State Route 56 in St. Lawrence

County where it passes through Forest Preserve in Township 5, Lots 1, 2,

5 and 6 that is necessary and appropriate for National Grid to construct

a new 46kV power line and in exchange therefore National Grid shall

convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve at least

10 acres of forest land owned by National Grid in St. Lawrence county,

on condition that the legislature shall determine that the property to

be received by the state is at least equal in value to the land conveyed

by the state.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the legislature may

authorize the settlement, according to terms determined by the

legislature, of title disputes in township forty, Totten and Crossfield

purchase in the town of Long Lake, Hamilton county, to resolve

longstanding and competing claims of title between the state and private

parties in said township, provided that prior to, and as a condition of

such settlement, land purchased without the use of state-appropriated

funds, and suitable for incorporation in the forest preserve within the

Adirondack park, shall be conveyed to the state on the condition that

the legislature shall determine that the property to be conveyed to the

state shall provide a net benefit to the forest preserve as compared to

the township forty lands subject to such settlement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the state may authorize NYCO

Minerals, Inc. to engage in mineral sampling operations, solely at its

expense, to determine the quantity and quality of wollastonite on

approximately 200 acres of forest preserve land contained in lot 8,

Stowers survey, town of Lewis, Essex county provided that NYCO Minerals,

Inc. shall provide the data and information derived from such drilling

to the state for appraisal purposes. Subject to legislative approval of

the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual transfer of title, the

state may subsequently convey said lot 8 to NYCO Minerals, Inc., and, in

exchange therefor, NYCO Minerals, Inc. shall convey to the state for

incorporation into the forest preserve not less than the same number of

acres of land, on condition that the legislature shall determine that

the lands to be received by the state are equal to or greater than the

value of the land to be conveyed by the state and on condition that the

assessed value of the land to be conveyed to the state shall total not

less than one million dollars. When NYCO Minerals, Inc. terminates all

mining operations on such lot 8 it shall remediate the site and convey

title to such lot back to the state of New York for inclusion in the

forest preserve. In the event that lot 8 is not conveyed to NYCO

Minerals, Inc. pursuant to this paragraph, NYCO Minerals, Inc.

nevertheless shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest

preserve not less than the same number of acres of land that is

disturbed by any mineral sampling operations conducted on said lot 8

pursuant to this paragraph on condition that the legislature shall

determine that the lands to be received by the state are equal to or

greater than the value of the lands disturbed by the mineral sampling

operations.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative

approval prior to actual transfer of title, a total of no more than two

hundred fifty acres of forest preserve land shall be used for the

establishment of a health and safety land account. Where no viable

alternative exists and other criteria developed by the legislature are

satisfied, a town, village or county may apply, pursuant to a process

determined by the legislature, to the health and safety land account for

projects limited to: address bridge hazards or safety on county

highways, and town highways listed on the local highway inventory

maintained by the department of transportation, dedicated, and in

existence on January first, two thousand fifteen, and annually plowed

and regularly maintained; elimination of the hazards of dangerous curves

and grades on county highways, and town highways listed on the local

highway inventory maintained by the department of transportation,

dedicated, and in existence on January first, two thousand fifteen, and

annually plowed and regularly maintained; relocation and reconstruction

and maintenance of county highways, and town highways listed on the

local highway inventory maintained by the department of transportation,

dedicated, and in existence on January first, two thousand fifteen and

annually plowed and regularly maintained, provided further that no

single relocated portion of any such highway shall exceed one mile in

length; and water wells and necessary appurtenances when such wells are

necessary to meet drinking water quality standards and are located

within five hundred thirty feet of state highways, county highways, and

town highways listed on the local highway inventory maintained by the

department of transportation, dedicated, and in existence on January

first, two thousand fifteen, and annually plowed and regularly

maintained. As a condition of the creation of such health and safety

land account the state shall acquire two hundred fifty acres of land for

incorporation into the forest preserve, on condition that the

legislature shall approve such lands to be added to the forest preserve.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the construction, operation,

and maintenance to international standards for Nordic skiing and

biathlon trails that will accommodate global competitions, training, and

events, totaling not more than three hundred twenty-three acres of

trails and appurtenances thereto, is authorized on one thousand

thirty-nine acres of forest preserve lands at the Mount Van Hoevenberg

Olympic Sports Complex in the town of North Elba in Essex county, and as

an offset thereto the state must acquire for incorporation into the

forest preserve at least two thousand five hundred acres of forest land

for inclusion in the forest preserve in the Adirondack Park on condition

that the legislature shall determine that such lands are equal to or

greater in value.