Task force to work on countywide ATV trailBy SHELLEY LIVERNOIS
JOHNSON NEWSPAPERS
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2009
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A newly formed task force that will investigate the formation of a countywide ATV trail will meet next week.
The committee will start off small, but may grow with the project to include highway departments, snowmobile clubs, law enforcement and other trail users such as hikers or mountain bikers.
Franklin County Legislators Timothy P. Burpoe, D-Saranac Lake, Daniel F. Crippen, D-Burke, and Raymond A. Susice, D-St. Regis Falls, members of the Economic Development and Planning Committee, met Thursday with Tourism Director Neil F. Seymour and representatives from the ATV community — Ruff Riders President Theron White and Ray O. Miles of John Harvey's Gasoline Alley — to discuss the committee's formation.
At the end of the meeting, a list of potential committee members, with Mr. Seymour as chairman, was drawn up to include two representatives from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, one each for Region 5, which includes Franklin County, and Region 6, which includes St. Lawrence County.
Also represented on the committee will be ATV clubs, by Mr. White; and the business community, by Mr. Miles, an ATV salesman.
Because the construction of new ATV trails has safety implications, Franklin County Traffic Safety Board member Ron Reyome also will be on the committee to answer concerns about road crossings, necessary signs and other issues as the trail is constructed.
The Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District, and legislators on the Economic Development Planning Committee also will be represented.
Mr. Burpoe said the environmental community also must be included, giving it an opportunity to "put up or shut up." Malone Chamber of Commerce President Hugh Hill said, as an environmentalist, he doesn't believe mainstream activists are opposed to the construction of ATV trails.
"ATV use is not going to damage the environment," Mr. Burpoe said.
"Ultimately it may help preserve it, because it will open up more people to the recreational possibilities inherent in nature."
The chamber supports creation of an ATV trails system.
Mr. Burpoe said the committee must first examine maps of potential sites for trails.
He said the goal is to connect to St. Lawrence County in the west and Clinton County in the east through the Champion conservation easement lands to Meacham Lake, and into the Bellmont/Mountain View area, where it would connect to the Domtar property.
The Franklin County ATV Task Force will meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Legislature's chamber on the fourth floor of the county court house.
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