Tuesday’s Elections: Vote NO on Proposition #5 to protect Forever Wild Provision

From the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter

Vote No Prop 5
Tuesday’s election presents voters with an important opportunity to protect New York’s Environment. The Sierra Club’s grassroots volunteer activists have considered the candidates’ records, reviewed their questionnaire responses and interviewed those willing to meet with us. In many of the local elections around the state, we’re proud to endorse candidates we know will champion environmental issues. See the full list here.

In addition, this year’s ballot has an especially bad proposition on the back. The Atlantic Chapter urges a resounding “NO” vote on Proposition #5. This proposition aims to amend Article 14 of the State Constitution, the “forever wild” provision, allowing NYCO Minerals Inc. to mine wollastonite ore on a 200-acre parcel of Adirondack forest preserve. This parcel adjoins one of NYCO’s currently operating open pit mines, the Lewis mine, in the Lake Champlain Valley in the Town of Lewis, Essex County.

“Forever wild” — a law enshrined in the state constitution — has been a bedrock principle of the conservation movement in New York since 1894. It states that Forest Preserve lands “… shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged or taken by any corporation public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed.”

It is critically important to send a message, through your “no” vote, to the Legislature, the governor and business interests that the “forever wild” provisions of the NYS Constitution are not to be trivialized and the state forest preserve is not for sale to benefit private corporations, at any price.

To read more about the details behind Prop #5 and to see the full list of Atlantic Chapter Endorsements,

http://newyork2.sierraclub.org/content/2013-endorsements

And don’t forget to get out on Tuesday, November 5 to vote! Polls open at 6am and are open until 9pm. Thank you again for all you do to protect New York’s environment!

Best,
Jeff Bohner
Chair, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter