New York Recognizes Lows Lake as Wilderness

Story in today's Adirondack Almanack:

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) have dropped their appeal of a state Supreme Court decision that confirmed the classification of Lows Lake as Wilderness.

In August 2011, Supreme Court Justice Michael C. Lynch ruled on a lawsuit brought by the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) and Protect the Adirondacks! (PROTECT), that the lake was and should be managed as Wilderness. Lynch also noted that Lows Lake was included in a 1987 Wilderness classification of about 9,100 acres that was signed by then-Governor Mario Cuomo.  The APA and DEC appealed, but this week the state Attorney General’s Office, representing the APA and DEC, withdrew its appeal of Lynch’s decision.

Following the 1987 classification, float plane use of Lows Lake made its management as Wilderness controversial.  DEC held contentious meetings in 2000 while planning for the Bog River Complex Unit Management Plan, which was approved in 2003. That plan called for an immediate ban on motorboats and a phasing out of float planes by 2008.


More here:

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2012/06/after-20-year-battle-nys-recognizes-lows-lake-as-wilderness.html

One of the most contentious parts of this discussion has been the use of float planes on Lows Lake.  Unless I missed it, I didn't see any mention of what will be done on this issue. Anybody know?

float plane ban went into effect January 2011 or 12 but they were already banned prior to this decision.