Ag lands applications
The Ulster County Legislature will accept requests from March 1 through March 30, 2016 from landowners wanting to have their agricultural lands included within a New York State Certified Agricultural District.
Landowners seeking inclusion into a Certified Agricultural District must submit a completed Agricultural District Inclusion Application with tax map identification number(s), a copy of the relevant portion to the tax map, and a description of the land to Burt Samuelson, Ulster County Planning Dept., 244 Fair St., PO Box 1800, Kingston, NY 12402-1800 within this 30-day period.
Applications must be received from March 1 and March 30, 2016 at the Ulster County Planning Department. Applications should be mailed or hand delivered.
The Agricultural District Inclusion Application and a brochure explaining Agricultural Districts are available through the following website at https://ulstercountyny.gov/planning/annual-agricultural-district-inclusions. To receive an application, brochure or more information about the inclusion process, please contact Burt Samuelson at (845) 339-2490 or via emailbsam@co.ulster.ny.us.
Agricultural District Law adopted by the New York State Legislature in 1971 provides for the creation of Agricultural Districts to protect and promote the availability of land for farming purposes. Lands within Districts are protected from unreasonable local regulation of farm practices, the acquisition by public entities through the use of eminent domain, and the advance of public funds to construct facilities that encourage non-farm development. Additionally, land used in agricultural production within an Agricultural District is not subject to benefit assessments, special ad valorem levies or other rates and fees for the financing of improvements such as water, sewer or non-farm drainage.
Ulster County has four certified Agricultural Districts containing over 70,000 acres of farmland.
If you have any additional questions about the application or certification process, contact your local Ulster County Legislator.
Chris Allen,
Ulster County Legislature
District 2, Saugerties and Malden
Pipeline won’t stop bomb trains
During my and Bill Barr’s February 16th presentation to the Saugerties Village Board on the proposed Pilgrim Pipelines, the question was asked whether the proposed pipelines would reduce crude moving by rail and barge through our communities. The Pipeline proponents are perfectly willing to let the public assume this to be the case, although it is not alleged their voluminous Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
This is clearly false. First, as told to the Village Board, the two modes of shipment, rail and the proposed crude pipeline, depart from different locations. The Pilgrim crude-carrying pipeline would originate at the Port of Albany. The trains travel from Selkirk, six miles to the south. Second, the two modes of shipment do not go to the same destination. The Pilgrim crude pipeline would terminate near Linden, New Jersey, while the trains from Selkirk travel to Philadelphia.
Finally, the pipelines would significantly increase the crude unit trains travelling through New York State. Over the preceding 12 months, an average of 62,000 barrels per day moved by rail to the Port of Albany. The proposed Pilgrim Pipeline would move 200,000 barrels per day, requiring more than three-fold increase in shipments by rail to Albany.
These pipelines are not about ending the “bomb trains” or moving oil more safely. They are simply about moving more oil and generating profits at our expense.
Lanny Walter
Saugerties
Hocus potus
In nine plus months we will make another presidential pick. What a field so far…Bernie Sanders the Socialist promising the kiddies everything for free. The billionaires will pay for it all. Maybe not.
Hillary, poor health and many violations of the public trust. Indictment? She’s wearing those glasses again. Maybe not. Bloomberg, Biden? The Pope?
On the other side, Trump? Where is the substance on any of his propositions? He will probably flame out, blame everyone, fire Arnold and re-take the boardroom. Cruz and Rubio will most likely fight it out for the Repubs and then nothing will get accomplished come January 2017. What has the Republican Congress done so far but rubber stamp all of Obama’s wonderful notions. How about $25 an hour minimum wage, a house, a car and a six week vacation for everyone, a ban on all coal, oil, and U.S. gas production,
bigger government, ten thousand more restrictions on small businesses, free drugs, a ban on Christian-Judeo religions, no term limits for politicians, and free sex changes for everyone. Let’s get under our desks and hope we make it before Iran brings it. Kanye West in 2020 and John Kerry for the Nobel Peace prize. Long live the Woodstock Generation!
Greg Safris
Woodstock
Join the family! 
