However, Town of Ulster historian Robert Sweeney noted in an e-mail that the lake originally had an Indian name — Stenoraka Lake, as it was labeled on a 1949 Fire District map; whether that’s a fanciful nomenclature or actually related to earlier peoples in the area is unknown — and was a popular recreational spot, with a cabin for paying guests. Up through the 1960s, when it was part of a chicken farm, people fished the lake and hiked in the area.
Budziak said not only Hutter Lake had been affected by mining activities. KE-3, which is a DEC-designated protected wetland, located to the west of KE-7, was also suffering from erosion and silt due to clear cutting of trees on 40 acres of the ridge to the west. She said the ridge is 300 feet above KE-3 and there wasn’t a substantial enough buffer around the wetland to protect it from the runoff.
She maintained the damage could impact areas outside the Callanan property, given the flood mitigation wetlands provide as well as their ability to filter and purify water. “We have five miles of connected wetlands that parallel the ridge along Route 32,”she said. “They absorb runoff from all areas especially impermeable surfaces.”
Noting that the company had a problem with trespassers, Zeh said Callanan was nonetheless “willing to work with folks. We have a wildlife habitat counsel to work out the creation of nice habitats on some of the properties we own.” Zeh said no plans were yet in place for the mine in the Town of Ulster, but over the next couple years the company intended some kind of program, such as establishing nesting sites for birds or helping protect amphibians.
Budziak said such plans were “ludicrous” since “they are destroying more habitat than they can mitigate. “The ridge is a contiguous forest with minimal impact from roads. It holds an infinite number of diverse habitats that will be destroyed, leaving the critters to find new homes. An eagle that used to be seen frequenting the sky isn’t seen there as often, since they clear cut forty some odd acres. I have seen rare ferns and mosses, lichen as well as algae … the list goes on.”
She noted that representatives of Native American groups were also concerned about the fate of the archaeological discoveries on the site. Sherry White, a representative from the Munsee tribe, based in Wisconsin, has expressed concern about the fate of the paleo-Indian finds. (The Wisconsin-based group includes people descended from the Mohicans, who once inhabited Ulster County.) The Native American group considers the ridge to be a sacred site.
As mentioned, an area of the mine where archaeologists have discovered paleo-Indian sites is currently off limits for rock excavation, pending further study. Douglas Mackey, a historic preservation program analyst with OPRHP, said Callanan may chose to leave the designated area alone, rather than spend money on additional studies. On the other hand, the company also might fund another study, after which the archaeological sites would be destroyed to they could mine the area — a common scenario. “There are a number of resources we’ve looked at and recorded, and there was nothing more to be done with them, so they were destroyed,” he said. “There s a difference between what I would like to protect and what the law says I have to protect.”
Budziak said she has distributed copies of the data she has collected to U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, Scenic Hudson, Catskill Mountainkeeper and Riverkeeper, along with the Ulster County clerk and planning offices. Her group also retained Hudsonia to create an atlas of the area. (To avoid trespassing on the site, much of the information for the atlas was obtained remotely, by accessing Google Earth and other internet mapping sites, she said.)
SIDEBAR: Update on East Kingston house damage
Callanan Industries sets off explosive charges three times a week on average, blowing up on average 15,000 tons of rock which results in a maximum allowable volume of 650 to 750 tons of stone per hour, according to state Department of Environmental Conservation documents. Each blast requires the drilling of 20 to 40 holes, and the peak particle velocity, as it is referred to in the DEC documents, cannot exceed two inches per second. Maximum decibel levels are capped at 133 decibels, and residences within 300 feet of the blast can request advance notification of a blast by the company.
First of all I would like to thank the Kingston Times for bringing the wetlands scenario to light. We may not be in the City of Kingston but we do surround it on all sides so things that happen here can ultimately impact the city. The wetlands in question run from the City line all the way to Glenerie falls on the Saugerties line. They are connected and are endowed with amazing habitats. In 2009 I was fortunate to have participated in one of Hudsonia’s Biodiversity Mapping programs. That year our group mapped 3200 acres in the western part of the City of Kingston and the Town of Ulster. It was an amazing experience and we all learned many things. Having completed that area I decided to take on the Route 32 corridor which has a unique ‘Ridge’ and adjacent wetlands! The ‘Ridge is the first thing you see when you cross the Kingston Rhinecliff bridge on your way to the Catskills. This is the gateway to the Catskills and could be the prime stopping place for tourist but the main attraction is more than likely the Hudson valley Mall.
During the months between 2009 and the present I researched the Route 32 corridor and what is presently happening there and the best uses of the area. In mapping an area you must look at all kinds of reports (Archaeology)and maps as well as special photos and even Google Earth (which can save a lot of walking) The geology of the ‘Ridge’ is primarily calcareous (lime stone which lends itself to the presence of many of the more rare species. There is one wetland on the ‘Ridge’ which was historically connected by a small stream and Hydric Soil (soil that retains water) Some of the local people and historians know the northern part of this wetland as Hutter Lake or Steneracka and is on maps back to the early 1800’s–It is also on all the wetland maps my group has examined and to our knowledge has never been formally declassified or deregulated .It is not listed as such on the DEC web site nor was there a public hearing to do this. We are very concerned about this area as even though Mr. Zeh says they mitigate the areas destroyed by mining replacing flora and fauna that is indigenous to a specific geology is next to impossible. Specific moss and fern do not grow just anywhere. I have read of the work that both Callanan and Tilcon have done and will say they have done excellent work however they were not replacing something as sensitive as this and for the most part improved on the areas destroyed by their mining. This ‘Ridge’ is connected geologically to the area in Rosendale and the Schawgunks .
Callanan and Tilcon own 1000 acres in Ulster county. There are 130 areas being overseen by the DEC (Helena Duda) not all are actively mined or permitted at this time but many can produce the very same product that is now taken from the east Kingston Quarry and many of those areas are locally owned. I am sure if one really looked we could buy American even though it is our earth. The $50,000 quoted for taxes on the East Kingston Quarry is broken down into around $18,000 municipal tax and the rest goes to the Kingston City School District.
In response to Ms Duda’s statement that Hutter lake is isolated I would ask folks to Google Earth and look for yourself. Both sections of KE-7 are subject to over site by the DEC and the Army Corp of Engineers according to multiple wetlands maps. It is a pity that companies like Tilcon/Callanan dodge SEQRA which gives them license to destroy so much. Does it make that big a difference in the bottom line? Do they hold “The People” in such low esteem that they take away their voice? This is not working with Folks! This blatantly ignoring the plight of the people especial those of East Kingston not to mention the Native American’s who’s history lies along that ‘Ridge’. There are ancient paths that run north and south along that Ridge. There are at least seven noted archaeological sites and one that has been documented by Ritchey who was the State Archaeologist many years ago. There are representatives of the Munsee people from Canada who have asked for recognition when these sites are studied.
I guess I am hoping that somehow the parties involved in the making of ‘Two Lakes’ might consider the “People”, “We the People”.
‘LAW’
Land, Air and Water
A Coalition for the Protection of Natural Resources
Nora Paul Budziak
[email protected]
I know that Callahan destroys wetlands. I lived in East Kingston and Kingston all my life. I ice skated on lakes and ponds where Callahan now exists. There were two lakes on Devils Lake Road that have been filled with sediment and drained. You can still travel toward Kingston on that road and see other wetlands still in existence. How could anyone believe that these wetlands did not extend into East Kingston?? And this is what is going to happen to Hutter Lake. It is NOT isolated. Nor were the Lakes that were destroyed by Callahan. Some were spring fed.