An Adirondack environmental group has asked a judge for an injunction to prevent the state Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) from building new community connector snowmobile trails in the park while an earlier suit remains unresolved.

The lawsuit by Protect the Adirondacks alleges that actions by state agencies to build large road-like class II community connector snowmobile trails in the Forest Preserve and groom them with multi-ton tracked groomers violates the state constitution’s “forever wild” clause and various state laws.

In August, the State Supreme Court denied Protect the Adirondacks’ initial motion for a preliminary injunction against construction new class II community connector snowmobile trails because there were no such trails under construction at that time. In late July, after the motions had already been submitted to the Supreme Court, the DEC announced its plan for construction of new a trail in Clinton County, but Protect the Adirondacks said DEC failed to reveal that to the court while the motion was pending. The DEC plans to cut down 133 trees on this trail, Protect the Adirondacks Chair Chuck Clusen said.

The Supreme Court decision and new motion for preliminary injunction are available on the PROTECT website.

Supreme Court Decision: http://www.protectadks.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Decision.Order_.pdf

New Motion for Preliminary Injunction: http://www.protectadks.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/PROTECT-Snowmobile-Trail-Lawsuit-Re-Filed-Preliminary-Injunction.pdf