ARTICLE XIV

Conservation

Section 1. The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired,
constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever
kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged,
or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber
thereon be sold, removed or destroyed. Nothing herein contained shall
prevent the state from constructing, completing and maintaining any
highway heretofore specifically authorized by constitutional amendment,
nor from constructing and maintaining to federal standards federal aid
interstate highway route five hundred two from a point in the vicinity
of the city of Glens Falls, thence northerly to the vicinity of the
villages of Lake George and Warrensburg, the hamlets of South Horicon
and Pottersville and thence northerly in a generally straight line on
the west side of Schroon Lake to the vicinity of the hamlet of Schroon,
then continuing northerly to the vicinity of Schroon Falls, Schroon
River and North Hudson, and to the east of Makomis Mountain, east of the
hamlet of New Russia, east of the village of Elizabethtown and
continuing northerly in the vicinity of the hamlet of Towers Forge, and
east of Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain and continuing northerly to the
vicinity of the village of Keeseville and the city of Plattsburgh, all
of the aforesaid taking not to exceed a total of three hundred acres of
state forest preserve land, nor from constructing and maintaining not
more than twenty-five miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet
wide, together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than
five miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet
wide, on the north, east and northwest slopes of Whiteface Mountain in
Essex county, nor from constructing and maintaining not more than
twenty-five miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet wide,
together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than two
miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet wide,
on the slopes of Belleayre Mountain in Ulster and Delaware counties and
not more than forty miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet wide,
together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than eight
miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet wide,
on the slopes of Gore and Pete Gay mountains in Warren county, nor from
relocating, reconstructing and maintaining a total of not more than
fifty miles of existing state highways for the purpose of eliminating
the hazards of dangerous curves and grades, provided a total of no more
than four hundred acres of forest preserve land shall be used for such
purpose and that no single relocated portion of any highway shall exceed
one mile in length. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the state
may convey to the village of Saranac Lake ten acres of forest preserve
land adjacent to the boundaries of such village for public use in
providing for refuse disposal and in exchange therefore the village of
Saranac Lake shall convey to the state thirty acres of certain true
forest land owned by such village on Roaring Brook in the northern half
of Lot 113, Township 11, Richards Survey. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions, the state may convey to the town of Arietta twenty-eight
acres of forest preserve land within such town for public use in
providing for the extension of the runway and landing strip of the
Piseco airport and in exchange therefor the town of Arietta shall convey
to the state thirty acres of certain land owned by such town in the town
of Arietta. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to
legislative approval of the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual
transfer of title, the state, in order to consolidate its land holdings
for better management, may convey to International Paper Company
approximately eight thousand five hundred acres of forest preserve land
located in townships two and three of Totten and Crossfield Purchase and
township nine of the Moose River Tract, Hamilton county, and in exchange
therefore International Paper Company shall convey to the state for
incorporation into the forest preserve approximately the same number of
acres of land located within such townships and such County on condition
that the legislature shall determine that the lands to be received by
the state are at least equal in value to the lands to be conveyed by the
state. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to
legislative approval of the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual
transfer of title and the conditions herein set forth, the state, in
order to facilitate the preservation of historic buildings listed on the
national register of historic places by rejoining an historic grouping
of buildings under unitary ownership and stewardship, may convey to
Sagamore Institute Inc., a not-for-profit educational organization,
approximately ten acres of land and buildings thereon adjoining the real
property of the Sagamore Institute, Inc. and located on Sagamore Road,
near Raquette Lake Village, in the Town of Long Lake, county of
Hamilton, and in exchange therefor; Sagamore Institute, Inc. shall
convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve
approximately two hundred acres of wild forest land located within the
Adirondack Park on condition that the legislature shall determine that
the lands to be received by the state are at least equal in value to the
lands and buildings to be conveyed by the state and that the natural and
historic character of the lands and buildings conveyed by the state will
be secured by appropriate covenants and restrictions and that the lands
and buildings conveyed by the state will reasonably be available for
public visits according to agreement between Sagamore Institute, Inc.
and the state. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions the state may
convey to the town of Arietta fifty acres of forest preserve land within
such town for public use in providing for the extension of the runway
and landing strip of the Piseco airport and providing for the
maintenance of a clear zone around such runway, and in exchange
therefor, the town of Arietta shall convey to the state fifty-three
acres of true forest land located in lot 2 township 2 Totten and
Crossfield's Purchase in the town of Lake Pleasant.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative
approval prior to actual transfer of title, the state may convey to the
town of Keene, Essex county, for public use as a cemetery owned by such
town, approximately twelve acres of forest preserve land within such
town and, in exchange therefor, the town of Keene shall convey to the
state for incorporation into the forest preserve approximately one
hundred forty-four acres of land, together with an easement over land
owned by such town including the riverbed adjacent to the land to be
conveyed to the state that will restrict further development of such
land, on condition that the legislature shall determine that the
property to be received by the state is at least equal in value to the
land to be conveyed by the state.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative
approval prior to actual transfer of title, because there is no viable
alternative to using forest preserve lands for the siting of drinking
water wells and necessary appurtenances and because such wells are
necessary to meet drinking water quality standards, the state may convey
to the town of Long Lake, Hamilton county, one acre of forest preserve
land within such town for public use as the site of such drinking water
wells and necessary appurtenances for the municipal water supply for the
hamlet of Raquette Lake. In exchange therefor, the town of Long Lake
shall convey to the state at least twelve acres of land located in
Hamilton county for incorporation into the forest preserve that the
legislature shall determine is at least equal in value to the land to be
conveyed by the state. The Raquette Lake surface reservoir shall be
abandoned as a drinking water supply source.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative
approval prior to actual transfer of title, the state may convey to
National Grid up to six acres adjoining State Route 56 in St. Lawrence
County where it passes through Forest Preserve in Township 5, Lots 1, 2,
5 and 6 that is necessary and appropriate for National Grid to construct
a new 46kV power line and in exchange therefore National Grid shall
convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve at least
10 acres of forest land owned by National Grid in St. Lawrence county,
on condition that the legislature shall determine that the property to
be received by the state is at least equal in value to the land conveyed
by the state.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the legislature may
authorize the settlement, according to terms determined by the
legislature, of title disputes in township forty, Totten and Crossfield
purchase in the town of Long Lake, Hamilton county, to resolve
longstanding and competing claims of title between the state and private
parties in said township, provided that prior to, and as a condition of
such settlement, land purchased without the use of state-appropriated
funds, and suitable for incorporation in the forest preserve within the
Adirondack park, shall be conveyed to the state on the condition that
the legislature shall determine that the property to be conveyed to the
state shall provide a net benefit to the forest preserve as compared to
the township forty lands subject to such settlement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the state may authorize NYCO
Minerals, Inc. to engage in mineral sampling operations, solely at its
expense, to determine the quantity and quality of wollastonite on
approximately 200 acres of forest preserve land contained in lot 8,
Stowers survey, town of Lewis, Essex county provided that NYCO Minerals,
Inc. shall provide the data and information derived from such drilling
to the state for appraisal purposes. Subject to legislative approval of
the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual transfer of title, the
state may subsequently convey said lot 8 to NYCO Minerals, Inc., and, in
exchange therefor, NYCO Minerals, Inc. shall convey to the state for
incorporation into the forest preserve not less than the same number of
acres of land, on condition that the legislature shall determine that
the lands to be received by the state are equal to or greater than the
value of the land to be conveyed by the state and on condition that the
assessed value of the land to be conveyed to the state shall total not
less than one million dollars. When NYCO Minerals, Inc. terminates all
mining operations on such lot 8 it shall remediate the site and convey
title to such lot back to the state of New York for inclusion in the
forest preserve. In the event that lot 8 is not conveyed to NYCO
Minerals, Inc. pursuant to this paragraph, NYCO Minerals, Inc.
nevertheless shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest
preserve not less than the same number of acres of land that is
disturbed by any mineral sampling operations conducted on said lot 8
pursuant to this paragraph on condition that the legislature shall
determine that the lands to be received by the state are equal to or
greater than the value of the lands disturbed by the mineral sampling
operations.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative
approval prior to actual transfer of title, a total of no more than two
hundred fifty acres of forest preserve land shall be used for the
establishment of a health and safety land account. Where no viable
alternative exists and other criteria developed by the legislature are
satisfied, a town, village or county may apply, pursuant to a process
determined by the legislature, to the health and safety land account for
projects limited to: address bridge hazards or safety on county
highways, and town highways listed on the local highway inventory
maintained by the department of transportation, dedicated, and in
existence on January first, two thousand fifteen, and annually plowed
and regularly maintained; elimination of the hazards of dangerous curves
and grades on county highways, and town highways listed on the local
highway inventory maintained by the department of transportation,
dedicated, and in existence on January first, two thousand fifteen, and
annually plowed and regularly maintained; relocation and reconstruction
and maintenance of county highways, and town highways listed on the
local highway inventory maintained by the department of transportation,
dedicated, and in existence on January first, two thousand fifteen and
annually plowed and regularly maintained, provided further that no
single relocated portion of any such highway shall exceed one mile in
length; and water wells and necessary appurtenances when such wells are
necessary to meet drinking water quality standards and are located
within five hundred thirty feet of state highways, county highways, and
town highways listed on the local highway inventory maintained by the
department of transportation, dedicated, and in existence on January
first, two thousand fifteen, and annually plowed and regularly
maintained. As a condition of the creation of such health and safety
land account the state shall acquire two hundred fifty acres of land for
incorporation into the forest preserve, on condition that the
legislature shall approve such lands to be added to the forest preserve.