Janeway leaving as Adirondack Council leader

Lohr McKinstry, The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
·3 min read

Feb. 28—ELIZABETHTOWN — Longtime Adirondack Council Executive Director William "Willie" Janeway says he's headed out the door at summer's end.

Janeway, 59, of Keene and Stuyvesant, has led the environmental group for 10 years, replacing Acting Director Diane Fish, who took over when Brian Houseal resigned in 2012.

Houseal also served in the top spot for 10 years.

TAKING 'A BREAK'

Deputy Executive Director Raul "Rocci" Aguirre will become acting executive director when Janeway leaves.

Janeway said he wasn't retiring, but plans to "take a break" and spend time with his family when he leaves.

"With many partners we have accomplished a lot and we can all be proud," he said in a news release.

"I have valued and appreciated the support and generosity I have received from countless individuals along the way."

Janeway had a reputation for working with local officials and getting their input, in contrast to most previous council executive directors.

Under Janeway's leadership, council staff grew from 13 to 21, its budget went from $1.5 million to $3 million annually, and the Forever Wild Fund, a quasi-endowment, increased from $2.5 million to $9 million.

'THIS IS A TEAM'

Janeway said the time was right for a transition, and lauded those he worked with, saying he had accomplished nothing on his own.

"This is not about me," he said.

"This is a team. I have done nothing by myself. I offer my heartfelt gratitude to the Adirondack Council donors, advocates, board members, volunteers, and dedicated staff and interns with whom I have had the pleasure to work with over the past decade.

"Together, with partners, the council will continue to shape the future of New York's Adirondack Park and preserve the ecological integrity and wild character of the Adirondacks for current and future generations."

LAWS AND LAWSUITS

Some of the shaping came from litigation the council filed on Janeway's watch. He backed a lawsuit by Protect the Adirondacks! that stopped the state from building a new network of wide snowmobile trails. The State Court of Appeals eventually ruled that the network would destroy the wildness of the Forest Preserve.

The council successfully filed suit against the Trump administration's U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, making the agency shield Adirondack ecosystems from air pollution.

Adirondack Council Communication Director John Sheehan said new state laws mandating comprehensive boat inspection/decontamination prior to launch of motorboats in all Adirondack waters to control the spread of aquatic invasive species were a win for Janeway.

Sheehan said the purchase by the state of the 20,000-acre Boreas Ponds tract and the expansion of the High Peaks Wilderness Area were also signature wins for the council, along with motor-free protection plans for the Essex Chain Lakes and Hudson River Gorge.

"He (Janeway) and his team built an incredible coalition to protect Boreas Ponds as wilderness," Sheehan said in the release.

"He enlisted Clarkson University to study the economic impact of wilderness, showing previously unappreciated benefits to the park's communities and private landowners."

Janeway joined U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) for a press conference last summer at Heart Lake near Lake Placid to celebrate the passage of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. The act brings federal incentives, investments and standards to fight climate change.

Before coming to the council, Janeway worked for the State Department of Environmental Conservation, Nature Conservancy and Adirondack Mountain Club. He graduated from St. Lawrence University in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in economics and environmental studies.

Janeway's annual salary was about $165,000. His resignation is effective Sept. 15.

Email: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: @LohrMcKinstry