Judge halts mining tests in Adirondack forest

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

A mining company must delay test drilling on Adirondack Forest Preserve land under a temporary restraining order from a state judge after environmental groups filed a lawsuit.

New York voters approved a constitutional amendment last fall for NYCO Minerals Inc. to expand its Essex County pit mine onto 200 acres of state-owned land in exchange for 1,500 acres elsewhere. The company had planned to do test drilling before completing the swap.

But Deborah Goldberg of Earthjustice says since the 200 acres is still under state Forest Preserve protection, any tree-cutting or test drilling is illegal, despite approval by the Department of Environmental Conservation.

NYCO mines wollastonite, a mineral used in ceramics, plastics and paints.

The company and DEC declined to comment on the lawsuit or the restraining order issued Wednesday.