The Adirondack Council gave Gov. David Paterson a scathing review in the 25th edition of the environmental group's annual, "State of the Park" report.
Paterson received eight negative ratings and only three positive ones in the report that reviews the actions of elected officials, state and federal agencies and other leaders involved in decision making that effects the Adirondack Park.
"No other governor has been so ruthless with his budget axe in key environmental areas," Adirondack Council Executive Director Brian L. Houseal said in a press release. "He did little to promote sustainable tourism and he did nothing that the Adirondack Common Ground Alliance advised him to do in terms of economic development."
Houseal said the governor "cut all environmental spending by more than 20 percent and held hostage more than 50 state parks and campgrounds, saying everyone had to share the pain of curbing overall state spending. Yet the 2010 budget increased by 7.5 percent over last year."
He called on the next governor "to reverse this awful trend and restore the state's commitment to environmental health and public safety."
Paterson was criticized for his cutting funds to the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Adirondack Park Agency, for vetoing a bill that would have required state agencies to assess and report on the amount of greenhouse gases they are emitting and for not supporting an economic development strategy for the Park that was proposed by the Common Ground Alliance, among other things.
He was praised for attempting to appoint Olmsteadville boat builder Peter Hornbeck to the APA's Board of Commissioners.
Paterson's rating was the worst of any New York governor reviewed in the Adirondack Council's annual report, according to the environmental group.
Although Paterson was heavily criticized, gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo received a strong rating for his work as state attorney general, with a rating of four positives and one negative, mainly for his work to improve air quality in the state.
Individual Adirondack local governments received a rating of 13 and five, scoring their 10th consecutive positive rating in the environmental report. Among the highlights were Lake George's efforts to limit phosphorus-based fertilizers that cause rapid weed growth in lakes and ponds; Lake Placid's and Greig's comprehensive land-use planning; a Lyonsdale official's lonely fight against illegal all-terrain vehicle use; and Tupper Lake's demand for better protection from invasive aquatic plants.
The Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board received criticism for continuing to organize lawsuits against the APA.
The APA received a three and five rating, and the DEC earned only a slightly better four and six score.
