By KIM SMITH DEDAM
RAY BROOK —Gov. David Paterson’s nomination of Peter Hornbeck to the Adirondack Park Agency Board was denied today by the Senate Finance Committee.
In a statement issued this morning, Sen. Betty Little (R-Queensbury) said “many of her colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, have shared her concern over the conflict of interest Hornbeck’s nomination posed.”
Hornbeck is a member of Protect the Adirondacks, an environmental organization that filed a lawsuit against APA in January.
Little spokesman Dan Mac Entee said there was much discussion within the Senate Finance Committee about the potential conflict, since Protect Adirondacks has also lobbied hard against development in the Adirondack Park.
“Senator Little was told late yesterday afternoon that there were — at best — 14 votes in support of the nomination,” he told the Press-Republican.
“The Governor’s office has been notified of that by the Senate Finance Committee.”
Hornbeck’s appointment moved through the Environmental Conservation Committee last week, although several members of that group questioned the ethics of the nomination.
Conservation Committee Chairman Antoine Thompson (D-Buffalo) said Paterson’s office called repeatedly to press the appointment.
