NYS Threatens to Raid Environmental Protection Fund

Trail Lands Would Count Among Losses

Trail lands protection and trail stewardship efforts by New York State are among the environmental protection efforts threatened by proposals made by Governor Spitzer as part of his 2008-09 executive budget. Letters to state legislators in both the Assembly and Senate, as well as letters to editors, are strongly needed in defense of the state's Environmental Protection Fund during the next few weeks of budget negotiations. The budget is due to be adopted by April 1. 

Although elsewhere in his budget Governor Spitzer has proposed $110 million for parks funding--an appropriation the Trail Conference supports--he is also proposing to take $125 million of unspent funds from the EPF and put them into the General Fund for non-environmental purposes. He also proposes additional sweeps totaling $75 million over the next three years. This proposed raid on the EPF goes against the original intent to create an enduring fund for crucial environmental projects. Land protection efforts from Long Island to the Adirondacks--many long in the works--would be affected by the diversion of money out of the EPF.

The Governor has also proposed reducing EPF funds budgeted for land stewardship from $22 million to $5 million.

Click here to Take Action to support the EPF

V3 Last updated: February 26, 2008   Copyright © 1996-2008  New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Privacy Statement.