FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 05, 1999

New York and New Jersey Announce Palisades Commission Director Governors George E. Pataki and Christie Whitman of New Jersey today announced that the Commissioners of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) have selected Carol Ash of New York City to serve as the agency's executive director. Ash will succeed Robert O. Binnewies who retired in December.

"Carol Ash and the Nature Conservancy have played a vitally important role in the protection of critical lands for the benefit of the citizens in the State of New York," Governor Pataki said. "Carol's extraordinary background in public service will be an incredible asset as she steps into her new role leading the Palisades Commission into the 21st century."

Governor Whitman said, "I am delighted that Carol Ash has been named to this post. She has proven herself to be an ardent advocate for regional solutions to many of the environmental challenges our states face. She shares my commitment to preserving open space and brings important management experience to her new job."

Since August 1994, Carol Ash has been the Director of the Nature Conservancy of New York State, overseeing a staff of 130 with an annual budget of more than $8 million. She was the first director of the Office of Environmental Policy and Management for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1992. For seven years she was the Director of the New York City region of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. She is a resident of New York City.

PIPC is the interstate park commission created by Compact between the States of New York and New Jersey and approved by Congress in August 1937. Five Commissioners are appointed from each state. There are headquarters in Alpine, New Jersey, and Bear Mountain, New York, for the 25 parks and historic sites located on the 95,000 acres of parks. The latest acquisition is Sterling Forest.

Ash begins her duties on February 1, 1999.