On March 1, 2000, Governor Pataki  announced that 12 conservation, recreation and open space projects in New York State will share nearly $1.9 million from "state-side" Land and Water Conservation Funds (LWCF).  This is the first time since 1995 that Congress has appropriated funds for this important conservation program. 

One of the successful projects was a high lobbying priority for ADK and the Trail Conference.  We can celebrate that our hard project got this piece of the Long Path project in Greene County done!   The funded project was the first piece of the Huntersfield Ridge - Ginseng Mountain Long Path corridor. This is a very important achievment because it signifies that we have convinced the governor's office and DEC to commit to the whole trail corridor between Route 23 and the Schoharie Reservoir.  Our lobbying got the Long Path on the short list for acquisition. John Myers' hard work in the field laid the ground work. The governor's press release describes the parcel as follows:

Long Path Acquisition, Parcels in Greene County, $90,500.  The Long Path is a trail corridor of statewide significance extending from New York City to Albany County. The parcels to be acquired under the grant are located in Greene County. The 1998 State Open Space Conservation Plan lists the acquisition of parcels to extend the Long Path as one of 131 priority projects. This acquisition will help to secure and protect a permanent trail corridor.  

I verified with DEC that this project was part of our Ginseng -Huntersfield Project.  The governor went on to state:

"This funding is the direct result of months of hard work by members of our Empire State Task Force for Land and Water Conservation Funding. Many New York communities will benefit from this important program, "Governor Pataki said. "Our New York Congressional Delegation should be applauded for their unanimous support for 'state-side' LWCF funding. However, this is just the beginning. We will continue to work in Washington to encourage Congress to fully fund 'state-side' LWCF at its statutorily authorized level."

In April of 1998, Governor Pataki created the Empire State Task Force for Land and Water Conservation Funding in an effort to educate the public regarding the importance of this program and to support Congressional efforts to reestablish "state-side" funding. Governor Pataki appointed Bernadette Castro, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and John P. Cahill, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, to co-chair the newly created task force. Neil Woodworth, JoAnn Dolan and Jan Hesbon serve on the Empire State Task Force.  ADK and the Trail Conference have written New York's congressional delegation several times and lobbied for this funding.

Congress, in September 1999, authorized $40 million in "state-side" funding of the LWCF. New York's share is approximately $1.9 million.  We continue to lobby for the re-authorization of the LWCF, H.R. 701, the CARA bill.

Neil F. Woodworth
Counsel
Adirondack Mountain Club
New York - New Jersey Trail Conference