• $135 million in funding -- including $10 million in one-time funding from accumulated, uncommitted reserves -- for the State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), which supports open space preservation, backcountry stewardship, historic preservation, waterfront redevelopment, recycling, landfill closures and state and municipal parks. 
• $222 million in new appropriations from the $1.75 billion CleanWater/Clean Air Bond Act, providing funding for priority projects to restore brownfields, land acquisition, state park stewardship, to ensure safe drinking water, clean up our air and water resources and support local landfill/recycling projects. 

• $63.5 million for open space conservation, including $33.5 million from the EPF and $30 million from the Bond Act. Very significantly, the governor's press release on the budget listed the priority open space conservation projects for 2000-01 as Schunemunk Mountain and additions to the Albany Pine Bush Reserve!
• $12 million is provided for "backcountry stewardship" of State lands and facilities from the EPF. This is the same level of funding as last year. This money will be used to maintain and rebuild hiking trails, campgrounds, canoe and boat access areas, recreational facilities and to increase access to State lands and parks for persons with disabilities.  This EPF funding financed a major expansion of our trail program in the Adirondacks and Catskills in FY99-2000.  An additional $ 4.5 million for the same backcountry stewardship purposes is also provided from the Bond Act. Similar Bond Act funding financed our Catskill Trail maintenance efforts in 1999 and 2000.
• $4.6 million to implement the New York City Watershed Agreement - an increase of $3 million over 1999/00 levels. The  new funding will support State enforcement and monitoring efforts in the Watershed and provide technical assistance to watershed communities;
• Nearly $1 million will be provided for start-up funds for new state park lands, including Nissequogue River State Park in Suffolk County and Ess-Kay Farm in Erie County. This funding pot provided the fundind for opening Sterling Forest in 1999 and 2000.
• $38.6 million for fish and wildlife programs, which will be supported by revenues from the sale of hunting and fishing licences, as well as $4.1 million in one-time General Fund support;
• $29 million from the State Parks Infrastructure Fund -- which uses parks revenue to maintain, improve and rehabilitate park facilities.

I am very pleased with the response of the state Assembly, the state Senate and the Governor to our requests for special funding for ADK and Trail Conference priorities and I hope you share my view.

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