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Building a Bigger Environmental Constituency Learn how NYLCV's Education Fund is working statewide to engage voters to become active on environmental issues. Search

Home » EcoPolitics Daily NYLCV Testifies On Need To Strengthen Environmental Budget Submitted by Dan Hendrick on Mon, 2014-02-03 16:08. The New York State Assembly and Senate held a joint hearing on the environmental aspects of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget last week. Gov. Cuomo's plan would cut funding for transit and resources for the state's environmental agency.While NYLCV liked what we saw on Brownfields and a growing Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), the proposal lacks the kind of transformative environmental vision that Gov. Cuomo is proposing in education and elsewhere this year. For example, the total EPF funding level of $157 million is a far cry from the $200 million NYLCV and other environmental groups have recommended. This year's $4 million EPF increase stands in stark contrast to the massive investments the governor is proposing for technological upgrades. Regarding state parks, there still is not a long-term commitment to addressing the more than $1 billion backlog of deferred maintenance and infrastructure projects across the state's 213 parks and historic sites. Mass transit -- which is the lifeblood of the New York metro region's economy -- was cut $40 million in the governor's budget. This comes on the heels of last year's $20 million diversion. To make matters worse, the governor is expected to continue sweeping dedicated mass transit funding in future budgets for an estimated total of $350 million dollars.  The governor's proposal not to replace lost federal dollars to the tune of $43 million for the Department of Environmental Conservation, on top of heavy state cuts from previous years, also raises questions about DEC's ability to do its job with increasingly limited resources. NYLCV will be calling on our members shortly to speak out on these important environmental issues. Dan Hendrick's blog | email this page | printer friendly version NYLCV Blog | Filed Under: Water, Transportation, Solid Waste, Public Health, Open Space, Land Use, Funding, Enforcement, Energy, Air,Statewide