New York S 6331: Establishes the position of Catskill park coordinator within the department of environmental conservation

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S06331 Summary:

BILL NOS06331 

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SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORHINCHEY

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COSPNSRHARCKHAM, MAY, SERRANO

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §9-0115, En Con L

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Establishes the position of Catskill park coordinator within the department of environmental conservation to build partnerships between the department and other state agencies, municipal governments, businesses and nonprofit entities that will develop a community-based tourism strategy for the forest preserve to help fortify the regional economy and to coordinate implementation of the public access plan and other approved or adopted Catskill park-wide plans.

Go to top S06331 Actions:

BILL NOS06331 

&nbsp

03/10/2025REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

01/07/2026REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

Go to topS06331 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS06331 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS06331 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 6331

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 March 10, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. HINCHEY, HARCKHAM, MAY, SERRANO -- read twice and
 ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on
 Environmental Conservation

 AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
 establishing the position of Catskill park coordinator within the
 department of environmental conservation

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The New York City Watershed Agreement, the Public Access
 2 Plan, the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act and other department of envi-
 3 ronmental conservation programs in the Catskills all have a common
 4 interest in community development, land acquisition and recreational
 5 access, concern for the abundance and purity of water, and coordination
 6 with other department of environmental conservation activities within
 7 the watershed. The department of environmental conservation watershed
 8 coordinator is responsible for the monumental task of overseeing the
 9 implementation of all state partnership programs embodied in the 1997
 10 New York City Watershed Agreement. The new Catskill park coordinator
 11 position would complement the role of the watershed coordinator by inte-
 12 grating those activities directly related to the watershed agreement
 13 with all other department of environmental conservation program inter-
 14 ests and by advocating for the best interests of the Catskill park. The
 15 benefit of a Catskill Park Preserve Advocate has been successfully
 16 demonstrated in the Hudson River estuary, Adirondacks, and Salmon River
 17 corridor; a similar position will ensure integration and balance in the
 18 department of environmental conservation's current and future initi-
 19 atives affecting the natural, social and economic resources in the Cats-
 20 kill Region.
 21 § 2. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new
 22 section 9-0115 to read as follows:
 23 § 9-0115. Catskill park coordinator.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD10832-01-5

 S. 6331 2

 1 1. The commissioner shall maintain in the department the position of
 2 Catskill park coordinator to assist the commissioner in the development
 3 and implementation of the public access plan for the Catskill park. The
 4 commissioner shall fix the compensation of the coordinator within the
 5 amounts appropriated therefor and prescribe their powers and duties,
 6 which shall be in addition to those contained in this section. The
 7 Catskill park coordinator shall build partnerships between the depart-
 8 ment and other state agencies, municipal governments, businesses and
 9 nonprofit entities that will develop a community-based tourism strategy
 10 for the forest preserve to help fortify the regional economy by schedul-
 11 ing and organizing forums and following up on future recommendations,
 12 actions, or concerns raised at such forums.
 13 2. Duties of the Catskill park coordinator shall include, but not be
 14 limited to, the following:
 15 a. coordinating implementation of the public access plan and other
 16 approved or adopted Catskill park