Conservation News: Environmental Protection Fund

New York State: Environmental Protection Fund Receives $300 Million Reaffirmation from Governor Cuomo

Governor Cuomo announced a reaffirmation for a $300 million Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) line item for the upcoming budget. We are excited to see this important program receive continued support from the Governor and thank him!              

In February, the Peconic Land Trust will be joining with our colleagues in the environmental community to advocate on behalf of the EPF funding with our legislators in Albany. In recent years, the Trust has received two important grants funded through the EPF: 

1. To update the Town of Southampton’s Farm and Farmland Preservation Strategy
2. To work with the Town of Riverhead on ways to revitalize its Transfer of Development Rights program in order to spur farmland protection.

Both studies were funded through the EPF’s Conservation Partnership Program — a program managed by the Land Trust Alliance and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. To read more about these studies, check out our recent newsletter (page 6) online. We look forward to sharing more updates on the studies in the coming months.   

Have questions about the Riverhead and Southampton studies? Contact Melanie Cirillo, Director of Conservation Planning at 631.283.3195, ext. 27. 

Interested in joining us in Albany as we advocate for conservation funding?  Contact Yvette DeBow Salsedo at 631.283.3195, ext. 12