LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP 2008

You made a difference thank you! Thank you for your emails, calls, and visits to legislators during our Parks and Trails Advocacy Days. Given that less than 5 percent of bills introduced in the State Legislature this year became law, the passage of several key pieces of legislation affecting parks and trails is a reason to celebrate.

Notable gains, some disappointments for New York's parks and trails.

NOTABLE GAINS:

$95 million allocated for parks improvements
The Legislature approved the largest capital infusion in the history of the State Park system - $95 million for nearly 300 park capital projects.

More funding for bike and pedestrian paths
A PTNY priority bill, this new law allows municipalities to use 80-b highway funding (commonly known as Marchaselli Funds) for bicycle and pedestrian path design, construction, and land acquisition.

Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) increased to $255 million
The EPF, which funds many diverse environmental programs in New York, including park stewardship  and the popular municipal park grant program, increased $5 million, to $255 million.

Municipal Park Grant Program improved
Amendments to the municipal park grant program in the EPF allows applicants to use federal or other  non-state funds toward the required match and increases the potential state share of funding to 75 percent in underserved areas.

DISAPPOINTMENTS:

Governor vetoes Multi-use Trails bill but calls it commendable
We were very disappointed when the Governor vetoed the Multi-use Trails bill, which we initiated and have been working on for three years, despite almost unanimous support in the Assembly and Senate. The bill would have established a broad-based, multi-agency effort to plan for the creation, maintenance, and promotion of a statewide, comprehensive network of multi-use trails. In his veto, the Governor noted that the purpose of the bill was commendable but concluded that State Parks’ current updating of the state trails plan was sufficient.

Although the Governor vetoed our multi-use trails bill, we will continue to advocate for a broad-based, multi-agency approach to planning and promotion of a statewide network of trails.

EPF capacity grants program for not-for-profits cut from state budget
A $500,000 grants program, to be administered by Parks & Trails New York, which would have aided park, historic site, and trail non-profit groups, did not make the final cut of the state budget. Parks & Trails New York is gearing up to ensure that the program is included in the coming budget.

Bigger Better Bottle Bill dies in Senate
The Bigger Better Bottle Bill, which would levy deposits on most non-carbonated beverage containers and require that any unclaimed deposits be paid to the EPF, once again passed the Assembly but never got out of committee in the Senate.

29 Elk Street * Albany, NY 12207 * (ph) 518-434-1583 * (fax) 518-427-0067 * ptny@ptny.org