New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Encyclopedia
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC or DEC) is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources
within the U.S. state
of New York
. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department. The Department manages the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve
lands, state forest
lands, wildlife management area
s and various other state owned public lands of New York. The Department is also responsible for regulating sport fishing, hunting
and trapping
within the state, and enforcing the State's environmental
laws and regulations.
NYSDEC has an annual budget of approximately $1 billion and employs 3,378 people across the state. It manages over 4 million acres (16,000 km²) of protected state-owned land
(including all Forest Preserve
holdings in the Adirondack and Catskill parks) and another 690,000 acres (2,760 km²) of privately-owned land on which it holds conservation easement
s. The Department's activities go beyond land management and environmental enforcement to include the publication of a magazine and a state bird atlas, and the operation of a major ski area.
By the early 20th century, it was the Conservation Commission. Departmental status came in 1927 and lasted till 1970.
. DEC's work at Love Canal
helped draw national attention to the problems posed by hazardous waste
sites. It also worked to end General Electric
's discharge of PCB
s into the Hudson River
, an issue that continues into . It implemented New York's first state-level endangered species
list.
DEC also was put in charge of reviewing declarations filed under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), which mirrors federal laws. In 1972, voters approved the Environmental Quality Bond Act, which continues to provide funds for land acquisition, solid waste aid, sewage treatment, air pollution control and resource recovery. Its renewal in 1986 made possible remediation of many hazardous waste sites.
. The legislature also passed a bottle bill
, to be enforced and administered by DEC. The department's facilities at Whiteface and Mt. Van Hoevenberg near Lake Placid
were venues for several events at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.
The decade also saw the department complete, with considerable volunteer help, New York's Atlas of Breeding Birds, a mammoth, exhaustive tome of great interest to birders and ornithologists
. DEC efforts have also led to the restoration of several species in the state, including the bald eagle
.
The state also began allowing its taxpayers to return a Gift to Wildlife on their income tax
forms
, providing money directly to DEC for conservation programs.
led to a consent order requiring the city to operate the Fresh Kills
landfill
under its regulations, which led to its eventual closure. New York has seen an 80% reduction in its operating landfills since 1984. The department also obtained a memorandum of understanding
with the city that eventually led to both tougher land-use regulations in the watersheds
of its upstate reservoirs and economic development
funds for the communities in them.
The 90 mile (140 km) Genesee Valley Greenway
was created during this time on abandoned railbed and Genesee Valley Canal
property. A new source of funding was opened up when the legislature created the state's Environmental Protection Fund.
The decade that saw New York come under its first Republican administration in 16 years had some worried that DEC would become more submissive to business interests. But the department remained active, taking the lead in establishing the state's Open Space Plan for future land acquisitions.
). In the late 1990s then Gov. George Pataki decided the department needed a new home with views of the Hudson River. He authorized funding to build a new office tower at 625 Broadway in downtown Albany. The building was completed in April 2001 and by late August the entire central office staff had been relocated to the new facility.
DEC employees were active in the cleanup after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City.
In 2006, the DEC started an investigation of the former New York National Guard training range, known as Camp O'Ryan
. The concerns at this site include lead contamination from spent bullets, as well as alleged witnessed burial of cylinders of unknown origin. They are presently contacting the New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs
and the Army Corps of Engineers for further information on this range.
DEC is headed by a commissioner
(until October 2010 it was former assemblyman Pete Grannis) appointed by the governor. He or she reports to the deputy secretary for the environment. Below the commissioner and deputy commissioner are the heads of all offices, divisions, and regional directors.
The Department has eleven offices: Administration, Air Resources, Climate Change & Energy, Commissioner's Policy, General Counsel, Hearings and Mediation Services, Internal Audit, Legislative Affairs, Natural Resources, Remediation and Materials Management, and Water Resources. Many of these offices have internal divisions with specific responsibilities.
.
under DEC's aegis.
DEC divides the state into nine administrative regions, all groups of counties. All DEC subagencies are represented in each regional office. Some regions have suboffices closer to particular areas of special concern.
, at about 58%. Direct funding from the state contributes another 24%, and federal programs and grants make up the remaining 17% difference.
. Almost all DEC positions are classified as civil service
and require that applicants pass the appropriate exams to be considered for hiring.
ECOs and forest rangers are considered police officers under New York's Criminal Procedure Law, with the authority to carry firearm
s at all times and make arrest
s for any possible criminal violations they witness.
The majority of employees are unionized
, with white collar
professionals paying dues to the Public Employees Federation
, blue-collar workers represented by the Civil Service Employees Association
and the law enforcement officers members of the independent New York State Correctional and Police Officers' Benevolent Association, following the same pattern as other state agencies.
Natural Resources
Natural Resources is a soul album released by Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in 1970 on the Gordy label. The album is significant for the Vietnam War ballad "I Should Be Proud" and the slow jam, "Love Guess Who"...
within the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department. The Department manages the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
lands, state forest
State forest
A state forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign state.The precise application of the term varies by jurisdiction...
lands, wildlife management area
New York State Wildlife Management Areas
New York State owns and maintains more than 85 Wildlife Management Areas , with a total area of more than .The Wildlife Management Areas Program is administered by the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources of the Department of Environmental Conservation...
s and various other state owned public lands of New York. The Department is also responsible for regulating sport fishing, hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and trapping
Trapping (Animal)
Animal trapping, or simply trapping, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including food, wildlife management, hunting, and pest control...
within the state, and enforcing the State's environmental
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
laws and regulations.
NYSDEC has an annual budget of approximately $1 billion and employs 3,378 people across the state. It manages over 4 million acres (16,000 km²) of protected state-owned land
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
(including all Forest Preserve
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
holdings in the Adirondack and Catskill parks) and another 690,000 acres (2,760 km²) of privately-owned land on which it holds conservation easement
Conservation easement
In the United States, a conservation easement is an encumbrance — sometimes including a transfer of usage rights — which creates a legally enforceable land preservation agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a qualified land...
s. The Department's activities go beyond land management and environmental enforcement to include the publication of a magazine and a state bird atlas, and the operation of a major ski area.
Predecessor agencies
The core of DEC is the conservation functions, which trace their origins to the Forest Preserve Advisory Board set up in 1885 when that land category was created. The first forest rangers were hired and trained to support it. It became the Fisheries, Game and Forest Commission ten years later.By the early 20th century, it was the Conservation Commission. Departmental status came in 1927 and lasted till 1970.
Origin
DEC was created when then governorNelson Rockefeller symbolically signed the legislation creating it on the first Earth Day in 1970. The existing Conservation Department was joined by some programs then part of the state's ew York State Department of Health Department of Health,and also several other commissions with environmental responsibilities to create the new department along with some brand-new offices.1970s
In its first decade, it took the lead in helping the state comply with newly-passed federal environmental legislationNational Environmental Policy Act
The National Environmental Policy Act is a United States environmental law that established a U.S. national policy promoting the enhancement of the environment and also established the President's Council on Environmental Quality ....
. DEC's work at Love Canal
Love Canal
Love Canal was a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, located in the white collar LaSalle section of the city. It officially covers 36 square blocks in the far southeastern corner of the city, along 99th Street and Read Avenue...
helped draw national attention to the problems posed by hazardous waste
Hazardous waste
A hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. According to the U.S. environmental laws hazardous wastes fall into two major categories: characteristic wastes and listed wastes.Characteristic hazardous wastes are materials that are known...
sites. It also worked to end General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
's discharge of PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl
Polychlorinated biphenyls are a class of organic compounds with 2 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl, which is a molecule composed of two benzene rings. The chemical formula for PCBs is C12H10-xClx...
s into the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, an issue that continues into . It implemented New York's first state-level endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
list.
DEC also was put in charge of reviewing declarations filed under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), which mirrors federal laws. In 1972, voters approved the Environmental Quality Bond Act, which continues to provide funds for land acquisition, solid waste aid, sewage treatment, air pollution control and resource recovery. Its renewal in 1986 made possible remediation of many hazardous waste sites.
1980s
In the 1980s, DEC was given regulatory authority over storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes. In this capacity, it helped New York end disposal of radioactive waste at West ValleyWest Valley, New York
West Valley is a hamlet located within the town of Ashford in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. Located at the intersection of Cattaraugus County Route 53 and State Route 240, the hamlet is home to West Valley Central School and the West Valley Demonstration Project, a nuclear cleanup...
. The legislature also passed a bottle bill
Container deposit legislation
Container-deposit legislation is any law that requires collection of a monetary deposit on soft-drink, juice, milk, water, alcoholic-beverage, and/or other containers at the point of sale...
, to be enforced and administered by DEC. The department's facilities at Whiteface and Mt. Van Hoevenberg near Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
were venues for several events at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.
The decade also saw the department complete, with considerable volunteer help, New York's Atlas of Breeding Birds, a mammoth, exhaustive tome of great interest to birders and ornithologists
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
. DEC efforts have also led to the restoration of several species in the state, including the bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
.
The state also began allowing its taxpayers to return a Gift to Wildlife on their income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
forms
Tax return (United States)
Tax returns in the United States are reports filed with the Internal Revenue Service or with the state or local tax collection agency containing information used to calculate income tax or other taxes...
, providing money directly to DEC for conservation programs.
1990s
DEC actions against New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
led to a consent order requiring the city to operate the Fresh Kills
Fresh Kills
Fresh Kills is a stream and freshwater estuary in the western portion of the New York City borough of Staten Island...
landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
under its regulations, which led to its eventual closure. New York has seen an 80% reduction in its operating landfills since 1984. The department also obtained a memorandum of understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
with the city that eventually led to both tougher land-use regulations in the watersheds
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of its upstate reservoirs and economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
funds for the communities in them.
The 90 mile (140 km) Genesee Valley Greenway
Genesee Valley Greenway
The Genesee Valley Greenway is a rail trail in western New York's Genesee River valley.It stretches for along a former Pennsylvania Railroad right-of-way as well as adjacent land from the Genesee Valley Canal...
was created during this time on abandoned railbed and Genesee Valley Canal
Genesee Valley Canal
- History :On 6 May 1836, an act was passed in the New York Legislature authorizing the construction of the Genesee Valley Canal. It was to run from the Erie Canal on the south side of Rochester south-southwest along the Genesee River valley to Mount Morris, Portageville, and Belfast, and then...
property. A new source of funding was opened up when the legislature created the state's Environmental Protection Fund.
The decade that saw New York come under its first Republican administration in 16 years had some worried that DEC would become more submissive to business interests. But the department remained active, taking the lead in establishing the state's Open Space Plan for future land acquisitions.
2000–present
The summer of 2001 brought a major change to the Department. Since its inception in 1970 the department's headquarters (central office) had been at 50 Wolf Road in Colonie (the current headquarters of the New York State Department of TransportationNew York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
). In the late 1990s then Gov. George Pataki decided the department needed a new home with views of the Hudson River. He authorized funding to build a new office tower at 625 Broadway in downtown Albany. The building was completed in April 2001 and by late August the entire central office staff had been relocated to the new facility.
DEC employees were active in the cleanup after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City.
In 2006, the DEC started an investigation of the former New York National Guard training range, known as Camp O'Ryan
Camp O'Ryan
Camp O'Ryan, a former New York United States National Guard training area, also known as the North Java Rifle Range and the Wethersfield Rifle Range, located east of North Java, in the Town of Wethersfield, in the County of Wyoming in New York State....
. The concerns at this site include lead contamination from spent bullets, as well as alleged witnessed burial of cylinders of unknown origin. They are presently contacting the New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs
New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs
New York State's Division of Military and Naval Affairs is a New York State agency responsible for the state's New York Army National Guard, New York Air National Guard, New York Guard and the New York Naval Militia....
and the Army Corps of Engineers for further information on this range.
Organization
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
(until October 2010 it was former assemblyman Pete Grannis) appointed by the governor. He or she reports to the deputy secretary for the environment. Below the commissioner and deputy commissioner are the heads of all offices, divisions, and regional directors.
The Department has eleven offices: Administration, Air Resources, Climate Change & Energy, Commissioner's Policy, General Counsel, Hearings and Mediation Services, Internal Audit, Legislative Affairs, Natural Resources, Remediation and Materials Management, and Water Resources. Many of these offices have internal divisions with specific responsibilities.
Office of Administration
There are five divisions within this office:- Division of Operations According to its mission statementMission statementA mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
, this division "provide(s) technical services, facilities management, and maintenance of physical assets to insure effective and efficient operation of the Department and safe public use of DEC lands and facilities." In practice this means its primary responsibility is operating DEC-owned recreational facilities such as the Department's 52 campgrounds and the Belleayre Ski CenterBelleayre Ski CenterBelleayre Ski Center, in Catskill Park in the United States, is owned and operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation...
in the Catskill Park. Other responsibilities include managing DEC's extensive vehicle fleet and all departmental facilities. It also houses DEC's internal design and construction shop. - Division of Information Services: Manages DEC's computer networks and systems.
- Division of Management and Budget: Handles all internal accounting and bookkeepingBookkeepingBookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions. Transactions include sales, purchases, income, receipts and payments by an individual or organization. Bookkeeping is usually performed by a bookkeeper. Bookkeeping should not be confused with accounting. The accounting process is usually...
. - Division of Public Affairs and Education: Responsible for all public outreach efforts, including the New York State ConservationistNew York State ConservationistThe New York State Conservationist is a bimonthly, ad-free magazine published by New York's Department of Environmental Conservation ....
magazine and the Department's website. - Office of Employee Relations: Handles all relations between DEC and the several unions which represent its employees.
Office of Air Resources, Climate Change & Energy
- Division of Air Resources Oversees all air quality-related programs
- Climate Change Office
Office of Remediation and Materials Management
- Division of Environmental Remediation Administers cleanup efforts, spill response and brownfield redevelopment.
- Division of Mineral Resources Oversees all programs related to miningMiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and oil and gas explorationOil explorationHydrocarbon exploration is the search by petroleum geologists and geophysicists for hydrocarbon deposits beneath the Earth's surface, such as oil and natural gas...
(New York has 12,600 active wellsOil wellAn oil well is a general term for any boring through the earth's surface that is designed to find and acquire petroleum oil hydrocarbons. Usually some natural gas is produced along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce mainly or only gas may be termed a gas well.-History:The earliest...
). - Division of Solid & Hazardous Materials Oversees all programs related to waste managementWaste managementWaste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
and the manufacture, transport and disposal of hazardous material.
Office of General Counsel
This is DEC's legal office. It has four divisions.- Legal Affairs
- Environmental Justice
- Environmental Enforcement
- Regional Enforcement
Office of Hearings and Mediation Services
This office has no other further divisions. It administers all DEC public hearings and enforcement hearings. It also considers all appeals of denials of requests under New York's Freedom of Information LawFreedom of information in the United States
Freedom of information in the United States refers to the independent bodies of Freedom of information legislation at the federal level and in the fifty states.-Federal level:...
.
Office of Natural Resources
This office handles most of DEC's conservation-related functions.- Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources: Oversees hunting, fishing and trapping licenses, and monitors the quality of those resources. Manages state wildlife management areas. Oversees freshwater and tidal wetlands programs.
- Division of Lands and Forests http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/309.html: Responsible for the management, protection and recreational use of about four million acres (16,000 km²) of state owned land or 13 percent of the land area of New York State. One of the largest divisions in terms of scope.
Office of Water Resources
- Division of Water : Oversees all water qualityWater qualityWater quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
and flood controlFlood controlIn communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
programs on the state's 52,337 miles (84,210 km) of riverRiverA river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s; 7,849 lakeLakeA lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s; 2.5 million acres (10,000 km²) of freshwater wetlandWetlandA wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s and 25,000 acres (100 km²) of tidalTideTides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
wetlands. Oversees the Coastal Erosion Hazard Area [CEHA] program. - Hudson River Estuary Program http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4920.html
- Great Lakes Program http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/25562.html
- New York City Watershed
Office of Public Protection
This office houses the two uniformed law enforcement agenciesLaw enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
under DEC's aegis.
- Division of Forest Protection and Fire Management: New York State Forest RangersNew York State Forest RangersThe New York State Forest Rangers are law enforcement officials of the Division of Forest Protection of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation...
. - Division of Law Enforcement: Environmental Conservation OfficersNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation PoliceThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police is the police force of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Members of the DEC Police are New York State police officers...
, known as EnCons or ECOs for short, are the oldest state-level police agency in New York, having evolved from the state's game wardenGame wardenA game warden is an employee who has the role of protecting wildlife. Game wardens may also be referred to as conservation officers or wildlife officers...
s in the late 19th century. Today they not only handle those responsibilities but enforce other environmental laws as well.
Office of Legislative Affairs
This office serves to "build and maintain positive working relationships with Legislators and their staffs in order to encourage dialogue and cooperation on matters affecting environmental policy. OLA is charged to present, discuss, and gain passage of the Department's annual legislative program. OLA also serves as a liaison between elected officials and the Department on concerns and issues affecting their constituents."Regions
- Region 1: Long IslandLong IslandLong Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
(NassauNassau County, New YorkNassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
and SuffolkSuffolk County, New YorkSuffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
counties). Offices are in Stony BrookStony Brook, New YorkStony Brook is a hamlet located in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York, which is on the North Shore of Long Island...
. - Region 2: The five boroughs of New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(The BronxThe BronxThe Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, QueensQueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
and Staten IslandStaten IslandStaten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
). Offices are in Long Island City.
- Region 3: Lower and central Hudson ValleyHudson ValleyThe Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
(DutchessDutchess County, New YorkDutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
, OrangeOrange County, New YorkOrange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, PutnamPutnam County, New YorkPutnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
, RocklandRockland County, New YorkRockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
, SullivanSullivan County, New YorkSullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,547. The county seat is Monticello. The name is in honor of Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War...
, UlsterUlster County, New YorkUlster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
and WestchesterWestchester County, New YorkWestchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
counties). Main office is in New Paltz, with a sub-office in White PlainsWhite Plains, New YorkWhite Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
. - Region 4: Berkshires, Western CatskillsCatskill MountainsThe Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
, upper SusquehannaSusquehanna RiverThe Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
valley and Capital DistrictCapital DistrictNew York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
(AlbanyAlbany County, New YorkAlbany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
, ColumbiaColumbia County, New YorkColumbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
, DelawareDelaware County, New YorkDelaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of 2010 the population was 47,980. The county seat is Delhi. It is named after the Delaware River, which was named in honor of Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, appointed governor of Virginia in 1609.-History:When counties...
, GreeneGreene County, New YorkGreene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...
, MontgomeryMontgomery County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
, OtsegoOtsego County, New YorkOtsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
, RensselaerRensselaer County, New YorkRensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
, SchenectadySchenectady County, New YorkSchenectady County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 154,727. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Schenectady. The name is from a Mohawk Indian word meaning "on the other side of the...
and SchoharieSchoharie County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 31,582 people, 11,991 households and 8,177 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 15,915 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
counties). Main offices are in SchenectadySchenectady, New YorkSchenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
, with a sub-office outside StamfordStamford, New YorkStamford may refer to two municipalities in Delaware County, New York in the United States:*Stamford , New York*Stamford , New York, located entirely within the town...
. - Region 5: Eastern AdirondacksAdirondack MountainsThe Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
(ClintonClinton County, New YorkClinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 82,128. Its name is in honor of the first Governor of New York as a state, George Clinton. Its county seat is Plattsburgh.-History:...
, EssexEssex County, New YorkEssex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,370. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown...
, FranklinFranklin County, New YorkFranklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 51,599. It is named in honor of American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin...
, FultonFulton County, New YorkFulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,531. Its name is in honor of Robert Fulton, who is widely credited with developing the first commercially successful steamboat...
, HamiltonHamilton County, New YorkHamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is named after Alexander Hamilton, the only member of the New York State delegation who signed the United States Constitution in 1787 and later the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. Its county seat is Lake Pleasant...
, SaratogaSaratoga County, New YorkSaratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
, WarrenWarren County, New YorkWarren County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 65,707. It is named in honor of General Joseph Warren, an American Revolutionary War hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill...
and WashingtonWashington County, New YorkWashington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...
counties). Main office is in Ray BrookRay Brook, New YorkRay Brook is a hamlet in New York State, USA located on NY 86 between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid in the Town of North Elba in Essex County. It is the site of the Adirondack Park Agency, the District 5 office of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Federal...
, with sub-offices in NorthvilleNorthville, New YorkNorthville, New York may refer to two places in the United States:*Northville, Fulton County, New York*Northville, Suffolk County, New York...
and WarrensburgWarrensburg, New YorkWarrensburg, New York is a town in Warren County. An hamlet by the same name is recognized by U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place . According to the 2000 United States Census, the CDP comprises less than one-fifth of the town's total area, yet has about 75% of the town's population...
. - Region 6: Western Adirondacks and St. Lawrence River valley (HerkimerHerkimer County, New YorkHerkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
, JeffersonJefferson County, New YorkJefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, LewisLewis County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 26,944 people, 10,040 households, and 7,309 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 15,134 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
, OneidaOneida County, New YorkOneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
and St. LawrenceSt. Lawrence County, New YorkSt. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...
counties). Main office is in Watertown, with sub-offices located at Cape VincentCape Vincent, New YorkCape Vincent, New York may refer to:* Cape Vincent , New York* Cape Vincent , New York...
, Herkimer, LowvilleLowville, New YorkLowville, New York may refer to:*Lowville , New York, located in Lewis County*Lowville , New York, located within the Town of Lowville...
, PotsdamPotsdam (town), New YorkPotsdam is a town located in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 15,957 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 13676. The town is named after the city of Potsdam in Germany...
and UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. - Region 7: Central New YorkCentral New YorkCentral New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
(BroomeBroome County, New YorkBroome County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,600. It was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established. Its county seat is Binghamton, which is also its major city. The current...
, CayugaCayuga County, New YorkCayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
, ChenangoChenango County, New YorkChenango County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 50,477. The county's name originates from an Oneida word meaning "large bull-thistle." Its county seat is Norwich.-History:...
, CortlandCortland County, New YorkCortland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, named after Federico Van Cortlandt, president of the convention at Kingston that wrote the first New York State Constitution in 1777, and first lieutenant governor of the state. The county seat is Cortland...
, MadisonMadison County, New YorkMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
, OnondagaOnondaga County, New YorkOnondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, OswegoOswego County, New YorkOswego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population was 122,109. The City of Oswego and the Village of Pulaski serve as the dual county seats in a two shire system of government...
, TiogaTioga County, New YorkAs of the census of 2010, there were 51,125 people residing in the county, with 22,203 housing units, of these 20,350 occupied, 1,853 vacant. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
and TompkinsTompkins County, New YorkTompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...
counties). Main office is in SyracuseSyracuse, New YorkSyracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, with sub-offices in CortlandCortland, New YorkCortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 18,740. It is the county seat of Cortland County.The City of Cortland, near the west border of the county, is surrounded by the Town of Cortlandville....
, KirkwoodKirkwood, New YorkKirkwood is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 5,651 at the 2000 census. The town is named after James P. Kirkwood, who was an engineer responsible for constructing the local railroad....
and SherburneSherburne, New YorkSherburne, New York is the name of two locations in Chenango County, New York:*Sherburne , New York*Sherburne , New York...
. - Region 8: Greater RochesterRochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and Finger LakesFinger LakesThe Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
(ChemungChemung County, New YorkChemung County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Chemung County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 88,830. Its name is derived from the name of a Delaware Indian village . Its...
, GeneseeGenesee County, New YorkGenesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
, LivingstonLivingston County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 64,328 people, 22,150 households, and 15,349 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 24,023 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
, MonroeMonroe County, New YorkMonroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
, OntarioOntario County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
, OrleansOrleans County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
, SchuylerSchuyler County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 19,224 people, 7,374 households, and 5,191 families residing in the county. The population density was 58 people per square mile . There were 9,181 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
, SenecaSeneca County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 33,342 people, 12,630 households, and 8,626 families residing in the county. The population density was 103 people per square mile . There were 14,794 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
, SteubenSteuben County, New YorkSteuben County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,990. Its name is in honor of Baron von Steuben, a German general who fought on the American side in the American Revolutionary War, though it is not pronounced the same...
, WayneWayne County, New YorkWayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
and YatesYates County, New YorkYates County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 25,348. The county seat is Penn Yan. The name is in honor of Joseph C. Yates, who as Governor of New York signed the act establishing the county....
counties). Main office is in AvonAvon, New YorkAvon, New York is the name of two places located in Livingston County in the State of New York in the United States of America.*Avon , New York*Avon , New York...
with sub-offices in BathBath (village), New YorkBath is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 5,641 at the 2000 census. Bath is the county seat of Steuben County. The community was named either for the English city or for Lady Bath, daughter of William Pulteney, one of the original landowners.The Village of...
and HorseheadsHorseheads (village), New YorkHorseheads is a village in Chemung County, New York, USA. The population was 6,461 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from the number of bleached skulls of pack horses left behind by the Sullivan Expedition....
. - Region 9: Western New YorkWestern New YorkWestern New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
(AlleganyAllegany County, New YorkAllegany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,946. Its name derives from a Delaware Indian word, applied by settlers of Western New York State to a trail that followed the Allegheny River. Its county seat is...
, CattaraugusCattaraugus County, New YorkCattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
, ChautauquaChautauqua County, New York-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...
, ErieErie County, New YorkErie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, NiagaraNiagara County, New YorkNiagara County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,469. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and...
and WyomingWyoming County, New YorkWyoming County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. At the 2010 census, the population was 42,155. The county seat is Warsaw. The name is from a modified Delaware Indian word meaning "broad bottom lands"...
counties). Main office is in the City of BuffaloBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, with sub-offices in AlleganyAllegany (village), New YorkAllegany is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,883 at the 2000 census.The Village of Allegany is by the east town line of the Town of Allegany, west of the City of Olean.St...
, BelmontBelmont, New YorkBelmont is a village within the Town of Amity which is in Allegany County, New York, USA. Belmont is the county seat of Allegany County. The population was 952 at the 2000 census. The name means beautiful hill....
and FalconerFalconer, New YorkFalconer is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 2,540 at the 2000 census.The Village of Falconer is within the Town of Ellicott. Falconer is on the eastern edge of the City of Jamestown, New York.- History :...
.
Financing
Licensing and permitting fees provide the DEC with the majority of its primary operating revenueRevenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
, at about 58%. Direct funding from the state contributes another 24%, and federal programs and grants make up the remaining 17% difference.
Employees
DEC employees range from holders of multiple advanced degrees to clerk/typists who may not even have attended college. They do their work everywhere from the agency's offices to deep wildernessWilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
. Almost all DEC positions are classified as civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
and require that applicants pass the appropriate exams to be considered for hiring.
ECOs and forest rangers are considered police officers under New York's Criminal Procedure Law, with the authority to carry firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s at all times and make arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
s for any possible criminal violations they witness.
The majority of employees are unionized
Labor unions in the United States
Labor unions in the United States are legally recognized as representatives of workers in many industries. The most prominent unions are among public sector employees such as teachers and police...
, with white collar
White-collar worker
The term white-collar worker refers to a person who performs professional, managerial, or administrative work, in contrast with a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor...
professionals paying dues to the Public Employees Federation
Public Employees Federation
The Public Employees Federation is an American union representing 55,599 professional, scientific, and technical public employees in the state of New York. The union is one of the largest local white-collar unions in the United States and is New York's second-largest state-employee union...
, blue-collar workers represented by the Civil Service Employees Association
Civil Service Employees Association
The Civil Service Employees Association is a labor union, now Local 1000 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees . Founded by civil service workers for the State of New York as the Association of State Civil Service Employees on Oct. 24, 1910, the CSEA affiliated with...
and the law enforcement officers members of the independent New York State Correctional and Police Officers' Benevolent Association, following the same pattern as other state agencies.
Frequent interagency partners
DEC frequently works closely on some matters with other agencies at different levels of government.- The United States Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection AgencyThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA). DEC's Hudson River drillings were used by EPA as a basis for its own tests that led to its decision to dredge the PCBs from the bed of the upper Hudson. - New York's Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic PreservationNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic PreservationThe New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation operates :*168 state parks*35 state historic sites*76 developed beaches*53 water recreational facilities*27 golf courses*39 full service cottages*818 cabins...
is the agency in charge of New York's state parks, while DEC manages other lands. The two sometimes collaborate on projects such as the Genesee Valley Greenway, where neither agency has the expertise or jurisdiction to realize the project on its own. - The Palisades Interstate Park CommissionPalisades Interstate Park CommissionPalisades Interstate Park and its creator, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, was formed in 1900 by governors Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Foster M. Voorhees of New Jersey in response to the destruction of the Palisades by quarry operators in the late 19th century...
, which manages many of the state parks in the downstate region. Projects like the proposed Catskill Interpretive Center are to be built on land owned by PIPC since New York's state constitution is generally interpreted to preclude DEC or other state agencies from doing such things on state-owned land insideBlue Line (New York State)The Blue Line is the term used in New York state for the boundaries of the Adirondack and Catskill parks, within which can be found the state's Forest Preserve...
the Adirondack or Catskill parks. - The New York City Department of Environmental ProtectionNew York City Department of Environmental ProtectionThe New York City Department of Environmental Protection is a City agency of nearly 6,000 employees that manages and conserves the City’s water supply; distributes more than one billion gallons of clean drinking water each day to nine million New Yorkers and collects wastewater through a vast...
(DEP) is in charge and control of the city's water resources, mainly the upstateUpstate New YorkUpstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
reservoirs, manages the city's storm water and sewage systems, has jurisdiction over air and noise pollution within the city, and responds to emergencies caused by releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances into the environment. Most of DEP's activities take place within DEC's Region 2. - The Adirondack Park AgencyAdirondack Park AgencyThe Adirondack Park Agency was created in 1971 by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller as a governmental agency that performs long-range planning for the future of the Adirondack Park. It oversees development plans of private land-owners as well as activities within the Adirondack Forest Preserve...
has final authority over most private land use in that park.