S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1413
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 11, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HINCHEY -- 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:
 
   Section  1.  The  New York City Watershed Agreement, the Public Access
 Plan, the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act and other department  of  envi-
 ronmental  conservation  programs  in  the  Catskills  all have a common
 interest in community development,  land  acquisition  and  recreational
 access,  concern for the abundance and purity of water, and coordination
 with other department of environmental  conservation  activities  within
 the  watershed.  The  department of environmental conservation watershed
 coordinator is responsible for the monumental  task  of  overseeing  the
 implementation  of  all  state partnership programs embodied in the 1997
 New York City Watershed Agreement. The  new  Catskill  park  coordinator
 position would complement the role of the watershed coordinator by inte-
 grating  those  activities  directly  related to the watershed agreement
 with all other department of environmental conservation  program  inter-
 ests  and by advocating for the best interests of the Catskill park. The
 benefit of a Catskill  Park  Preserve  Advocate  has  been  successfully
 demonstrated  in the Hudson River estuary, Adirondacks, and Salmon River
 corridor; a similar position will ensure integration and balance in  the
 department  of  environmental  conservation's  current and future initi-
 atives affecting the natural, social and economic resources in the Cats-
 kill Region.
   § 2. The environmental conservation law is amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 9-0115 to read as follows:
 § 9-0115. CATSKILL PARK COORDINATOR.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05317-01-3
 S. 1413                             2
              

 
   1.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL MAINTAIN IN THE DEPARTMENT THE POSITION OF
 CATSKILL PARK COORDINATOR TO ASSIST THE COMMISSIONER IN THE  DEVELOPMENT
 AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PUBLIC ACCESS PLAN FOR THE CATSKILL PARK.  THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL FIX HIS OR HER COMPENSATION WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPRO-
 PRIATED THEREFOR AND PRESCRIBE HIS OR HER POWERS AND DUTIES, WHICH SHALL
 BE  IN  ADDITION  TO THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION.  THE CATSKILL PARK
 COORDINATOR SHALL 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 BY SCHEDULING AND ORGANIZ-
 ING FORUMS AND FOLLOWING  UP  ON  FUTURE  RECOMMENDATIONS,  ACTIONS,  OR
 CONCERNS RAISED AT SUCH FORUMS.
   2.  DUTIES  OF THE CATSKILL PARK COORDINATOR SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
 LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:
   A. COORDINATING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PUBLIC  ACCESS  PLAN  AND  OTHER
 APPROVED OR ADOPTED CATSKILL PARK-WIDE PLANS WITH ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
 STAKEHOLDERS;
   B.  ENHANCING THE ABILITY OF THE DEPARTMENT TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF
 THE PUBLIC ON A TIMELY BASIS;
   C. COORDINATING COMPLEX MANAGEMENT ISSUES  AND  FACILITATING  IMPROVED
 COMMUNICATION  BETWEEN  PROGRAMS  WITHIN  REGIONS  THREE AND FOUR OF THE
 DEPARTMENT AND BETWEEN THOSE REGIONS AND  THE  CENTRAL  OFFICES  OF  THE
 DEPARTMENT;
   D.  SEEKING  FUNDING  FOR  AND  TRACKING  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PUBLIC
 ACCESS PLAN, UNIT MANAGEMENT PLANS, AND OTHER APPROVED AND ADOPTED CATS-
 KILL PARK-WIDE PLANS;
   E. PROVIDING CONTINUITY WITH FUTURE PLANNING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND
 OTHER STATE AGENCIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE CATSKILL  ASSO-
 CIATION FOR TOURISM SERVICES;
   F.  MAINTAINING  A  TRACKING SYSTEM FOR DEPARTMENT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES,
 INCLUDING FACILITY DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN  PREPARATION
 AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE CATSKILL REGION; AND
   G.  PROVIDING  FOR  IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND
 THE PUBLIC AND BUILDING CONSTITUENCY  SUPPORT  FOR  DEPARTMENTAL  INITI-
 ATIVES THAT BENEFIT THE CATSKILL REGION.
   §  3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
 the date upon which it shall have become a law.