NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6331

Senate Bill S6331

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes the position of Catskill park coordinator within the department of environmental conservation

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Environmental Conservation Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 10, 2025	referred to environmental conservation

co-Sponsors

2025-S6331 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Environmental Conservation
Law Section:: Environmental Conservation Law
Laws Affected:: Add §9-0115, En Con L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2021-2022: S6421
2023-2024: S1413

2025-S6331 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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.

2025-S6331 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6331

SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

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

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislation is to create the position of Catskill
park coordinator within the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
to ensure continued interaction between state and municipal agencies and
stakeholders, and the development of future coordination and partner-
ships to address natural resource concerns throughout the Catskill
ecosystem.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Legislative Intent.

Section 2: Creates the position of the Catskill Park coordinator;
includes duties and responsibilities.

Section 3: Effective Date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In all of the work groups for the Catskill Park Public Access Plan, the
participants felt that the communication and collaboration that occurred
between government agencies and representatives of environmental groups,
sportsmen, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and the private sector in the
series of work group meetings must be continued.

The creation of a Catskill Park coordinator position is proposed to
create an ongoing mechanism that will ensure continued interaction and
the development of future coordination and partnerships to address
natural resource concerns throughout the Catskill ecosystem.  Regular
meetings with groups and organizations to discuss issues relating to
public access and stewardship of the forest preserve and to take the
pulse of public concerns will be a valuable asset for all parties. A
primary role of the coordinator will be to schedule and organize these
forums, and follow up, as appropriate, on future recommendations,
actions and/or concerns. This legislation is especially important during
this time of record-breaking numbers of people using and enjoying the
Catskill Park and region.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-24: S.1413 - Passed Senate/ Died in Assembly

2022: S.6421-A -Vetoed memo.113

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the
date upon which it shall have become a law.

2025-S6331 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6331
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              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:
 
   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.
                                                            LBD10832-01-5

 S. 6331                             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 THE COMPENSATION OF THE  COORDINATOR  WITHIN  THE
 AMOUNTS  APPROPRIATED  THEREFOR  AND  PRESCRIBE THEIR POWERS AND DUTIES,
 WHICH SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO THOSE CONTAINED  IN  THIS  SECTION.    THE
 CATSKILL  PARK  COORDINATOR SHALL BUILD PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE DEPART-
 MENT 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 SCHEDUL-
 ING AND ORGANIZING 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.

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Senate Bill S6331

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Sponsored By

Michelle Hinchey