Senate Bill S6331

                             
                     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.