Trust For Public Land Praises Cuomo’s Proposed Budget Increase For N.Y. Environmental Fund

The Trust for Public Land today strongly supported a proposal by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to increase the state's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to $300 million for the 2016-17 state budget, from $177 million in 2015-16.

The Environmental Protection Fund supports investments in land conservation, park development and resilient landscapes that buffer and protect communities from storm events, along with farmland protection, waterfront revitalization, and environmental justice.

"We applaud Gov. Cuomo's vision and leadership for this proposal," said Marc Matsil, New York Director of The Trust for Public Land. "With climate change causing more severe weather events, sea level rise, and other impacts on our neighborhoods and local economies, the role of land conservation as a buffer to protect New Yorkers has never been more important. Our analysis shows that every $1 invested from the Environmental Protection Fund on land and water conservation produces a $7 economic return for local businesses and tourism. Bravo Gov. Cuomo."

Douglas Durst, a member of The Trust for Public Land's national Board of Directors, said, "As a National Board Member for The Trust for Public Land and a developer engaged in sustainable business practices, I could not be more pleased by today's announcement by Gov. Cuomo to increase the Environmental Protection Fund. It is critical to the health of our neighborhoods that economic interests be balanced with environmental protection, land conservation and parkland development. Both support jobs and the economy. We applaud this landmark announcement by Gov. Cuomo."

Matsil said The Trust for Public Land worked with other conservation groups, including The Open Space Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Scenic Hudson, The Land Trust Alliance and others to advocate for the increase announced by Gov. Cuomo.