Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature have enacted a state budget for the next fiscal year with substantial environmental funding and policy wins. The following are statements from Riverkeeper's President, Tracy Brown and Senior Manager of Government Affairs, Jeremy Cherson.

“New York State has passed a budget that reflects our stated commitments to create a clean environment and green economy. In the near term, New Yorkers will see direct benefits from increased funding for the Environmental Protection Fund and the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, both of which provide critical dollars to meet the clean water needs of communities across the state. In the long term, we could see major investments in our cleaner and greener future if voters pass the $4.2 billion environmental bond which will be on ballots in November,” said Riverkeeper President, Tracy Brown. “Riverkeeper is particularly proud to have contributed to a breakthrough in wetland protection which will enable New York to protect and preserve more of these rapidly declining ecosystems that are a key to our climate resiliency and mitigation. We are grateful to our elected officials, our partners, and the residents who amplified our call for investing more in what matters most - clean water, clean air and open spaces.”

“Riverkeeper is thrilled to celebrate funding and policy wins in the New York State budget. A $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act, $500 million Clean Water Infrastructure Act funding, a $400 million Environmental Protection Fund including a $1 million boost for the DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program, strengthening protections for over one million acres of freshwater wetlands, and increased staffing at DEC are just some of the extraordinary environmental wins in the state budget this year,” said Riverkeeper Senior Manager of Government Affairs, Jeremy Cherson. “These investments will improve New York’s climate resilience, restore habitat, and reconnect New Yorkers to their waterfronts. We thank Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, Assemblymember Englebright, and Senator Kaminsky for their commitment to clean water and our environment with this year’s state budget. We look forward to working with state leaders to pass additional climate, clean water, and environmental legislation as the legislative session continues.”

Media contact: Jeremy Cherson, Senior Manager of Government Affairs, 770-630-6790, jcherson(at)riverkeeper.org