2. PROTECT AND PRESERVE UNDEVELOPED LAND RESOURCES

Challenge: Maintaining undeveloped land in the Hudson Valley will face a number of challenges in the coming years. These challenges include: the home-rule power of individual localities, Albany’s practice of diverting funds that are meant to protect the environment, and a lack of understanding about the implications of a national park designation.

Protect lands that meet New York State’s highest standards for scenic, ecological and agricultural purposes.

• New York State should increase support and partnerships with land trusts collaborating on land conservation projects to take advantage of depressed real estate prices in scenic areas of statewide significance, natural heritage program areas, biologically important areas, significant coastal habitats, and on lands with prime agricultural soils and agricultural soils of statewide importance.

• Fully and consistently fund the Environmental Protection Fund at $500 million per year.  Funds from the fund should be allowed to make debt service payments on loans to facilitate open space acquisition and develop strategies to integrate and enhance existing funding.

• Support designation of the Hudson Valley as a unit of the National Park system pursuant to Rep. Maurice Hinchey’s Hudson River Valley Special Resource Study Act.

• Adopt uniform state policy to pay taxes or PILOTs (Payments in-Lieu of Taxes) on state-owned and preserved lands.

• Pass enabling legislation that allows local adoption of the Community Preservation Act, with matching state funds through the Environmental Protection Fund.

• Integrate priority conservation lands into a State Smart Growth Plan.

• Implement transfer of development rights to direct development to infill areas and conserve surrounding open space.

• Fully and consistently fund the Hudson River Estuary Program at $10 million per year.  New staff should be assigned to coordinate with local governments, land trusts, and community groups in the Hudson Valley on issues relating to land use and natural resource protection.

• Provide direct bicycle and pedestrian trail connections between conservation lands and urban and infill areas.

• Pass the Environmental Bond Act to support and fund land conservation.