2006 NYS Open Space Plan - State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR)
Date: November 1, 2006
This notice is issued pursuant to Part 617 of the implementing regulations pertaining to Article 8 (State Environmental Quality Review Act) of the Environmental Conservation Law.
A final Environmental Impact Statement has been completed and accepted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYS OPRHP) as co-lead agencies; for the proposed action described below.
Name of Action:
Conserving Open Space in New York State 2006 - Final Open Space Conservation Plan and Generic Environmental Impact Statement
Description of Action:
The final Plan is an update and revision of the 2002 plan which includes identification of the types and locations of open space resources, and enumeration of various open space conservation methods including voluntary and protection programs, land use regulations as well as acquisition of land, or an easement interest in land by the State. The plan describes the selection process for deciding when acquisition may be the appropriate method of open space conservation. It also makes recommendations for legislative and executive action on a number of open space conservation issues including: the recommendations of the Governor's Quality Communities Task Force relating to intergovernmental cooperation and coordination on land use planning and open space protection, private and public land stewardship, tax policy, care and disposition of State land, the involvement of federal and local governments and not-for-profit conservation organizations. New to this plan is the incorporation of elements to qualify the Plan as the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Plan required for participation in the federal Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The final Plan also contains a listing of specific high priority conservation projects eligible for State land acquisition. The final Plan will be presented to the Governor and the Legislature, and following approval by the Governor, the Plan will continue to guide both NYS DEC and NYS OPRHP in their open space conservation and land acquisition programs.
Location: Statewide
Potential Environmental Impacts:
The Plan will lead to increased protection of significant natural, scenic, recreational, historic and cultural resources and improve quality of life for residents of New York. Intrinsic benefits also accrue from public decisions to protect resources.
Economic benefits include improvements in natural resource stewardship, anticipated increase in value of adjacent lands, added tourism and sustainable agricultural, forestry and fishing industries. Adverse impacts may be associated with the development and use of facilities to accommodate public use.
The impacts on resources result from public use and possible short term erosion and sedimentation problems associated with construction. Where the acquisition of land results in an increase in use by the public, there may be impacts such as littering, noise, vegetative damage, increased traffic, and trespass to adjoining property owners.
The cumulative benefits are those associated with the implementation of a comprehensive, coordinated, system approach to the conservation of New York's resources. These include protection and maintenance of systems of natural diversity, significant historic and cultural resources and outdoor recreation resources.
A copy of the final GEIS in PDF format, included as Chapter 9 of the Open Space Plan, may be obtained from the DEC website.
Contact Persons:
Francis Sheehan
NYS DEC
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4250
(518) 402-9405
Robert Reinhardt
NYS OPRHP
Agency Building 1
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12238
(518) 474-0415
