DEC has approved the Durez CfPT plan submitted February 18, 2022. In accordance with 40 CFR Part 63.1207(e)(2), Durez must issue a public notice announcing the approval of the test plan and the location where the test plan will be available for review. The public has 60 days to comment.

The approved plan, including a tentative schedule, is also available for review at:

• DEC offices in Albany and Buffalo
• Earl Brydges Public Library, 1425 Main Street, Niagara Falls

Contact Info:

Ms. Lisa Czechowicz, DEC Region 9 Office, 270 Michigan Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14203-2915; Telephone (716) 851-7165

Mr. Dylan Keenan, DEC, Division of Air Resources, 625 Broadway, Albany, New York 12233-3254; Telephone (518) 402-8403.

The SRC meeting will cover updates on New York shellfish restoration projects and on the development of a comprehensive, science-based, and stakeholder-driven state shellfish restoration plan. The primary purpose of this meeting is for council members to deliberate on the organizational framework of the plan's development. There will be opportunities for public comments and questions throughout both the meeting and the plan's development process.

To attend the meeting click here to launch Zoom (leaves DEC website) and select "Open Zoom Meetings" when prompted by your web browser. You may also dial into the meeting via voice call using this phone number:
(929) 436-2866

Join Educator Betsy for an overview of different events taking place on Get Outdoors & Get Together Day, Saturday, June 11.

DEC and State Parks, in partnership with the OPWDD and Veterans' Services, are hosting free events across New York State to connect people to nature and provide increased access to the outdoors. The day's events are intended to bring people of all abilities, ages, identities and backgrounds together for fun, healthful activities as part of the Governor's initiative to broaden the diversity of users and ensure inclusivity of access to state public lands.

Find Get Outdoors & Get Together Day events happening near you >>

Join Educator Betsy for an overview of different events taking place on on Get Outdoors & Get Together Day, Saturday, June 11.

DEC and State Parks, in partnership with the OPWDD and Veterans' Services, are hosting free events across New York State to connect people to nature and provide increased access to the outdoors. The day's events are intended to bring people of all abilities, ages, identities and backgrounds together for fun, healthful activities as part of the Governor's initiative to broaden the diversity of users and ensure inclusivity of access to state public lands.

Find Get Outdoors & Get Together Day events happening near you >>

Together, kids and their caregivers can enjoy a fun hour-long outdoor activity. For children in grades K–5.

We welcome those who have any type of physical challenge to all our programs. If you call ahead to let us know your needs, we will be happy to learn how we can serve you.

PLEASE NOTE

• Registration is required for ALL programs unless otherwise indicated; call 716-683-5959 to register. 
• If you call outside of normal business hours, you will receive a call confirming your registration or waitlist status. PLEASE SPEAK CLEARLY when leaving your name and phone number as our system does not have caller ID. Unless you receive a callback, you are not registered. 
• Registration is limited to two programs/month. If you want to sign up for additional programs, you will be added to the waitlist. No limit for virtual programs.
• Social distancing and mask protocols are subject to change with current COVID guidelines.
• If you or a family member feels ill, is waiting for COVID test results or have COVID symptoms, please stay at home.
• In case of poor weather, programs may be cancelled.
  
• We cannot accommodate organized youth/civic groups at these programs. Please call to make other arrangements.

Join us as our Region 1 streams live from Suffolk County, Long Island, for an educational event about invasive aquatic plants, how invasive species spread, and what you can do to stop them. Learn how to identify submerged plants and where to report invasive species to help protect our native habitats.

For more information about invasive species in New York and how you can help >>

Tired of high fuel prices? Find out how to move toward a fossil fuel-free lifestyle! Each session provides local resources to help you make improvements, and maybe even save money along the way.

We welcome those who have any type of physical challenge to all our programs. If you call ahead (716-683-5959) to let us know your needs, we will be happy to learn how we can serve you.

PLEASE NOTE

• Pre-registration is required for ALL programs. For virtual programs, please register online at www.reinsteinwoods.org/events.
• Participants will be emailed a link for the presentation.
  
• We cannot accommodate organized youth/civic groups at these programs. Please call to make other arrangements.
  

Join us after school to get some fresh air, stretch your legs, and have fun outdoors. We’ll meet in front of the visitor center to head out on an adventure. Each week will have a different theme and will include time to explore. Come for as many sessions as you’d like, and dress for outdoor activity. For children in grades K–5 and their caregivers.

Space is limited. Call 518-475-0291 by the Monday prior to register.

DEC has received a Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) application, Draft Interim Remedial Measures Work Plan and Draft Remedial Investigation Work Plan for a site known as 1487 1st Avenue Redevelopment Site, site ID #C231152. This site is located in the Borough of Manhattan in the County of New York, and is located at 1487 1st Avenue. Public comments about the application must be submitted by June 10, 2022.

Click the web link above at "Additional Information" to learn about the site and how to comment.

Project documents can be reviewed online at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/C231152/

And at:

New York Public Library – Webster Library
1465 York Ave
New York, NY 10075

Manhattan Community Board 8
505 Park Avenue, Suite 620
New York, NY 10022

DEC Seeks Public Comment on Draft Recreation Management Plan for Edinburgh and Corinth Tracts, Saratoga County

Draft Plan Continues Recreational Access in Conservation Easement
 
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking public comment on a draft management plan that will continue public recreational access and protect natural resources within the Edinburgh and Corinth Conservation Easement Tracts in Saratoga County. The public comment period is open until June 10, 2022.

The draft Recreation Management Plan (RMP) applies to the combined 13,730 acres of the Edinburgh and Corinth Conservation Easement Tracts, owned by Lyme Adirondack Timberlands II and Lyme Timber Company. The recreation rights in the draft RMP include snowmobile trails and non-motorized access to the Spruce Mountain Fire Tower.

The following management actions are proposed in the draft RMP:
•Snowmobile Trails: 22 miles of snowmobile trails exist on the easement tracts as allowed in the 2009 Interim RMP. The draft RMP allows for the continued maintenance of the popular snowmobile trail system as a network connecting a large area between Great Sacandaga Lake and the towns of Greenfield and Corinth. The trail providing access to the Spruce Mountain Fire Tower, ending at the State land boundary 0.1 miles away from the fire tower, will remain open to the public.
•Spruce Mountain Fire Tower Access: The Spruce Mountain Fire Tower is located on a 2.5-acre parcel of Wilcox Lake Wild Forest and can be accessed via a trail on the Corinth tract. The draft RMP proposes the foot trail remain closed during big game hunting season, as was previously negotiated in a Cooperative Agreement with the landowner.

For more information, the draft plan can be viewed on the DEC website. DEC is accepting public comments through June 10, 2022, and comments can be submitted via email to R5.UMP@dec.ny.gov or mailed to Allison Buckley, Natural Resource Planner, NYS DEC, PO Box 1316, Northville, NY 12134.

DEC invites the public to comment about a draft plan to investigate contamination related to the Former Steck and Philbin Site #C152096 (Kings Park, Suffolk County) within New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program. Public comments about the draft plan will be accepted through June 10, 2022.

Click the web link above at "Additional Information" to learn about the draft plan and how to comment.

Project documents can be reviewed online at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/C152096/

And at:

The Smithtown Public Library
Kings Park Building
1 Church Street
Kings Park, NY 11754
(631) 360-2480

DEC invites the public to comment about a draft plan to investigate contamination related to the Jamaica Works site #C241252 (Jamaica, Queens County) within New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program. Public comments about the draft plan will be accepted through June 10, 2022.

Click the web link above at "Additional Information" to learn about the draft plan and how to comment.

Project documents can be reviewed online at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/C241252/

And at:

Queens Public Library at South Jamaica
108-41 Guy R Brewer Boulevard
Jamaica, NY 11433
(718) 739-4088

Queens Community Board 12
90-28 161st Street
Jamaica, NY 11432
(718) 658-3308
qn12@cb.nyc.gov

DEC invites the public to comment about a proposed expedited cleanup of contamination related to the Clocktower site #C130246 (Roslyn, Nassau County), within New York’s Brownfield Cleanup Program. Public comments about the proposal will be accepted through June 10, 2022.

Click the web link above at "Additional Information" to learn about the proposal and how to comment.

Project documents can be reviewed online at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/C130246/

And at:

Gold Coast Public Library
50 Railroad Avenue
Glen Head, NY 11545
(516) 759-8300

New York State Public Hearing on Draft Disadvantaged Communities Criteria -- Lower Hudson Valley (in-person)

Criteria to Guide Equitable Implementation of State’s Ambitious Climate Law
 
May and June In-Person and Virtual Hearings to Provide Public Opportunities to Share Input on Draft Criteria
 
Comments Accepted Until July 7, 2022
 
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in partnership with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will hold 11 public hearings across the state to receive public input on draft disadvantaged communities criteria and advance the finalization of criteria to help guide the implementation of the State's nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
 
New York’s Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG), which consists of representatives from environmental justice groups from across the State and representatives of several State agencies, voted in December to release the draft criteria for identifying disadvantaged communities for public review. The Draft Disadvantaged Communities Criteria Public Comment Period commenced in March with a 120-day public comment period that ends July 7, 2022.
 
The criteria are based on geographic, public health, environmental hazard, and socioeconomic factors, and once approved, will be used to help meet the directives of the Climate Act related to reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to inform regulatory impact statements and the State's clean energy and energy efficiency investments. 
 
Public Hearing  
 

Event: Lower Hudson Valley  

Location: Grace Baptist Church

52 S. 6th Ave. Mt. Vernon, NY 10550  

Date: Friday, June 10, 2022, at 6 p.m. 

COVID Requirements: Masks are required to be worn by all attendees and proof of vaccination is required to enter the facility. Masks will be available if needed.

Please check the DEC calendar of events to confirm if the Public Hearing in your area of the state is in-person or online/virtual.
 
All persons, organizations, corporations, and government entities are encouraged to attend the public hearings and submit oral or written comments. Each participant will be given two minutes to provide public comment. Lengthy statements should be submitted in writing and summarized for oral presentation. PowerPoint presentations are not allowed, but individuals may provide written supporting documents or visuals. 
 
If in-person hearings cannot be held due to changing COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, hearings will shift to virtual at the same date and time. Pre-registration for virtual hearings is strongly encouraged but not required. 
 
Priority in speaking will be given to those who pre-register based on their place of residence for the regional hearings. Individuals can pre-register using the WebEx link for the meeting. All hearings will be professionally recorded and transcribed as part of the official record and posted on the Climate Act website.
 
Members of the public who want to provide oral comments must attend either in-person or join a virtual hearing. Equal weight will be given to oral and written statements.
 
The virtual public hearings will include live closed captioning. American sign language and language interpretive services shall be made available upon written request at no charge. Requests for interpretation must be received at least 10 days before the hearing date. Requests for interpretation should be directed by mail to NYSDEC, Office of Communication Services, 625 Broadway, Albany, New York 12233-4500), by telephone (518-402-8044), or by email (language@dec.ny.gov). 
 
Written comments can be submitted through July 7, 2022, via the online public comment form, Draft Disadvantaged Communities Criteria Public Comment Period , via email to DACComments@dec.ny.gov, or via U.S. Mail to Attention: Draft DAC Comments, NYS DEC, Attn. Office of Environmental Justice, 625 Broadway, 14th Floor, Albany NY 12233.
 
For more information about the Climate Justice Working Group, visit the Climate Act website.
New York State's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the Climate Act, New York is on a path to achieve its mandate of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy-wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented investments to ramp-up clean energy including over $33 billion in 102 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce buildings emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.6 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Combined, these investments are supporting nearly 158,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2020, a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011 and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. Under the Climate Act, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, and advance progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings. 

DEC invites the public to comment about a draft plan to investigate contamination related to the Bowers Business Park site #C734145 (East Syracuse, Onondaga County) within New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program. Public comments about the draft plan will be accepted through June 11, 2022.

Click the web link above at "Additional Information" to learn about the draft plan and how to comment.

Project documents can be reviewed online at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/C734145/

And at:

Community Library of Dewitt & Jamesville
5110 Jamesville Road
Jamesville, NY 13078
(315) 446-3578

NYSDEC
615 Erie Blvd West
Syracuse, NY 13204
Attn. Karen Cahill
(315) 426-7551
(By appointment only)

Celebrate Outdoors Day and learn how to fish for free from 9 AM - 1 PM at Hempstead Lake State Park. This free fishing clinic, sponsored by DEC's I FISH NY Program, offers participants the opportunity to learn how to cast a line while also learning about fish identification, fishing equipment and techniques, fisheries management, angling ethics, aquatic ecology, and more! No fishing license is required and all bait and tackle will be provided.

Address/Directions: McDonald Pond, Hempstead Lake State Park, 1000 Lake Drive, West Hempstead, NY 11552

Visit the Free Fishing Clinics page for additional information on this and other upcoming clinic events.

Join Educator Betsy, live from Mendon Ponds Park, in Rochester NY, for an overview of events taking place on Get Outdoors & Get Together Day. DEC and State Parks, in partnership with the OPWDD and Veterans' Services, are hosting free events across New York State to connect people to nature and provide increased access to the outdoors. The day's events are intended to bring people of all abilities, ages, identities and backgrounds together for fun, healthful activities as part of the Governor's initiative to broaden the diversity of users and ensure inclusivity of access to state public lands.

Full schedule of Get Outdoors & Get Together Day events happening at Mendon Ponds Park >> 

Find Get Outdoors & Get Together Day events happening near you >>

Learn how to fish for free from 9:30AM-1:00PM at Lake Kirsty in Tifft Nature Preserve. This free fishing clinic event, co-sponsored by DEC and the Erie County Sportsmen Federation, offers participants the opportunity to practice fishing and learn about fish identification, fishing equipment and techniques, fisheries management, angling ethics, aquatic ecology and more!

No freshwater fishing license or enrollment in the recreational marine fishing registry is required for participants during the event; however, all other statewide fishing regulations remain in effect.

Address/Directions: Tifft Nature Preserve - Lake Kirsty, 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd, Buffalo, NY 14203

Visit the Free Fishing Clinics page for additional information on this and other upcoming clinics.

The outdoors are for everyone. Join us as we highlight ways to explore and enjoy the outdoors, with a special focus on making the outdoors accessible to all, whether with adaptive equipment or specialized facilities and programs. In addition, help us mark the 50th anniversary of Five Rivers, dedicated in June of 1972, and the founding of Friends of Five Rivers in February 1972. Five decades of outdoor education and stewardship

DEC and State Parks, in partnership with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and the NYS Division of Veterans' Services, are hosting free and low-cost events to connect people to nature and provide increased access to the outdoors. Get Outdoors & Get Together Day will bring people of all abilities, ages, identities and backgrounds together for fun, healthful activities as part of the Governor's initiative to broaden the diversity of users and ensure inclusivity of access to state public lands.

New York's Get Outdoors & Get Together Day coincides with National Get Outdoors Day, an annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun.

Visit the Get Outdoors & Get Together Day website for a full listing of locations and activities. 

Explore a new outdoor skill like archery, birdwatching, geocaching, and orienteering. Enjoy hikes, face painting, nature play stations, Leave-No-Trace games, and more! Friends of Reinstein Woods will be having a Pop-Up Plant Sale & Mini-Market featuring native plants, fresh, organic vegetables, local honey, and a food truck. For more information, visit reinsteinwoods.org or call 716-683-5959. No registration required for this free event.

We welcome those who have any type of physical challenge to all our programs. If you call ahead to let us know your needs, we will be happy to learn how we can serve you.

PLEASE NOTE

• Registration is required for ALL programs unless otherwise indicated; call 716-683-5959 to register. 
• If you call outside of normal business hours, you will receive a call confirming your registration or waitlist status. PLEASE SPEAK CLEARLY when leaving your name and phone number as our system does not have caller ID. Unless you receive a callback, you are not registered. 
• Registration is limited to two programs/month. If you want to sign up for additional programs, you will be added to the waitlist. No limit for virtual programs.
• Social distancing and mask protocols are subject to change with current COVID guidelines.
• If you or a family member feels ill, is waiting for COVID test results or have COVID symptoms, please stay at home.
• In case of poor weather, programs may be cancelled.
  
• We cannot accommodate organized youth/civic groups at these programs. Please call to make other arrangements.

Join Educator Betsy, live from Mendon Ponds Park, in Rochester NY, for an overview of events taking place on Get Outdoors & Get Together Day. DEC and State Parks, in partnership with the OPWDD and Veterans' Services, are hosting free events across New York State to connect people to nature and provide increased access to the outdoors. The day's events are intended to bring people of all abilities, ages, identities and backgrounds together for fun, healthful activities as part of the Governor's initiative to broaden the diversity of users and ensure inclusivity of access to state public lands.

Full schedule of Get Outdoors & Get Together Day events happening at Mendon Ponds Park >> 

Find Get Outdoors & Get Together Day events happening near you >>

Join DEC Hudson River Estuary Program educator, Chris Bowser, on for some seining at Lemon Creek Park in Staten Island. He will work with staff and volunteers to cast a large net into the shallow water and then examine what they caught before releasing all of their great finds back into the water. 

For more information about this event >>