Historical New York environmental information, 1971-2016

---

This article does not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.

---

State environmental policy
U.S. environmental policy
Endangered species policy
State endangered species
Federal land policy
Environmental terms

The historical environmental information below applies to prior years. For more current information regarding environmental policy in New York, see this article.

Land ownership

See also: Federal land policy and Federal land ownership by state

The federal government owned between 635 million and 640 million acres of land in 2012 (about 28 percent) of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States. Around 52 percent of federally owned acres were in 12 Western states—including Alaska, 61 percent of which was federally owned. In contrast, the federal government owned 4 percent of land in the other 38 states. Federal land policy is designed to manage minerals, oil and gas resources, timber, wildlife and fish, and other natural resources found on federal land. Land management policies are highly debated for their economic, environmental and social impacts. Additionally, the size of the federal estate and the acquisition of more federal land are major issues.

According to the Congressional Research Service, New York spans 30.6 million acres. Of that total, 0.69 percent, or 211,422 acres, belonged to the federal government as of 2012. More than 30.3 million acres in New York are not owned by the federal government, or 1.55 non-federal acres per capita. From 1990 to 2010, the federal government's land ownership in New York decreased by 4,019 acres.

The table below shows federal land ownership in New York compared to its neighbor, Pennsylvania, and a Western state, Wyoming. The U.S. Department of Defense owned more than 63 percent of federal land in New York, or 133,714 acres, which was more than the department owned in Pennsylvania and Wyoming combined. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages endangered species, owned more than 27,000 acres in New York, which was more land than in Pennsylvania but less land than in Wyoming.

Federal land ownership in New York and other states by agency
State
Agency	New York		Pennsylvania		Wyoming
	Acres owned	Percentage owned	Acres owned	Percentage owned	Acres owned	Percentage owned
U.S. Forest Service	16,228	7.68%	513,418	83.23%	9,241,610	30.76%
U.S. National Park Service	33,483	15.84%	50,014	8.11%	2,344,852	7.80%
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service	27,997	13.24%	9,962	1.61%	70,674	0.24%
U.S. Bureau of Land Management	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	18,370,351	61.15%
U.S. Department of Defense	133,714	63.25%	43,502	7.05%	16,025	0.05%
Total federal land	211,422	100%	616,896	100%	30,043,512	100.00%
Source: Congressional Research Service, "Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data"

Land usage

Federal lands and Indian reservations in New York by government agency (click on the image to enlarge)

Recreation

National parks in New York

New York has 22 National Park Service units, six national monuments, one national forest, one wilderness area, one national recreation area, 11 national historic sites and two national historic trails. A study by the U.S. National Park Service found that 10.98 million visitors attended New York's national parks and monuments and generated $374.6 million in visitor spending in 2013.

Economic activity on federal lands

Oil and gas activity

See also: BLM oil and gas leases by state

Private mining companies, including oil and natural gas companies, can apply for leases from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to explore and produce energy on federal land. The company seeking a lease must nominate the land for oil and gas exploration to the BLM, which evaluates and approves the lease. The BLM state offices make leasing decisions based on their land use plans, which contain information on the land's resources and the potential environmental impact of oil or gas exploration. If federal lands are approved for leasing, the BLM requires an application from the company containing information on how the exploration, drilling and production will be conducted. Afterward, the BLM will produce an environmental analysis and a list of requirements before work on the land can begin. The agency also inspects the companies' drilling and producing on the leased lands.

In 2013, there were 47,427 active leases covering 36.09 million acres of federal land nationwide. Of that total, 5 leases (0.01 percent of all leases), covering 1,183 acres (0.00 percent of all leased land in 2013), were in New York. In 2013, out of 3,770 new drilling leases approved nationwide by the BLM for oil and gas exploration, no leases were in New York.

The table below shows how New York compared to neighboring states in oil and gas permits on BLM-managed lands in 2013. New York had more active leases and acres under lease than Massachusetts and New Jersey but fewer than Pennsylvania.

Oil and gas leasing on BLM lands by state
State	Active permits on BLM lands (FY 2013)	Total acres under lease (FY 2013)	State percentage of total permits	State percentage of total acres
New York	5	1,183	0.01%	0.00%
Massachusetts	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
New Jersey	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
Pennsylvania	69	4,761	0.15%	0.01%
Total United States	47,427 permits	36,092,482 acres	-	-
Source: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Oil and Gas Statistics"

Payments in lieu of taxes

See also: Payments in lieu of taxes

Since local governments cannot collect taxes on federally owned property, the U.S. Department of the Interior issues payments to local governments to replace lost property tax revenue from federal land. The payments, known as "Payments in Lieu of Taxes" (PILTs), are typically used for funding services such as fire departments, police protection, school construction and roads.

The table below shows PILTs for New York compared to neighboring states between 2011 and 2013. New York received more PILTs in 2013 than Massachusetts and New Jersey but fewer than Pennsylvania.

Total PILTs for New York and neighboring states
State	FY 2011	FY 2012	FY 2013	State's percentage of 2013 total
New York	$127,278	$152,301	$144,520	0.04%
Massachusetts	$101,403	$114,403	$111,203	0.03%
New Jersey	$97,394	$99,413	$97,250	0.02%
Pennsylvania	$539,161	$610,842	$685,575	0.17%
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, "PILT"

Legislation and regulation

Federal laws

Clean Air Act

The federal Clean Air Act requires each state to meet federal standards for air pollution. Under the act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversees national air quality standards aimed at limiting pollutants from chemical plants, steel mills, utilities, and industrial factories. Individual states can enact stricter air standards if they choose, though each state must adhere to the EPA's minimum pollution standards. States implement federal air standards through a state implementation plan (SIP), which must be approved by the EPA.

Clean Water Act

The federal Clean Water Act is meant to address and maintain the physical, chemical, and biological status of the waters of the United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates water pollution sources and provides financial assistance to states and municipalities for water quality programs.

According to research done by The New York Times using annual averages from 2004 to 2007, New York had 1674.8 facilities that were regulated annually by the Clean Water Act. An average of 855.7 facilities violated the act annually from 2004 to 2007 in New York, and the EPA enforced the act an average of 55.1 times a year in the state. This information, published by the Times in 2009, was the most recent information on the subject as of October 2014.

The table below shows how New York compared to neighboring states in The New York Times study, including the number of regulated facilities, facility violations, and the annual average of enforcement actions against regulated facilities between 2004 and 2007.

The New York Times Clean Water Act study (2004-2007)
State	Number of facilities regulated	Facility violations	Annual average enforcement actions
New York	1674.8	855.7	55.1
Massachusetts	284.5	166.3	9.4
New Jersey	769	121.3	64.9
Pennsylvania	4355	392.2	20.3
Source: The New York Times, "Clean Water Act Violations: The Enforcement Record"

Endangered Species Act

The federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 provides for the identification, listing, and protection of both threatened and endangered species and their habitats. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the law was designed to prevent the extinction of vulnerable plant and animal species through the development of recovery plans and the protection of critical habitats. ESA administration and enforcement are the responsibility of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Federally listed species in New York

There were 28 endangered and threatened animal and plant species believed to or known to occur in New York as of July 2015.

The table below lists the 20 endangered and threatened animal species believed to or known to occur in the state. When an animal species has the word "Entire" after its name, that species will be found all throughout the state.

Endangered animal species in New York
Status	Species
Endangered	Bat, Indiana (Myotis sodalis)
Threatened	Bat, Northern long-eared (Myotis septentrionalis)
Endangered	Bean, rayed (Villosa fabalis)
Endangered	Butterfly, Karner blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis)
Endangered	Clubshell, entire range, except where listed as Experimental Populations (Pleurobema clava)
Threatened	Knot, red (Calidris canutus rufa)
Threatened	Plover, piping (Charadrius melodus)
Endangered	Plover, piping (Charadrius melodus)
Threatened	Sea turtle, green, except where endangered (Chelonia mydas)
Endangered	Sea turtle, hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Endangered	Sea turtle, Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
Endangered	Sea turtle, leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)
Threatened	Snail, Chittenango ovate amber (Succinea chittenangoensis)
Endangered	Sturgeon, shortnose (Acipenser brevirostrum)
Endangered	Tern, roseate (Sterna dougallii dougallii)
Threatened	Turtle, bog (=Muhlenberg) northern (Clemmys muhlenbergii)
Endangered	Wedgemussel, dwarf (Alasmidonta heterodon)
Endangered	Whale, finback (Balaenoptera physalus)
Endangered	Whale, humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Endangered	Whale, North Atlantic Right (Eubalaena glacialis)
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Endangered and threatened species in New York"

The table below lists the eight endangered and threatened plant species believed to or known to occur in the state.

Endangered plant species in New York
Status	Species
Threatened	Amaranth, seabeach (Amaranthus pumilus)
Endangered	Bulrush, Northeastern (Scirpus ancistrochaetus)
Threatened	Fern, American hart's-tongue (Asplenium scolopendrium var. americanum)
Endangered	Gerardia, sandplain (Agalinis acuta)
Threatened	Goldenrod, Houghton's (Solidago houghtonii)
Threatened	Monkshood, northern wild (Aconitum noveboracense)
Threatened	Pogonia, small whorled (Isotria medeoloides)
Threatened	roseroot, Leedy's (Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. leedyi)
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Endangered and threatened species in New York"

State-listed species in New York

Under New York law, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation manages the state's list of endangered and threatened species. The complete list of species as of July 2015 can be found here. As of August 10, 2015, this list included 43 endangered species, 36 threatened species and 58 species of special concern, which are "any native species for which a welfare concern or risk of endangerment has been documented in New York State."

Enforcement

See also: Enforcement at the EPA

New York is part of the EPA's Region 2, which includes New Jersey and other U.S. territories.

The EPA enforces federal standards on air, water and hazardous chemicals. The EPA can engage in its own administrative action against private industries, or it can bring civil and/or criminal lawsuits against them. The goal of environmental law enforcement is usually the collection of penalties and fines for violations of laws like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. In 2013, the EPA estimated that 183.35 million pounds of pollution, which includes air pollution, water contaminants, and hazardous chemicals, were "reduced, treated or eliminated" and 11.43 million cubic yards of soil and water were cleaned in Region 2. Additionally, 331 enforcement cases were initiated, and 330 enforcement cases were concluded in fiscal year 2013. In fiscal year 2012, the EPA collected $252 million in criminal fines and civil penalties from the private sector nationwide. In fiscal year 2013, the EPA collected $1.1 billion in criminal fines and civil penalties from the private sector nationwide, primarily due to the $1 billion settlement from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill along the Gulf Coast in 2010. The EPA only publishes nationwide data and does not provide state or region-specific information on the amount of fines and penalties it collects during a fiscal year.

Mercury and air toxics standards

See also: Mercury and air toxics standards

The EPA on mercury capture systems

The EPA enforces mercury and air toxics standards (MATS), which are national limits on mercury, chromium, nickel, arsenic and acidic gases from coal- and oil-fired power plants. Power plants are required to have certain technologies to limit these pollutants. In December 2011, the EPA issued greater restrictions on the amount of mercury and other toxic pollutants produced by power plants. As of 2014, approximately 580 power plants, including 1,400 oil- and coal-fired electric-generating units, fell under the federal rule. The EPA has claimed that power plants account for 50 percent of mercury emissions, 75 percent of acidic gases and around 20 to 60 percent of toxic metal emissions in the United States. All coal- and oil-fired power plants with a capacity of 25 megawatts or greater are subject to the standards. The EPA has claimed that the standards will "prevent up to 440 premature deaths in New York while creating up to $3.7 billion in health benefits in 2016."

In 2014, the EPA released a study examining the economic, environmental, and health impacts of the MATS standards nationwide. Other organizations have released their own analyses about the effects of the MATS standards. Below is a summary of the studies on MATS and their effects as of November 2014.

EPA study
In 2014, the EPA argued that its MATS rule would prevent roughly 11,000 premature deaths and 130,000 asthma attacks nationwide. The agency also anticipated between $37 billion and $90 billion in "improved air quality benefits" annually. For the rule's cost, the EPA estimated that annual compliance fees for coal- and oil-fired power plants would reach $9.6 billion.

NERA study
A 2012 study published by NERA Economic Consulting, a global consultancy group, reported that annual compliance costs in the electricity sector would total $10 billion in 2015 and nearly $100 billion cumulatively up through 2034. The same study found that the net impact of the MATS rule in 2015 would be the income equivalent of 180,000 fewer jobs. This net impact took into account the job gains associated with the building and refitting of power plants with new technology.

Superfund sites

The EPA established the Superfund program as part of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980.The Superfund program focuses on uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites nationwide. The EPA inspects waste sites and establishes cleanup plans for them. The federal government can compel the private entities responsible for a waste site to clean the site or face penalties. If the federal government cleans a waste site, it can force the responsible party to reimburse the EPA or other federal agencies for the cleanup's cost. Superfund sites include oil refineries, smelting facilities, mines and other industrial areas. As of October 2014, there were 1,322 Superfund sites nationwide. A total of 217 Superfund sites reside in Region 2, with an average of 108.5 sites per state. There were 86 Superfund sites in New York as of October 2014.

Economic impact

EPA studies
The Environmental Protection Agency publishes studies to evaluate the impact and benefits of its policies. Other studies may dispute the agency's findings or state the costs of its policies.

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent federal agency, the Superfund program received an average of almost $1.2 billion annually in appropriated funds between the years 1981 and 2009, adjusted for inflation. The GAO estimated that the trust fund of the Superfund program decreased from $5 billion in 1997 to $137 million in 2009. The Superfund program received an additional $600 million in federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the stimulus bill.

In March 2011, the EPA claimed that the agency's Superfund program produced economic benefits nationwide. Because Superfund sites are added and removed from a prioritized list on a regular basis, the total number of Superfund sites since the program's inception in 1980 is unknown. Based on a selective study of 373 Superfund sites cleaned up since the program's inception, the EPA estimated these economic benefits include the creation of 2,240 private businesses, $32.6 billion in annual sales from new businesses, 70,144 jobs and $4.9 billion in annual employment income.

Other studies were published detailing the costs associated with the Superfund program. According to the Property and Environment Research Center, a free market-oriented policy group based in Montana, the EPA spent over $35 billion on the Superfund program between 1980 and 2005.

Environmental impact

In March 2011, the EPA claimed that the Superfund program resulted in healthier environments surrounding former waste sites. An agency study analyzed the program's health and ecological benefits and focused on former landfills, mining areas, and abandoned dumps that were cleaned up and renovated. As of January 2009, out of the approximately 500 former Superfund sites used for the study, roughly 10 percent became recreational or commercial sites. Other former Superfund sites in the study became wetlands, meadows, streams, scenic trails, parks, and habitats for plants and animals.

Carbon emissions

See also: Climate change, Greenhouse gas and Greenhouse gas emissions by state

In 2011, New York ranked 9th nationwide in CO₂ emissions, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. New York contains a large population (over 19 million), which accounts for its rank. Emissions peaked in 2004 at 210 million metric tons but have dropped significantly to 158 million metric tons in 2011, a 24.7 percent decline. In 2011, around 40 percent came from the transportation sector while 21.4 percent of emissions came from the electric power sector. The residential, commercial and industrial sectors accounted for the remainder.

Carbon dioxide emissions in New York (in million metric tons). Data was compiled by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Carbon dioxide emissions in New York by sector

Pollution from energy use

Pollution from energy use includes three common air pollutants: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone. These and other pollutants are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which are federal standards limiting pollutants that can harm human health in significant concentrations. Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is also regulated by the EPA, but it is excluded here since it is not one of the pollutants originally regulated under the Clean Air Act for its harm to human health.

Industries and motor vehicles emit carbon monoxide directly when they use energy. Nitrogen dioxide forms from the emissions of automobiles, power plants and other sources. Ground level ozone (also known as tropospheric ozone) is not emitted but is the product of chemical reactions between nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic chemicals. The EPA tracks these and other pollutants from monitoring sites across the United States. The data below shows nationwide and regional trends for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone between 2000 and 2014. States with consistent climates and weather patterns were grouped together by the EPA to make up each region.

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced from combustion processes, e.g., when gasoline reacts rapidly with oxygen and releases exhaust; the majority of national CO emissions come from mobile sources like automobiles. CO can reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and at very high levels can cause death. CO concentrations are measured in parts per million (ppm). Since 1994, federal law prohibits CO concentrations from exceeding 9 ppm during an eight-hour period more than once per year.

The chart below compares the annual average concentration of carbon monoxide in the Northeastern and Southeastern regions of the United States between 2000 and 2014. States with consistent climates and weather patterns are grouped together by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which collects these data, to make up each region. Each line represents the annual average of all the data collected from pollution monitoring sites in each region. In the Northeast, there were 32 monitoring sites throughout 11 states, compared to 22 monitoring sites throughout six states in the Southeast. In 2000, the average concentration of carbon monoxide was 2.7 ppm in the Northeast, compared to 3.91 ppm in the Southeast. In 2014, the average concentration of carbon monoxide was 1.2 ppm in the Northeast, a decrease of 61.1 percent from 2000, compared to 1.52 ppm in the Southeast, a decrease of 56.7 percent from 2000.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is one of a group of gasses known as nitrogen oxides (NO_x). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) measures NO₂ as a representative for the larger group of nitrogen oxides. NO₂ forms from the emissions of cars, buses, trucks, power plants, and off-road equipment. It helps form ground-level ozone and fine particle pollution, and has been linked to respiratory problems. Since 1971, federal law prohibits NO₂ concentrations from exceeding a daily one-hour average of 100 parts per billion (ppb) and an annual average of 53 parts per billion (ppb).

The chart below compares the annual one-hour average concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in the Northeastern and Southeastern regions of the United States between 2000 and 2014. In the Northeast, there were 32 monitoring sites throughout 11 states, compared to 14 monitoring sites throughout six states in the Southeast. In 2000, the one-hour daily average concentration of NO₂ was 61.31 ppb in the Northeast, compared to 57 ppb in the Southeast. In 2014, the one-hour daily average concentration of NO₂ was 43.98 ppb in the Northeast, a decrease of 28.2 percent since 2000, compared to 38.36 ppb in the Southeast, a decrease of 32.6 percent since 2000.

Ground-level ozone

Ground-level ozone is created by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in sunlight. Major sources of NO_x and VOCs include industrial facilities, electric utilities, automobiles, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents. Ground-level ozone can produce health problems for children, the elderly, and asthmatics. Since 2008, federal law has prohibited ozone concentrations from exceeding a daily eight-hour average of 75 parts per billion (ppb). Beginning in 2025, federal law will prohibit ground-level ozone concentrations from exceeding a daily eight-hour average of 70 ppb.

The chart below compares the daily eight-hour average concentration of ground-level ozone in the Northeastern and Southeastern regions of the United States between 2000 and 2014. In the chart below, ozone concentrations are measured in parts per million (ppm), which can be converted to parts per billion (ppb). In the Northeast, there were 133 monitoring sites throughout 11 states, compared to 153 monitoring sites throughout six states in the Southeast. In 2000, the daily eight-hour average concentration of ozone was 0.083 ppm, or 83 ppb in the Northeast, compared to 0.082 ppm, or 82 ppb in the Southeast. In 2014, the daily eight-hour average concentration of ozone was 0.066 ppm, or 66 ppb in the Northeast, a decrease of 19.5 percent since 2000, compared to 0.063 ppm, or 63 ppb in the Southeast, a decrease of 23.9 percent since 2000.

State laws

New York's environmental laws and regulations are published by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and can be found here.

The state's Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) established the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and allowed to the department to administer and enforce environmental standards in the state. The law assigned the department the following tasks:

“	Regulate the disposal, transport and treatment of hazardous and toxic wastes in an environmentally sound manner; Manage the state program for oil and chemical spills; Provide for the abatement of water, land and air pollution, including pesticides; Monitor environmental conditions and test for contaminants; Encourage recycling, recovery and reuse of all solid waste to conserve resources and reduce waste; Administer fish and wildlife laws, carry out sound fish and wildlife management practices, and conduct fish and wildlife research; Manage New York's marine and coastal resources; Conduct sound forestry management practices on state lands, provide assistance to private forest landowners and manage fire prevention and control efforts; Manage the Adirondack and Catskill forest preserves and recreational facilities, including campsites; Protect tidal and freshwater wetlands and flood plains; Promote the wise use of water resources; Administer the wild, scenic and recreational rivers program; Regulate mining, including reclamation of mined lands, extraction of oil and gas, and underground storage of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas; Inform the public about environmental conservation principles and encourage their participation in environmental affairs.	”
—New York Department of Environmental Conservation

Enforcement

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation is composed of 24 divisions. The department's major activities involve chemical and pollution control, animals and plants, energy and climate, and lands and waters:

• Air Resources: The Division of Air Resources issues permits for large facilities that emit air pollutants.
• Water Resources: The Division of Water regulates water quality and operates programs to control water pollution.
• Environmental remediation: The Division of Environmental Remediation oversees environmental cleanup and emergency spills statewide.

State environmental policy act

See also: State environmental policy acts

New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) was implemented in 1978. It requires all state and local government agencies to balance the environmental, social and economic dimensions of their decisions involving government approval or funding for an action or project (although the law does not specifically say what this balance looks like in practice). The law also says that all agencies must look at the environmental significance of the projects they have discretion to approve, undertake or fund. State and local agencies are required to balance environmental, social and economic factors before they take action. Usually an "Environmental Impact Statement" (EIS) must be written for state projects that could potentially have adverse environmental impacts. Private parties seeking government approval or funding may also be required to prepare an EIS.

Most activities or projects proposed by the state government or a unit of local government, including permit approvals by both levels of government, require an Environmental Impact Statement. The statement is a description and analysis of a proposed government action that could have an impact on the environment. It must include the following details:

• a description of the action, including its need and benefits
• a description of the environmental setting and the areas that will be affected
• a report of all environmental impacts related to the proposed government action
• an analysis of all reasonable alternatives to the proposed government action
• identification of the ways to reduce or avoid the adverse environmental effects

There are government actions that never require an Environmental Impact Statement. They include the following examples:

• replacing or rebuilding facilities on the same site
• small structures, such as garages, home swimming pools or barns, that involve a routine permit and license renewal with no significant alteration to them
• the construction or expansion of nonresidential structures less than 4,000 square feet
• routine activities of educational institutions, such as the expansion of existing facilities by less than 10,000 square feet
• emergency actions
• repair and maintenance activities

If a government agency improperly allows a project under the environmental review law to go forward, or if it makes an improper decision during the process and does not perform the proper environmental review, the agency may be sued by citizens or groups who can show that they have been "harmed" by the government's improper activities. Courts are allowed to revoke government projects and require a new environmental review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.

Historical budget information

The table below shows state budget figures for New York's environmental and natural resource departments compared to neighboring states.

Total state natural resource expenditures by state
State	Departments/Divisions	FY 2013	FY 2012	FY 2011
New York	Environmental Conservation	$897,781,000	$1,085,226,000	$947,722,000
Massachusetts	Environmental Protection; Conservation and Recreation	$129,314,000	$116,998,000	$119,109,000
New Jersey	Environmental Protection	$147,103,000	$136,194,000	$145,429,000
Pennsylvania	Environmental Protection; Conservation and Natural Resources	$662,640,000	$674,941,000	$677,297,000
Sources: New York Division of the Budget, Massachusetts Office for Administration and Finance, New Jersey Office of Management and Budget, Pennsylvania Office of the Budget

Ballot measures

Voting on the Environment
Ballot Measures
By state
By year
Not on ballot
Local Local environment Local GMO Local fracking

Below is a list of ballot measures relating to environmental issues in New York.

Natural resources

Ballotpedia staff have tracked no ballot measures relating to natural resources in New York.

Environment

• Rhode Island "Clean Water, Open Space and Healthy Communities" Bonds, Question 7 (2014)
• New York Proposition Number One, State Environmental Preservation (1972)
• New York Environmental Quality Bond Act of 1986 (1986)
• New York State Debt for the Environment, Proposition 1 (1972)
• New York Proposal 1, Environmental Bond Measure (2022)
• New York Proposal 2, Environmental Rights Amendment (2021)

Water

• New York Amendment 1, Municipal Water Supply in Hamilton County Amendment (2007)
• New York Construction of Storm Water Facilities by Municipalities, Amendment 5 (1975)
• New York Canal System and the Federal Government, Amendment 6 (1959)
• New York Local Indebtedness for Water Supply, Amendment 4 (1953)
• New York Water Power Development on Forest Preserve Land, Amendment 3 (1923)
• New York Disposition of Erie Canal, Amendment 6 (1921)
• New York Disposition of Erie Canal, Amendment 7 (1921)
• New York Amendment on Drainage, Amendment 1 (1919)
• New York Sale or Lease of Erie Canal, Amendment 3 (1918)
• New York State Controlled Reservoirs, Amendment 4 (1913)

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms New York Environmental Policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Historical New York environmental information, 1971-2016 - Google News

See also

• 

  Environmental policy in the U.S.

• 

  Energy policy in the U.S.

• 

  Endangered species policy in the U.S.

• Endangered species in New York
• Energy policy in New York
• Federal land policy
• Federal land ownership by state
• BLM oil and gas leases by state
• Payments in lieu of taxes

External links

• New York Department of Environmental Conservation
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Footnotes

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond • Erica Shumaker
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox