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Today’s Date
Assembly(wo)man/Senator Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
City, State ZIP
Dear Honorable Assembly(wo)man/Senator Name,
I write today to thank Senators Seward and Amedore for taking taking up our cause to
build a modern park by developing the first line item in the state budget, through Aid to
Localities, establishing a $500,000 line for the Catskill Park and Forest Preserve. This state
support will help us break through a backlog of public access and stewardship
enhancement projects promote the park and support permanent sustainable jobs in our
region. We thank the senators for their strong support to help us build a modern park.
However, the Catskill Region is built on the natural beauty of its forever wild land. In
order to further preserve and enhance this region’s economy we ask for an appropriate
funding level of a recurring $4 million per year from the New York State Environmental
Protection Fund (EPF). We strongly encourage you to support Governor Cuomo’s call to
raise the EPF to an historic $300 million in this year’s budget. We encourage you to support
a recurring $1 million dollar line item in the NYS DEC Aid to Localities line for the Catskill
Park and Forest Preserve to insure appropriate access and stewardship of our region’s
Forever Wild lands. Few other places on earth contain so much abundant undisturbed land
so close to so many millions of people. With few options for economic development,
appropriate access to the more than 450,000 acres of public land within the Catskill Region
is the key feasible foundation for economic opportunity. Access for the millions who rely on
its open space, facilitated by acquisition of the key parcels of unprotected land within park
boundaries, will significantly enhance economic opportunity while meeting Governor
Cuomo’s conservation goals and principles, in line with New York State’s proud and leading
legacy of first-in-the-nation conservation.
So, today I ask you to please support the following priority requests of the Catskill
Park Coalition, who represent dozens of organizations and thousands of your constiuents
across our region. Those requests are as follows:
1. We request your support for a fully funded $300M EPF with an increase in the EPF
for land acquisition and your support for priority land acquisition projects to knit
public lands for more recreational opportunities and increase access in the
Catskills; and an increase to $1M of the DEC Aid to Localities budget line item for
the Catskill Park and Forest Preserve.
2. We request continued support for Forest Ranger academies to fill vacancies and
the expansion of the budget for DEC Forest Division of Lands & Forests to provide
the ability to properly manage and oversee the Catskill Park.
3. We request support for capital projects (pavilion, amphitheater, fire tower, trails)
at the Maurice D. Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center as well as operational
support and funding to grow visitorship and increase visitor services offered at
the Catskill Interpretive Center.
4. We request greater support and growth of public/private stewardship
partnerships such as the Catskill Conservation Corps, the Catskill Summit
Stewards program, Fire Tower Stewards program, and the Catskill Regional
Invasive Species Partnership to counteract resource degradation from increased
visitorship and invasive species. We also suggest the state more strongly support
invasive species work that can prevent the spread of new invasive species
through state STRIKE teams in the Catskills.
Please help support the Catskill region’s environment, culture and economy. Help us build a
modern park!
Sincerely,
Your First/Last Name
Constituent of ______ (Senator/Assembly name)
Contact information (optional)