Referred to: Energy and Environment (Chairman Loughran and Legislators Richard

Parete, Rodriguez, Ronk, and Wawro), and The Economic Development, Tourism,

Housing, Planning and Transit Committee (Chairman Briggs and Legislators Allen,

Archer, Bartels, Litts, Maio, and Maloney)

Chairman John Parete offers the following:

WHEREAS, the Catskill region is home to the Catskill Park, established by

the State of New York in 1904, and the Catskill Forest Preserve lands; and

WHEREAS, 705,000 acres of land within the “Blue Line” of the Catskill Park

and 287,500 acres of Catskill Forest Preserve land exist for public enjoyment; and

WHEREAS, all outdoor recreational activities, including those that rely on

public and protected lands as well as those that rely on private lands, attracted nearly

2.5 million visitors with an estimated economic impact of more than $115 million;

and

WHEREAS, in 2015, the New York State Department of Environmental

Conservation, in cooperation with the Department of State and Adirondack Park

Agency, expects to fund an estimated $400,000 in smart growth grant applications

from Catskill Park communities and organizations; and

WHEREAS, the Catskill Park Coalition recognizes the goal of increasing

tourism-friendly access within the “Blue Line” requires continuity and

comprehensive integration between city and state land holdings; and

WHEREAS, six-year holding periods for land acquisitions effectively tie up

the resources of cooperating land trusts, restricting their ability to respond to

important land protection opportunities; and

WHEREAS, dedicated annual funding from the EPF for Catskill Park land

protection would leverage this partnership by 100%; and

WHEREAS, line items exist in the EPF budget and in 2014, a new line item

was added to allocate funding to Suffolk County for water quality protection and line

items were increased for a Long Island Pesticide Prevention Program; and

WHEREAS, much of the economic activity of the Catskill Park region is

focused on the preserved lands of the park; and

WHEREAS, stewardship and maintenance of these lands are critical for the

continued use and enjoyment of the region, to strengthen the economy, and protect

the vital ecosystem services of the region; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, the Ulster County Legislature urges the New York State

Governor and it’s Legislative leaders to establish a budget line item of $4 million for

the Catskill Park and Catskill Forest Preserve within the counties of Ulster,

Delaware, Sullivan and Greene in the New York State Environmental Protection

Fund, beginning fiscal year 2015-16 and ongoing; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature shall forward

certified copies of this resolution to Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York State

Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens, Senator

John Bonacic, Senator James Seward, Senator Thomas Libous, Assemblyman

Clifford Crouch, Assemblyman Pete Lopez, Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney, as

well as the Clerks of the Delaware, Sullivan and Greene County Legislatures,

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES: 22 NOES: 0

(Legislator Roberts left at 9:08 PM)

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning, and

Transit on February 3, 2015

Passed Committee: Energy and Environment on February 4, 2015

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE

STATE OF NEW YORK

 ss:

COUNTY OF ULSTER

I, the undersigned Clerk of the Legislature of the County of Ulster, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is

the original resolution adopted by the Ulster County Legislature on the 17th Day of February in the year Two Thousand and

Fifteen, and said resolution shall remain on file in the office of said clerk.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County of Ulster this 20th Day of

February in the year Two Thousand and Fifteen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature