Referred to: The Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee (Chairman Hewitt and Legislators Donaldson, Greene, Litts, Nolan, Stewart, and Walls), and The Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture Committee (Chairwoman Sperry and Legislators Clinton, Corcoran, Hewitt, Litts, Stewart and Walls)

Chairman of the Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee, Chris Hewitt, Deputy Chair Richard Walls, and Chairwoman of the Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture Committee, Megan Sperry, offer the following:

          WHEREAS, this Resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Planning; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Planning Department and the Department of the Environment initiated the Lower Esopus Stream Management Plan in September 2022 with completion in March 2024; and

WHEREAS, the Lower Esopus Stream Management Plan (the “Plan”) was developed in collaboration with partners across the lower Esopus Creek watershed through a rigorous planning process consisting of a data review, geomorphic assessment, public outreach, and addresses both the public and agency comments; and

WHEREAS, to be successful, the Plan and its accompanying implementation projects require that the efforts of various state agencies, municipal governments, county departments, and nonprofit organizations work collaboratively towards a unified goal of ensuring that the Lower Esopus is a clean and vibrant creek, providing value to all the communities along its route, and available to all to safely enjoy; and

WHEREAS, the seven municipalities through which the Lower Esopus Creek flows including the City of Kingston, the Towns of Olive, Marbletown, Hurley, Ulster, and Saugerties, and the Village of Saugerties, have passed resolutions in support of the Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County desires that its voice be heard in the support of the Plan and the implementation projects contained in it; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that Ulster County supports the Lower Esopus Stream Management Plan; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that Ulster County urges those state and federal agencies that provide funding for water quality and recreational resources recognize the Plan, the implementation projects contained in it, and the efforts associated with its development in their decisions regarding funding requests and technical assistance made in accordance with the Plan; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the Legislature shall file a copy of this Resolution with the municipalities through which the Lower Esopus passes, and the federal and state agencies with jurisdiction, as well as state and federal elected officials through whose districts the lower Esopus flows,

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                    NOES:    

Passed Committee: Energy, Environment and Sustainability on ___________.

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture on ___________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE