Environmental Conservation, Department of

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Agency Web Site: http://www.dec.ny.gov/

Mission

The mission of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is to conserve, improve and protect New York's natural resources and environment and to prevent, abate and control water, land and air pollution, in order to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the people of the State, and their overall economic and social well-being.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2017 Executive Budget recommends total appropriations of $1.3 billion for the Department, an increase of $69 million from the FY 2016 budget. The increase primarily reflects additional funding for the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), offset by decreased local assistance and capital funding.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce level of 2,946 FTEs for the Department, the same level as FY 2016.

Major budget actions include:

• Appropriations of $300 million for the EPF. This represents an increase of $123 million from the FY 2016 budget and is the highest funding level in the history of the EPF. The EPF would include a new climate change mitigation and adaptation account to provide funding for adaptive infrastructure, greenhouse gas management, and resiliency planning programs. Appropriations include $33.8 million for solid waste programs, $76.8 million for parks and recreation,$156.9 million for open space programs, and $32.5 million for climate change programs.
• $40 million in capital for the New York Works statewide capital infrastructure program. Department funding will be used for air monitoring infrastructure investments; remediating legacy environmental contamination; investing in needed information technology; and performing repairs and maintenance required to ensure the safety and viability of state infrastructure, including dams, state lands and fish hatcheries.
• $100 million in new capital funding for Clean Water Infrastructure grants. Recognizing the growing drinking water and wastewater infrastructure needs across the State, these funds will be provided to municipalities to help reduce the costs of needed improvements, and to help maintain and improve water quality.
• Permanently extending the Waste Tire Fee, which is scheduled to expire December 31, 2016. This $2.50 fee, which has been in place since 2003, funds the abatement of waste tire sites and supports approximately 140 Department of Environmental Conservation employees involved in mission critical solid and hazardous waste cleanup activities.

For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:

Briefing Book – Environment and Energy (PDF)

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/13/2016

Click for additional detailed appropriation tables