Environmental Conservation, Department of
skip breadcrumbsAgency Web Site: https://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.
Organization and Staffing
DEC is headed by a commissioner appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. DEC’s central office is in Albany, with regional offices in Avon, Buffalo, Long Island City, New Paltz, Ray Brook, Schenectady, Stony Brook, Syracuse, and Watertown. Working with DEC headquarters, regional offices review and issue environmental permits for activities regulated by DEC, such as the operation of landfills and sewage treatment plants, and ensure compliance with State and federal environmental statutes.
Budget Highlights
The FY 2023 Executive Budget recommends appropriations of $6.2 billion for DEC, reflecting an increase of $4.3 billion from FY 2022. The preponderance of the increase is attributable to the postponement of the public referendum vote on the Environmental Bond Act from 2021 to 2022. The Executive Budget recommends a workforce level of 3,108 FTEs for DEC, which is inclusive of Lake George Park Commission’s 9 FTEs. This increase reflects the agency's growing workload in a number of different programmatic areas including clean water infrastructure, air monitoring, and the brownfield cleanup program.
Major budget actions include:
- $4 billion for the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. The bond act will support capital improvements and enhancements in the following areas: flood risk reduction/restorations; open space, working lands conservation, and recreation; climate change mitigation; and water quality improvement and resilient infrastructure. The bond act will go before voters as a ballot measure during the November 2022 general election.
- $500 million in additional resources to support additional investments in clean water projects throughout the State. This is the fourth installment of a commitment to provide an additional $2.5 billion in support over five years for drinking water infrastructure, wastewater infrastructure, and water quality protection, bringing the State’s current clean water investment total to $4.5 billion.
- $400 million for the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) - the largest level in State history. The EPF provides funding for critical environmental programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, enhanced recreational access, water quality improvement, and environmental justice.
- $90 million for DEC's New York Works capital program, including $15 million for additional investments in core infrastructure and outdoor recreation projects, and an additional $20 million for the Conklingville Dam.
- $278.5 million in federal appropriations is included to allow DEC to accept funds from the federal infrastructure bills. This includes $228.5 million specifically for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
- The Brownfield Cleanup Program is prioritized in the budget. The application sunset date is extended by five years due to continued program demand. The program is also expanded to provide new categories of eligibility for tangible property credits, thus incentivizing cleanups in disadvantaged communities. The budget establishes a program fee, that would be deposited into the Hazardous Waste Remediation Fund, to support the program.
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)
Program Highlights
DEC manages a diverse array of programs and activities which are divided into the following programs: Administration; Air & Water Quality Management; Environmental Enforcement; Fish, Wildlife & Marine Resources; Forest & Land; Operations; and Solid & Hazardous Waste Management.
To protect and improve environmental quality, DEC regulates hazardous waste and oversees the cleanup of hazardous waste sites; assists public and private parties in cleaning up contaminated "brownfield" properties; monitors air and water quality and implements air and water pollution control programs; regulates solid waste management; regulates the use of pesticides; oversees chemical and petroleum bulk storage and responds to chemical and oil spills; regulates water withdrawals; and enforces the (ECL).
To conserve natural resources, DEC works to protect fish, wildlife, and marine resources; licenses and educates anglers, hunters, and trappers; promotes forestry; regulates and monitors the extraction of oil, natural gas, solution salt, and hard minerals; encourages the reduction, reuse, and recycling of solid waste; issues permits for various activities that affect the State's air, water, wetlands, mineral, and biological resources; and controls wildland fires.
In addition, DEC coordinates the State's efforts to respond to climate change by providing reliable scientific analysis to support climate policy decisions; developing programs to empower agencies, organizations, and individuals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the effects of unavoidable global warming.
DEC partners with different State agencies, including the Environmental Facilities Corporation to coordinate low cost financing for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure; the Department of State for coastal management and brownfield opportunity area programs; the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation on recreational activities; and the Adirondack Park Agency to develop long-range land use plans for public lands within the boundary of the Adirondack Park.
| Category | Available FY 2022 |
Appropriations Recommended FY 2023 |
Change From FY 2022 |
Reappropriations Recommended FY 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 509,487,000 | 481,437,000 | (28,050,000) | 393,911,000 |
| Aid To Localities | 942,500 | 0 | (942,500) | 8,819,500 |
| Capital Projects | 1,371,850,000 | 5,728,600,000 | 4,356,750,000 | 7,772,790,000 |
| Total | 1,882,279,500 | 6,210,037,000 | 4,327,757,500 | 8,175,520,500 |
| Program | FY 2022 Estimated FTEs 03/31/22 |
FY 2023 Estimated FTEs 03/31/23 |
FTE Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 151 | 116 | (35) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 100 | 100 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | |||
| General Fund | 182 | 213 | 31 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 147 | 147 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 223 | 223 | 0 |
| Environmental Enforcement | |||
| General Fund | 265 | 277 | 12 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 114 | 114 | 0 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | |||
| General Fund | 109 | 131 | 22 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 49 | 49 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 287 | 273 | (14) |
| Capital Projects Funds - Federal | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Capital Projects Funds - Other | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Forest and Land Resources | |||
| General Fund | 272 | 285 | 13 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 92 | 95 | 3 |
| Operations | |||
| General Fund | 126 | 139 | 13 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 36 | 36 | 0 |
| Rehabilitation and Improvement | |||
| Capital Projects Funds - Other | 363 | 390 | 27 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | |||
| General Fund | 12 | 23 | 11 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 49 | 49 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 208 | 219 | 11 |
| Capital Projects Funds - Federal | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Capital Projects Funds - Other | 212 | 212 | 0 |
| Total | 3,014 | 3,108 | 94 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2022 |
Recommended FY 2023 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 166,453,000 | 145,448,000 | (21,005,000) |
| Internal Service Funds | 95,000 | 95,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 82,198,000 | 82,198,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 260,741,000 | 253,696,000 | (7,045,000) |
| Total | 509,487,000 | 481,437,000 | (28,050,000) |
| Adjustments: | |||
| Transfer(s) From | |||
| Special Pay Bill | |||
| General Fund | (46,144,000) | ||
| Appropriated FY 2022 | 463,343,000 | ||
| Program | Available FY 2022 |
Recommended FY 2023 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 14,531,000 | 13,848,000 | (683,000) |
| Internal Service Funds | 95,000 | 95,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 18,828,000 | 17,229,000 | (1,599,000) |
| Air and Water Quality Management | |||
| General Fund | 18,353,000 | 20,265,000 | 1,912,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 41,898,000 | 41,898,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 55,478,000 | 56,619,000 | 1,141,000 |
| Environmental Enforcement | |||
| General Fund | 46,572,000 | 43,968,000 | (2,604,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 38,323,000 | 29,373,000 | (8,950,000) |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | |||
| General Fund | 16,738,000 | 15,172,000 | (1,566,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 28,000,000 | 28,000,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 43,583,000 | 45,499,000 | 1,916,000 |
| Forest and Land Resources | |||
| General Fund | 34,741,000 | 29,054,000 | (5,687,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 33,112,000 | 32,312,000 | (800,000) |
| Lake George Park Commission | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 2,052,000 | 2,291,000 | 239,000 |
| Operations | |||
| General Fund | 33,554,000 | 19,202,000 | (14,352,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 14,466,000 | 16,674,000 | 2,208,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | |||
| General Fund | 1,964,000 | 3,939,000 | 1,975,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 7,300,000 | 7,300,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 54,899,000 | 53,699,000 | (1,200,000) |
| Total | 509,487,000 | 481,437,000 | (28,050,000) |
| Program | Total | Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 12,390,000 | (683,000) | 12,078,000 | (683,000) |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 18,390,000 | 1,912,000 | 18,245,000 | 1,912,000 |
| Environmental Enforcement | 42,327,000 | (2,604,000) | 36,274,000 | 896,000 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 8,447,000 | (1,566,000) | 7,938,000 | (1,066,000) |
| Forest and Land Resources | 26,376,000 | (5,687,000) | 24,530,000 | (3,687,000) |
| Operations | 11,103,000 | (14,352,000) | 10,493,000 | (13,852,000) |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 3,326,000 | 1,975,000 | 3,147,000 | 2,075,000 |
| Total | 122,359,000 | (21,005,000) | 112,705,000 | (14,405,000) |
| Program | Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried) |
Holiday/Overtime Pay | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 254,000 | 0 | 58,000 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 71,000 | 0 | 74,000 | 0 |
| Environmental Enforcement | 445,000 | 0 | 5,608,000 | (3,500,000) |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 443,000 | 0 | 66,000 | (500,000) |
| Forest and Land Resources | 215,000 | 0 | 1,631,000 | (2,000,000) |
| Operations | 423,000 | 0 | 187,000 | (500,000) |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 166,000 | 0 | 13,000 | (100,000) |
| Total | 2,017,000 | 0 | 7,637,000 | (6,600,000) |
| Program | Total | Supplies and Materials | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 1,458,000 | 0 | 300,000 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 1,875,000 | 0 | 540,000 | 0 |
| Environmental Enforcement | 1,641,000 | 0 | 377,000 | 0 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 6,725,000 | 0 | 1,003,000 | 0 |
| Forest and Land Resources | 2,678,000 | 0 | 540,000 | 0 |
| Operations | 8,099,000 | 0 | 3,574,000 | 0 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 613,000 | 0 | 102,000 | 0 |
| Total | 23,089,000 | 0 | 6,436,000 | 0 |
| Program | Travel | Contractual Services | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 89,000 | 0 | 990,000 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 109,000 | 0 | 1,152,000 | 0 |
| Environmental Enforcement | 51,000 | 0 | 1,169,000 | 0 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 61,000 | 0 | 5,599,000 | 0 |
| Forest and Land Resources | 149,000 | 0 | 1,913,000 | 0 |
| Operations | 289,000 | 0 | 3,139,000 | 0 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 21,000 | 0 | 485,000 | 0 |
| Total | 769,000 | 0 | 14,447,000 | 0 |
| Program | Equipment | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 79,000 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 74,000 | 0 |
| Environmental Enforcement | 44,000 | 0 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 62,000 | 0 |
| Forest and Land Resources | 76,000 | 0 |
| Operations | 1,097,000 | 0 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 5,000 | 0 |
| Total | 1,437,000 | 0 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 17,324,000 | (1,599,000) | 9,080,000 | (1,599,000) |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 98,517,000 | 1,141,000 | 43,488,500 | 2,525,500 |
| Environmental Enforcement | 29,373,000 | (8,950,000) | 12,822,000 | (8,400,000) |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 73,499,000 | 1,916,000 | 31,236,000 | 1,916,000 |
| Forest and Land Resources | 37,312,000 | (800,000) | 17,729,000 | (600,000) |
| Lake George Park Commission | 2,291,000 | 239,000 | 840,000 | 117,000 |
| Operations | 16,674,000 | 2,208,000 | 5,353,000 | 2,320,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 60,999,000 | (1,200,000) | 26,028,000 | (955,000) |
| Total | 335,989,000 | (7,045,000) | 146,576,500 | (4,675,500) |
| Program | Nonpersonal Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 8,244,000 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 55,028,500 | (1,384,500) |
| Environmental Enforcement | 16,551,000 | (550,000) |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 42,263,000 | 0 |
| Forest and Land Resources | 19,583,000 | (200,000) |
| Lake George Park Commission | 1,451,000 | 122,000 |
| Operations | 11,321,000 | (112,000) |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 34,971,000 | (245,000) |
| Total | 189,412,500 | (2,369,500) |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2022 |
Recommended FY 2023 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 942,500 | 0 | (942,500) |
| Total | 942,500 | 0 | (942,500) |
| Program | Available FY 2022 |
Recommended FY 2023 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 942,500 | 0 | (942,500) |
| Total | 942,500 | 0 | (942,500) |
| Comprehensive Construction Program | Available FY 2022 |
Recommended FY 2023 |
Change | Reappropriations FY 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 24,700,000 | 20,000,000 | (4,700,000) | 50,714,000 |
| Cap Proj Fund - DEC Regular (Auth Bonds) | 0 | 18,000,000 | 18,000,000 | 0 |
| Federal Capital Projects Fund | 0 | 50,000,000 | 50,000,000 | 0 |
| EnCon Capital Misc Gifts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000,000 |
| Air Quality - Clean Water/Clean Air 96 | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - 1996 CWA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27,691,000 |
| Air Resources | ||||
| Clean Air Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 97,000 |
| Air Resources - EQBA | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - EQBA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8,726,000 |
| Clean Water - Clean Air Implementation | ||||
| Clean Water Clean Air Implementation Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,405,000 |
| Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act | ||||
| Cap Proj Fund -Clean Water, Air, Green Jobs (Bondable) | 0 | 4,000,000,000 | 4,000,000,000 | 0 |
| Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Fund | ||||
| Clean Water - Clean Air Bond Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 105,531,000 |
| Environment and Recreation | ||||
| Environmental Protection Fund | 300,000,000 | 400,000,000 | 100,000,000 | 1,356,577,000 |
| Environmental Protection and Enhancements | ||||
| Environmental Protection Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17,879,000 |
| Environmental Quality Bond Act Fund | ||||
| Environmental Quality Bond Act Fund - 1986 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39,006,000 |
| Environmental Quality Protection Bond Fund | ||||
| Environmental Quality Protection Bond Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18,979,000 |
| Environmental Restoration - Clean Water/Clean Air 96 | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - 1996 CWA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21,309,000 |
| Facilities Maintenance and Operations | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 6,000,000 | 6,000,000 | 0 | 10,506,000 |
| Fish and Wildlife | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,639,000 |
| Hudson River Habitat Restor. Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36,000 |
| Habitat Conserv & Access | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 0 | 2,297,000 |
| Lands and Forests | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 6,000,000 | 5,000,000 | (1,000,000) | 47,340,000 |
| Federal Capital Projects Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29,243,000 |
| Forest Preserve Expansion Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 110,000 |
| Marine Resources | ||||
| Federal Capital Projects Fund | 10,000,000 | 0 | (10,000,000) | 30,864,000 |
| New York Works | ||||
| Cap Proj Fund - DEC Regular (Auth Bonds) | 75,250,000 | 90,000,000 | 14,750,000 | 238,691,000 |
| Operations | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 24,500,000 | 26,500,000 | 2,000,000 | 68,691,000 |
| Natural Resource Damages Fund | 47,500,000 | 0 | (47,500,000) | 78,131,000 |
| Financial Security Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10,136,000 |
| Pure Waters Bond Fund | ||||
| Pure Waters Bond Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20,568,000 |
| Recreation | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 936,000 |
| Solid Waste - Clean Water/Clean Air 96 | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - 1996 CWA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35,000 |
| Solid Waste Management | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 4,000,000 | 4,000,000 | 0 | 14,303,000 |
| Federal Capital Projects Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58,210,000 |
| NY Env Protection and Spill Remediation | 21,200,000 | 21,200,000 | 0 | 28,653,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - Advances | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 0 | 70,395,000 |
| Cap Proj Fund - DEC Regular (Auth Bonds) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 361,000 |
| Hazardous Waste Remedial Fund | 6,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 4,000,000 | 95,710,000 |
| Hazardous Waste Remedial Fund - Authority Bonds | 100,000,000 | 100,000,000 | 0 | 319,485,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management - EQBA 86 | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - EQBA 86 (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38,046,000 |
| Water Resources | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 9,700,000 | 12,400,000 | 2,700,000 | 39,407,000 |
| Capital Projects Fund - Advances | 5,500,000 | 5,500,000 | 0 | 42,701,000 |
| Cap Proj Fund - State Revolving Fund (Auth Bonds) | 35,000,000 | 55,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 152,380,000 |
| Cap Proj Fund - DEC Regular (Auth Bonds) | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 0 | 3,778,829,000 |
| Federal Capital Projects Fund | 175,000,000 | 383,500,000 | 208,500,000 | 761,901,000 |
| Federal Stimulus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,436,000 |
| Water Resources - Clean Water/Clean Air | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - 1996 CWA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44,877,000 |
| Water Resources - EQBA | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - EQBA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,375,000 |
| Water Resources - PWBA | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - PWBA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 126,584,000 |
| Total | 1,371,850,000 | 5,728,600,000 | 4,356,750,000 | 7,772,790,000 |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 05/11/2020