Conservation Update

 

Governor Signs EPF Enhancement Act!

 

Late Wednesday night, Governor Spitzer signed the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) Enhancement Act into law, which provides for additional deposits from the Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) to be made to the EPF. The enactment of this legislation will ensure that this year’s EPF increase from $225 million to $250 is a permanent increase. Further, the legislation increases the EPF to $300 million commencing in 2009-2010. The legislation passed the Senate and Assembly in late June.

ADK strongly advocated for the passage of the EPF Enhancement Act. Currently, there is enormous pressure on the EPF for the protection of natural resources. Examples of under-funded EPF programs include open space protection, farmland protection and state-land stewardship. ADK believes it is good public policy to increase the funds from the RETT that are to be deposited into the EPF. Since recent sharp increases in RETT revenues have in large part been driven by rapid suburban and second home development, it is only equitable that a larger portion of these revenues be dedicated to open space protection and public land stewardship. With the potential for purchasing former Finch Pruyn lands for the Adirondack Forest Preserve and other vital land acquisition projects, this additional EPF money is greatly needed.

Passage of the EPF Enhancement Act was even more critical this year due to the lack of legislative action on the Bigger Better Bottle Bill (BBBB). In addition to including non-carbonated beverages in the existing bottle deposit law the BBBB would have directed all unclaimed bottle deposits, which are currently retained by the bottling companies, to the EPF. New York State has estimated that the bottling industry retains upwards of $100 million annually in unclaimed deposits. 

ADK would like to thank all of you who responded to our recent Action Alerts on the EPF Enhancement Act and contacted your local Senator and Assemblymember as well as the Governor urging them to support the EPF Enhancement Act.

You can read the Governor’s press release at:

http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/0719072.html