Two Public Hearings will be held to address concerns in relation to the loss of beneficial wetlands. There will be a hearing next Tuesday on planned changes to Article 24 of the NY State Conservation Law. The central piece of legislation that these hearings will revolve around is a bill sponsored by Senator Thompson (S.4956) which would allow New York State to regulate wetlands as small as one acre in size. Currently, New York State Law regulates wetlands that are 12.4 acres or larger.
Press Release
Buffalo, NY - NYS Senator Antoine M. Thompson (D-Parts of Erie & Niagara Counties), Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, announced the public hearing schedule to solicit input and obtain feedback from the public on the protection of wetlands in New York State.
“Wetlands are vital to the people and enviornment of New York State because they perform many crucial environmental functions, such as improving the quality of drinking water, acting as natural water filters, and absorbing flood waters,” said Senator Thompson. “Over the past 200 years, the United States has lost over 117 million critical acres of its wetlands through dredge and fill activites, drainage, development, pollution, and natural causes. Such devastating losses, coupled with over 54 percent of the total wetlands already lost in the continental United States and an additional 200,000 acres disappearing every year, requires making protection of our remaining wetlands a matter of national importance,” added Senator Thompson.
There are two hearings scheduled in New York State. They are:
1. Buffalo – Tuesday, October 20, 2009 from 11am-3pm at the Buffalo Science Museum, located at 1020 Humboldt Parkway Buffalo, NY 14211.
2. Albany – Tuesday, October 27, 2009 from 11am-3pm in Empire State Plaza Meeting Room #4 (Concourse) Albany, NY 12247.
These hearings are open to the public to both attend and participate. Depending on the number of people wishing to testify, some may be asked to provide written testimony, rather than oral testimony.
Options:
1. You can attend and show your support of the importance of wetlands to you. You MUST contact the Rashied McDuffie as noted in the attached press release from Senator Thompson if you want to give oral testimony. Oral comments should also be submitted in writing.
2. If you can't attend, write your statement on wetlands protection and send or fax it to R. McDuffie on or before Oct 20, 2009:
Rashied McDuffie
Committee Director
Room 902 LOB,
Albany, NY 12247
mcduffie@senate.state.ny.us
Fax: 518-426-6969
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