Raise your voice for the good of the Catskills!
Each year the Catskill Center and the Catskill Park Coalition lead a band of supporters and volunteers in Albany to meet with legislators and agencies in discussions regarding the needs of the Catskill Park, Catskill Forest Preserve and our Catskill communities. Learn about the 2020 legislative and budget priorities of the Catskill Park Coalition.
In 2018, this annual Catskill Park Awareness Day event generated a historic commitment for the Catskill Park, including infrastructure improvements, continued community Smart Growth Grants and funding for improvements to the Belleayre Ski Center.
Sign up via the form below to get involved!
WHAT YOU CAN DO
SPEND THE DAY WITH US IN ALBANY
Help make the Catskills personal for all 63 state senators, 150 members of the New York State Assembly and Governor Cuomo by shaking hands and sharing five minutes of what’s so special about the Catskills.
We'll begin gathering at 9:00 AM, enjoy a kickoff presentation and keynote speaker, take part in four or five meetings with legislators, and plan to leave the capital by 4:00 PM.
LET THE GOVERNOR AND NYS LEGISLATURE KNOW THAT THE CATSKILL PARK IS IMPORTANT TO YOU!
IT ONLY TAKES A FEW QUICK PHONE CALLS TO HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD.
CALL THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
518-474-8390. Ask him to support the Catskill Park Coalition’s Catskill Priorities and let him know why the Catskills are important to you. And please thank him for the AdventureNY program, 2019 Catskill Park funding and his efforts to promote the region.
CALL YOUR LOCAL ASSEMBLY MEMBER
Don’t know who they are? Find out!
CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR
Let them know that you support the Catskill Park Coalition’s Catskill Priorities and that you want them to support it. And that you vote! Find my senator.
SEND A NOTE TO GOVERNOR CUOMO
Share your feelings about the Catskills and your interest in his continued support. And please don’t forget to thank him for all that he’s done for our region. We've got some sample text here to get you started.
WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF YOUR LOCAL PAPER
Advice to call your elected officials from the ghost of Catskill Day 2017? Timeless! Call your local NYS Assemblymember and Senator and let them know you care about the Catskills and support the priorities of the Catskill Park Coalition.
#catskillparkday2020
Whatever action you choose, please document it and share your advocacy on social media with the hashtag #catskillparkday2020
ps. If you email us at cccd@catskillcenter.org after your call and let us know who you spoke with and any feedback you received. it will help us work to ensure support continues to grow for the Catskills and progress continues to be made.
With your help, we can improve the Catskill Park for all!
Catskill Park Coalition - 2020 Priorities
2020 Catskill Park Priorities
As an important funding source for Catskill Park infrastructure and stewardship projects, the Catskill Park Coalition is requesting that the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) be grown to $500 million, with an appropriation of at least $350 million for SFY 2020-21. This enhanced commitment to the EPF will help agencies, local governments, stakeholders and partners throughout the state work to achieve the high bar the Governor and the Legislature have set with ambitious environmental policies.
Public Safety and Catskill Park Management
$500,000 for new staff at the NYSDEC’s Division of Lands and Forests in Region 3 and 4 to better manage the Catskill Park and its more than 1.7 million visitors;
$750,000 to continue annual Forest Ranger Academies and provide Ranger staff to provide a safe experience for all who visit the Catskill Park;
$1 million investment in Lyme Disease and tick research at the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies;
$500,000 Aid to Localities Funding directed to the Catskill Watershed Corporation for shovel-ready access and stewardship projects across the Catskill Park;
$500,000 to help meet New York’s greenhouse gas emission reduction mandates, such as electric vehicle charging stations and solar panel installations at campgrounds, the Catskills Visitor Center and at other state sites; and
$10 million in stewardship funding to support Catskill Park education efforts, improvements and infrastructure maintenance in light of continued visitor growth.
Environmental Protection Fund Programs to Enhance and Protect the Catskills
$150,000 line, directed to the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies to support the Catskill Science Collaborative’s research on topics of importance in the Catskills;
$150,000 line, directed to the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development for the Maurice D. Hinchey Catskill Visitor Center’s management, operations and facilities maintenance to support a world-class experience for visitors; and
$750,000 line directed to Cornell University for the “Save the Hemlocks” initiative to fight the invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.
Support Catskills Communities
$250,000 in NYSDOT funding for Catskill Park Scenic Byways to improve regional byway coordination, expansion and management efforts;
$50,000 to fund a feasibility study in the hopes of opening a swimming area at Kenneth Wilson State Campground;
$250,000 to implement the mountain biking plan for the Shandaken Wild Forest;
$300,000 for Smart Growth Grants to help Catskill communities and nonprofits plan and grow sustainably; and
$1,000,000 for continued upgrades and improvements to the state-owned Belleayre Ski Center.