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In
his state budget proposal for the coming fiscal year, Governor Paterson
cut by over 33% the state's only dedicated conservation money
the Environmental
Protection Fund (EPF).
These
proposed reductions to the EPF will eliminate state money to buy
critical lands that protect clean drinking water for residents statewide.
They would be particularly hard on Long Island, where protecting
our underground drinking water supply is key and land is disappearing
rapidly and prices have fallen. If this budget proposal is
adopted the Pine Barrens Protection Act itself would be put in jeopardy
because there would be no state money to compensate owners of private
property for land in the Pine Barrens that cant be developed.
Negotiations
on the next State Budget are happening NOW. Tell NYS Legislators
to Reject Drastic Cuts to Environmental Funding. |