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. The Department’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. Consistent with policy and management direction from the Central Office, regional offices review and issue environmental permits for activities regulated by the Department, such as the operation of landfills and sewage treatment plants, and ensure compliance with State and Federal environmental statutes.
Budget Highlights
The FY 2020 Executive Budget recommends appropriations of $1.8 billion for the Department. An increase of $512 million in new appropriations is attributable primarily to additional DEC New York Works funding and the first installment of a five-year $2.5 billion clean water commitment.
The Executive Budget recommends a workforce level of 3,115 FTEs for the Department.
Major budget actions include:
- A new $500 million appropriation to support additional investments in clean water projects throughout the State. This is the first installment of a commitment providing an additional $2.5 billion in support over the next five years for drinking water infrastructure, wastewater infrastructure, and water quality protection. This commitment doubles the State’s existing investment of $2.5 billion in reappropriated funds for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017.
- Appropriations of $300 million for the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), which 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;
- Investment of $55 million for the New York Works statewide capital infrastructure program. This funding will be used to improve access to State lands, rehabilitate campgrounds, and repair and rehabilitate dams, upgrade DEC recreational facilities. Funding will also be used for air monitoring infrastructure investments; remediating legacy environmental contamination; investing in needed information technology; and performing repairs and maintenance required to ensure the safety and viability of state infrastructure, state lands, and fish hatcheries.
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 Environmental Conservation Law (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 Park.
| Category | Available FY 2019 |
Appropriations Recommended FY 2020 |
Change From FY 2019 |
Reappropriations Recommended FY 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 447,795,000 | 459,738,000 | 11,943,000 | 359,061,000 |
| Aid To Localities | 1,776,000 | 0 | (1,776,000) | 17,125,200 |
| Capital Projects | 796,400,000 | 1,298,450,000 | 502,050,000 | 6,106,709,000 |
| Total | 1,245,971,000 | 1,758,188,000 | 512,217,000 | 6,482,895,200 |
| Program | FY 2019 Estimated FTEs 03/31/19 |
FY 2020 Estimated FTEs 03/31/20 |
FTE Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 111 | 111 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 120 | 120 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | |||
| General Fund | 164 | 164 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 140 | 140 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 245 | 245 | 0 |
| Environmental Enforcement | |||
| General Fund | 314 | 314 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 124 | 124 | 0 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | |||
| General Fund | 103 | 103 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 63 | 63 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 261 | 261 | 0 |
| Capital Projects Funds - Federal | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Capital Projects Funds - Other | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Forest and Land Resources | |||
| General Fund | 276 | 276 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 97 | 97 | 0 |
| Operations | |||
| General Fund | 130 | 135 | 5 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 34 | 34 | 0 |
| Rehabilitation and Improvement | |||
| Capital Projects Funds - Other | 368 | 368 | 0 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | |||
| General Fund | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 49 | 49 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 241 | 241 | 0 |
| Capital Projects Funds - Federal | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Capital Projects Funds - Other | 240 | 240 | 0 |
| Total | 3,110 | 3,115 | 5 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2019 |
Recommended FY 2020 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 124,578,000 | 129,873,000 | 5,295,000 |
| Internal Service Funds | 95,000 | 95,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 81,198,000 | 81,198,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 241,924,000 | 248,572,000 | 6,648,000 |
| Total | 447,795,000 | 459,738,000 | 11,943,000 |
| Adjustments: | |||
| Transfer(s) To | |||
| Employee Relations, Office of | |||
| General Fund | 104,000 | ||
| Appropriated FY 2019 | 447,899,000 | ||
| Program | Available FY 2019 |
Recommended FY 2020 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 10,355,000 | 11,766,000 | 1,411,000 |
| Internal Service Funds | 95,000 | 95,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 17,728,000 | 17,658,000 | (70,000) |
| Air and Water Quality Management | |||
| General Fund | 17,684,000 | 16,914,000 | (770,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 40,898,000 | 40,898,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 52,739,000 | 55,333,000 | 2,594,000 |
| Environmental Enforcement | |||
| General Fund | 40,544,000 | 40,378,000 | (166,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 24,315,000 | 29,912,000 | 5,597,000 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | |||
| General Fund | 11,483,000 | 12,991,000 | 1,508,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 28,000,000 | 28,000,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 42,500,000 | 43,233,000 | 733,000 |
| Forest and Land Resources | |||
| General Fund | 26,036,000 | 28,157,000 | 2,121,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 31,398,000 | 32,125,000 | 727,000 |
| Operations | |||
| General Fund | 16,655,000 | 17,798,000 | 1,143,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 14,321,000 | 14,670,000 | 349,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | |||
| General Fund | 1,821,000 | 1,869,000 | 48,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 7,300,000 | 7,300,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 58,923,000 | 55,641,000 | (3,282,000) |
| Total | 447,795,000 | 459,738,000 | 11,943,000 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 10,308,000 | 1,411,000 | 10,003,000 | 1,404,000 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 15,169,000 | (770,000) | 15,029,000 | (775,000) |
| Environmental Enforcement | 38,737,000 | (166,000) | 32,861,000 | (338,000) |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 6,266,000 | 1,508,000 | 5,769,000 | 1,496,000 |
| Forest and Land Resources | 25,479,000 | 2,121,000 | 23,686,000 | 2,069,000 |
| Operations | 9,699,000 | 1,143,000 | 9,104,000 | 1,128,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 1,256,000 | 48,000 | 1,082,000 | 43,000 |
| Total | 106,914,000 | 5,295,000 | 97,534,000 | 5,027,000 |
| Program | Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried) |
Holiday/Overtime Pay | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 249,000 | 5,000 | 56,000 | 2,000 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 69,000 | 2,000 | 71,000 | 3,000 |
| Environmental Enforcement | 434,000 | 11,000 | 5,442,000 | 164,000 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 434,000 | 9,000 | 63,000 | 3,000 |
| Forest and Land Resources | 210,000 | 5,000 | 1,583,000 | 47,000 |
| Operations | 414,000 | 9,000 | 181,000 | 6,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 162,000 | 4,000 | 12,000 | 1,000 |
| Total | 1,972,000 | 45,000 | 7,408,000 | 226,000 |
| Program | Total | Supplies and Materials | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 1,458,000 | 0 | 300,000 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 1,745,000 | 0 | 475,000 | 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 | 22,959,000 | 0 | 6,371,000 | 0 |
| Program | Travel | Contractual Services | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 89,000 | 0 | 990,000 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 109,000 | 0 | 1,087,000 | 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 | 14,382,000 | 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 | 17,753,000 | (70,000) | 9,565,000 | (45,000) |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 96,231,000 | 2,594,000 | 41,934,000 | 1,013,000 |
| Environmental Enforcement | 29,912,000 | 5,597,000 | 13,703,000 | 2,970,000 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 71,233,000 | 733,000 | 29,650,000 | (398,000) |
| Forest and Land Resources | 37,125,000 | 727,000 | 17,663,000 | 492,000 |
| Operations | 14,670,000 | 349,000 | 3,122,000 | 204,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 62,941,000 | (3,282,000) | 27,375,000 | (1,706,000) |
| Total | 329,865,000 | 6,648,000 | 143,012,000 | 2,530,000 |
| Program | Nonpersonal Service | Maintenance Undistributed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 8,188,000 | (25,000) | 0 | 0 |
| Air and Water Quality Management | 54,297,000 | 3,681,000 | 0 | (2,100,000) |
| Environmental Enforcement | 16,209,000 | 2,627,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources | 41,583,000 | 1,131,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Forest and Land Resources | 19,462,000 | 235,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Operations | 11,548,000 | 145,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | 35,566,000 | (1,576,000) | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 186,853,000 | 6,218,000 | 0 | (2,100,000) |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2019 |
Recommended FY 2020 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 1,776,000 | 0 | (1,776,000) |
| Total | 1,776,000 | 0 | (1,776,000) |
| Program | Available FY 2019 |
Recommended FY 2020 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 1,776,000 | 0 | (1,776,000) |
| Total | 1,776,000 | 0 | (1,776,000) |
| Comprehensive Construction Program | Available FY 2019 |
Recommended FY 2020 |
Change | Reappropriations FY 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 17,000,000 | 24,700,000 | 7,700,000 | 20,629,000 |
| Air Quality - Clean Water/Clean Air 96 | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - 1996 CWA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27,417,000 |
| Air Resources - EQBA | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - EQBA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,665,000 |
| Clean Water - Clean Air Implementation | ||||
| Clean Water Clean Air Implementation Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,405,000 |
| Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Fund | ||||
| Clean Water - Clean Air Bond Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 110,830,000 |
| Environment and Recreation | ||||
| Environmental Protection Fund | 300,000,000 | 300,000,000 | 0 | 1,127,330,000 |
| Environmental Protection and Enhancements | ||||
| Environmental Protection Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,216,000 |
| Environmental Quality Bond Act Fund | ||||
| Environmental Quality Bond Act Fund - 1986 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52,518,000 |
| Environmental Quality Protection Bond Fund | ||||
| Environmental Quality Protection Bond Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23,129,000 |
| Environmental Restoration - Clean Water/Clean Air 96 | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - 1996 CWA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22,561,000 |
| Facilities Maintenance and Operations | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 6,000,000 | 6,000,000 | 0 | 3,549,000 |
| Fish and Wildlife | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,668,000 |
| Hudson River Habitat Restor. Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 351,000 |
| Habitat Conserv & Access | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 0 | 1,076,000 |
| Lands and Forests | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 0 | 42,186,000 |
| Federal Capital Projects Fund | 10,000,000 | 0 | (10,000,000) | 28,621,000 |
| Forest Preserve Expansion Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 110,000 |
| Marine Resources | ||||
| Federal Capital Projects Fund | 0 | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 15,331,000 |
| New York Works | ||||
| Cap Proj Fund - DEC Regular (Auth Bonds) | 40,000,000 | 55,250,000 | 15,250,000 | 184,541,000 |
| Operations | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 18,000,000 | 19,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 51,599,000 |
| Natural Resource Damages Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34,516,000 |
| Financial Security Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10,648,000 |
| Pure Waters Bond Fund | ||||
| Pure Waters Bond Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20,568,000 |
| Recreation | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,117,000 |
| Cap Proj Fund - DEC Regular (Auth Bonds) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,168,000 |
| Solid Waste - Clean Water/Clean Air 96 | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - 1996 CWA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 811,000 |
| Solid Waste Management | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 4,500,000 | 4,000,000 | (500,000) | 6,041,000 |
| Federal Capital Projects Fund | 30,000,000 | 0 | (30,000,000) | 60,000,000 |
| NY Env Protection and Spill Remediation | 21,200,000 | 21,200,000 | 0 | 20,714,000 |
| Solid Waste Management - EQBA | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - EQBA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,231,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - Advances | 16,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 4,000,000 | 49,223,000 |
| Cap Proj Fund - DEC Regular (Auth Bonds) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,921,000 |
| Haz Waste Remedial Fund - Oversight & Assessment | 6,000,000 | 9,100,000 | 3,100,000 | 96,706,000 |
| Haz Waste Remedial Fund - Cleanup | 100,000,000 | 100,000,000 | 0 | 304,041,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management - EQBA 86 | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - EQBA 86 (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44,493,000 |
| Water Resources | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 7,700,000 | 7,200,000 | (500,000) | 29,965,000 |
| Capital Projects Fund - Advances | 3,500,000 | 5,500,000 | 2,000,000 | 26,787,000 |
| Cap Proj Fund - State Revolving Fund (Auth Bonds) | 35,000,000 | 35,000,000 | 0 | 119,220,000 |
| Cap Proj Fund - DEC Regular (Auth Bonds) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,878,019,000 |
| Capital Projects Fund – Settlement Funds | 0 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 0 |
| Federal Capital Projects Fund | 175,000,000 | 175,000,000 | 0 | 596,101,000 |
| Federal Stimulus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,436,000 |
| Water Resources - EQBA | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - EQBA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,350,000 |
| Water Resources - PWBA | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - PWBA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,039,000 |
| Water Resources - Clean Water/Clean Air | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - 1996 CWA (Bondable) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47,862,000 |
| Total | 796,400,000 | 1,298,450,000 | 502,050,000 | 6,106,709,000 |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 1/15/2019