Environmental Conservation, Department of

Agency 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. DEC’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. Working with DEC headquarters, 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 2021 Executive Budget recommends appropriations of $7.8 billion for the DEC. An increase of $6 billion in new appropriations is almost entirely attributable to the appropriations needed to implement the Restore Mother Nature Bond Act.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce level of 3,162 FTEs for DEC.

Major budget actions include:

• The launching of “Restore Mother Nature”, the nation's most aggressive program for significant habitat restoration and flood reduction, funded in part by a $3 billion environmental bond act. The program will reduce flood risk and revitalize critical fish and wildlife habitats by connecting streams and waterways, right-sizing culverts and dams, restoring freshwater and tidal wetlands, reclaiming natural floodplains, restocking shellfish populations, upgrading fish hatcheries, preserving open space, conserving forest areas, reducing contamination from agricultural and storm water runoff, and expanding renewable energy. Passage of the bond act is dependent on public approval at the general election held in November 2020.
• A new $500 million appropriation to support additional investments in clean water projects throughout the State. This is the second installment of a commitment providing an additional $2.5 billion in support over 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.
• The continued 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.

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/29/2020