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 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 DEC, such as the operation of landfills and sewage treatment plants and to ensure compliance with State and federal environmental statutes.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2024 Executive Budget recommends appropriations of $2.5 billion for DEC, reflecting a decrease of $8.1 billion from FY 2023. The decrease is attributable to the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act that was appropriated in FY 2023 and passed by voters in November of 2022. The Executive Budget recommends a workforce level of 3,331 FTEs for DEC, which includes Lake George Park Commission’s 9 FTEs. This increase reflects the agency's growing workload in a number of different programmatic areas including the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), clean water infrastructure, implementation of the bond act, and a new extended producer responsibility program included in the Budget.

As co-chair of the Climate Action Council (CAC), DEC played a critical role in the development of the CAC’s scoping plan, which was released in December 2022. The scoping plan outlines how New York will achieve and implement its clean energy and climate goals as set forth by the CLCPA. Within the scoping plan the CAC determined that a cap-and-invest program would be the most feasible, efficient, equitable, and affordable method to meet New York’s’ emissions goals. In response to the CAC recommendation, the FY 2024 Executive Budget proposes legislation that establishes a foundation for DEC and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to advance a cap-and-invest program. The program will establish a gradually declining cap on greenhouse gas emissions, limit the financial impact to New Yorkers, invest the proceeds in programs that drive emission reductions in an equitable manner, while maintaining the competitiveness of New York’s industries.

Major budget actions include:

• $500 million to support additional investments in clean water projects throughout the State. This is the fifth installment of a commitment to provide an additional $2.5 billion in support over five years for drinking water infrastructure, wastewater infrastructure, and water quality protection, bringing the State’s current clean water investment total to $5 billion.

• $400 million for the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The EPF 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.

• $90 million for DEC's New York Works capital program, which funds core environmental infrastructure projects. This funding will allow DEC to repair and maintain state-owned dams, rehabilitate fish hatcheries, improve state campgrounds and make investments in other core infrastructure.

• $370 million in federal appropriations is included to allow DEC to accept funds from the federal infrastructure bills. This includes $255 million specifically for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

• The Waste Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act would create an extended producer responsibility program for packaging and printed paper. The proposal will define the products and entities covered, establish producer responsibility organizations, and create minimum convenience standards. The intent of this bill is to reduce waste throughout the state as the majority of municipal waste stream is recyclable material.

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)

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; Solid & Hazardous Waste Management; and Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act.

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 (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 Adirondack Park.

Note: Most recent estimates as of 02/01/2023