August 2017

How To Get Involved in Setting Rules and Regulations

As a resident of New York State you have a right to participate in the development of New York’s laws. This is why you vote for your elected representatives in the Assembly and the Senate who pass laws in New York. But what about state agencies such as the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)? Agencies develop and enforce rules and regulations necessary to implement laws. New Yorkers have a right to participate in the development of these rules, and we need to hear from you. This is where the New York State Administrative Procedures Act, commonly known as SAPA, comes in. SAPA provides the rulemaking process for state agencies and ensures public participation before an agency adopts a rule. 

To learn more about SAPA and how to prepare a notice for publication, please visit https://www.dos.ny.gov/info/rulemakingmanual.html.

Visit our Environmental Notice Bulletin: http://www.dec.ny.gov/enb/enb.html or the State Register: https://www.dos.ny.gov/info/register.htm to participate in our rule making process.

Indigenous People & DEC: Indian Nation Consultation

People have been in New York since the end of the last ice age, approximately 12,000 years ago. The first inhabitants followed retreating glaciers to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the newly opened landscapes. These original occupants shared many goals, desires, traditions, and beliefs, which helped them work together to form communities.
These indigenous people (also called Native Americans) established roots in what would become New York, and their descendants still live throughout the state. Many are citizens of one of the following nine state-recognized nations:

• Cayuga Nation
• Oneida Indian Nation
• Onondaga Nation
• St. Regis Mohawk Tribe
• Seneca Nation of Indians
• Shinnecock Indian Nation
• Tonawanda Seneca Nation
• Tuscarora Nation
• Unkechaug Indian Nation

New York's environment has cultural and spiritual significance to indigenous people, and DEC is committed to working with them to manage vital resources as equal neighbors. DEC recognizes the unique relationship New York has with these nations and through state law and Department policy, works to address their concerns when undertaking, funding or approving a project that impacts resources or activities such as:

• Natural resources, particularly concerning actions that may affect nation lands, water, and/or air quality, or other natural resources of nation interest such as wetlands, fisheries, or wildlife;
  
  
• Cultural resources, particularly human burials and archaeological sites. DEC reviews projects that may impact these and other sites of cultural importance; and
  
  
• Hunting, fishing, and gathering.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact DEC’s Indian Nations Affairs Coordinator, Dr. David Witt, at justice@dec.ny.gov.

DEC’s Spill Response Program


“On the Front Lines” profile: Gary McCullouch. Gary is the Regional Spills Engineer for DEC’s Region 6 (Central New York) Office and a 28 year veteran of the agency. Learn more about Gary and our Spills Response team by checking out his and other video profiles celebrating the stories of DEC staff throughout the state and the important work they do to protect the environment, conserve New York’s vast natural resources, and serve the public.

Pollution Prevention in the South Bronx

Climate change is creating new risks for residents and workers in environmental justice communities in New York City (NYC). In an effort to improve sustainability and climate resiliency in the South Bronx community and industrial waterfront, the DEC, the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I), and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance (NYC-EJA) worked together to promote pollution prevention and climate adaptation strategies in two ways; by working directly with two local companies, and by developing an Environmental Best Management Practices toolkit for the Auto Repair, Auto Body and Auto Salvage industries.

To read the entire article, please visit http://sndbx2.perceptuate.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Making_a_Difference_in_the_South_Bronx_with_Pollution_Prevention_Initiatives.pdf

Encouraging Youth Conservation and Employment: Onondaga Earth Corps

DEC recently awarded Onondaga Earth Corps (OEC) an Environmental Justice Community Impact Grant, one of 24 recipients across New York State in our latest round of grants. OEC, which began in the Southside of Syracuse in 2005, works with youth to connect them to their urban environment through hands-on community and environmental projects like tree plantings, stormwater management and neighborhood beautification efforts. OEC will use these funds for an air pollution research and intervention project. High school students in the City of Syracuse will learn about the benefits of trees, and conduct research on how air pollution impacts different tree species. The students will then plant trees along major highways and other corridors while engaging their community.

Apply For Funding

Are you a community-based organization looking to fund a project? A second round of the 2016-2017 Environmental Justice Community Impact Grants is anticipated in the fall. For additional information on OEJ grants and a complete list of previous project awardees, please visit our website: http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/31226.html. 

Grant Application Deadline Approaching!

Applications for the Green Jobs for Youth Grant are due by 3PM on September 1, 2017. More information can be found on our website: http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/31226.html. The Request for Applications and the application itself can be accessed on the New York State Grants Gateway. Go to Grants Gateway then either use the browse function and scroll until you see DEC's 2017 Environmental Justice Green Jobs for Youth in EJ Areas opportunity or use the search function and search for "green jobs." The grant opportunity ID is DEC01-EJJobs-2017.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Environmental Justice at 518-402-9498 or 518-402-8556. Or email us at justice@dec.ny.gov.

We Can’t Do It Without You

Do you have concerns about the environment where you live? Do you want to make your voice heard? Do you want to stay informed about the different environmental issues affecting the state of New York? Sign up to receive regular email updates from the Office of Environmental Justice @: http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/333.html.

As always, you can contact the Office of Environmental Justice with any concerns by sending an e-mail to: justice@dec.ny.gov. Please include:

• Your Location/Address: City, town, village or borough
• The environmental concerns you wish to address: List the potential source if you know
• How or whether you wish to be contacted

Help Us Serve You