Environmental Events & News for Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester Counties
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 11/09/2022 04:21 PM EST |
| DEC Delivers - Information to keep you connected and informed from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |
| Share or view as a web page || Update preferences or unsubscribe |
Environmental Events & News for Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester Counties |
In This Issue:
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month, and during this month, we take the time to recognize the work that Indigenous peoples have done, and continue to do, to protect our shared environment. In August of 2022, DEC created the Office of Indian Nations Affairs (OINA). OINA will lead DEC's efforts to enhance and deepen proactive engagement with State and federally recognized Indian Nations by improving consultation, building shared knowledge, and advancing meaningful cooperation. Visit DEC’s website for more information on Native American Heritage Month. Free Fishing Day- November 11During Free Fishing Days/Weekends, anyone can fish the fresh waters of New York State and no fishing license is required! All other freshwater fishing regulations still apply. Check out DEC’s website for more info about Free Fishing Days.
Wearing Orange Saves Lives
Any person hunting deer or bear with a firearm or a person who is accompanying someone hunting deer or bear with a firearm MUST wear a minimum of 250 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink material worn above the waist and visible from all directions; OR a minimum of 250 square inches of patterned fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink (the pattern must be at least 50% fluorescent orange or 50% fluorescent pink) worn above the waist and visible from all directions; OR a hat or cap with no less than 50% of the exterior consisting of solid fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink material visible from all directions. All other hunters are not required by law to wear fluorescent orange while hunting in New York. However, DEC highly recommends ALL hunters wear a fluorescent orange hat, vest and/or coat while hunting small game or big game. For more information on hunter safety basics, visit DEC’s website. Public Comment Periods and MeetingsBrownfield Application- 115 South MacQuesten Parkway Site (Mount Vernon) Comment Deadline DEC has received a Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) application for a site known as 115 South MacQuesten Parkway, site ID #C360230. This site is located in the City of Mount Vernon, within the County of Westchester, and is located at 115 South MacQuesten Parkway. Public comments about the application must be submitted by November 11, 2022. Draft East of Hudson Unit Management Plan Public Meeting The plan guides the future uses and management of nearly 6,700 acres of DEC-managed public lands within the East of Hudson Unit in the towns of Amenia, Beekman, Carmel, Cortlandt, Dover, Kent, LaGrange, Milan, Pawling, Philipstown, Pine Plains, Pleasant Valley, Putnam Valley, Stanford, and Union Vale. DEC is holding an availability session and public meeting on Nov. 16 at the Dutchess County Farm and Home Center, 2715 US-44, Millbrook NY 12545 and on Nov. 22 at the Town of Kent Courthouse, 25 Sybils Crossing, Carmel NY 12512. DEC staff will be available from 5 to 6 P.M. to talk one-on-one and answer questions. Starting at 6 P.M., a public presentation on the draft plan will be given, followed by time for public comments. Public comments on the proposed management plan will be accepted until December 22, 2022 by mail to DEC Division of Lands and Forests, 21 South Putt Corners Rd. New Paltz, NY 12561, and by email to R3.UMP@dec.ny.gov. Proposed Expedited Cleanup- Sun Valley Nursery Site (Ossining) Comment Deadline DEC invites the public to comment about a proposed expedited cleanup of contamination related to the Sun Valley Nursery Filling Station site #C360207 (Ossining, Westchester County), within New York’s Brownfield Cleanup Program. Public comments about the proposal will be accepted through November 25, 2022. Proposed Expedited Cleanup- Duracell Inc Site (Sleepy Hollow) Comment Deadline DEC invites the public to comment about a proposed expedited cleanup of contamination related to Operable Unit 2 of the Duracell Inc. Site #360011 (Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County), within New York’s State Superfund Program. Public comments about the proposal will be accepted through December 2, 2022. Red Wing Mining Project Virtual Public Hearing The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), as lead agency, has accepted a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Red Wing Rhinebeck - White Schoolhouse Road Mine. Two public hearings on the Draft EIS will be held on November 17, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Written comments on the Draft EIS will be accepted until January 11, 2023. The Draft EIS is available from the Starr Library Rhinebeck, 68 West Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY 12572; the Rhinebeck Town Hall, 80 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY 12572; and online. Register for the 1:00 p.m. virtual public hearing. Webinar number: 2349 085 0440 Webinar password: welcome1 (93526631 from phones) Join by phone: +1-518-549-0500 US (English Menu) Access code: 2349 085 0440 Register for the 6:00 p.m. virtual public hearing. Join by the webinar number: 2336 942 6948 Webinar password: welcome1 (93526631 from phones) Join by phone: +1-518-549-0500 US (English Menu) Access code: 2336 942 6948 2022 Catskill Fire Tower Challenge
The 2022 Catskills Fire Tower Challenge encourages experienced hikers to visit the region's five historic fire towers located on Balsam Lake Mountain (Hardenburgh), Hunter Mountain (Hunter), Overlook Mountain (Woodstock), Red Hill Mountain (Denning), and Tremper Mountain (Shandaken), as well as a new sixth fire tower that was opened in the Catskills in the fall of 2019. The Upper Esopus Fire Tower is located at the Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center in Mt. Tremper and allows all visitors who may not otherwise be able to undertake the challenging hike of several miles to experience a fire tower on the high peaks in the Catskills. To participate in the challenge, hikers must hike to all six DEC-owned fire towers in the Catskills between Jan. 1, and Dec. 31, 2022. Once completed, participants submit a log of their completed hikes along with a favorite photo to the Challenge email address: CatskillsChallenge@dec.ny.gov or via mail. Entries must be postmarked by Jan. 7, 2023. Participants that complete the challenge will receive a letter, commemorative 2022 Catskills Fire Tower Challenge patch, and a one-year subscription to DEC's Conservationist magazine, currently celebrating its 75th year in circulation. Upon completion, finishers will also be able to download a customizable certificate and will be eligible to win hiking accessories after the challenge period is closed. For more information visit the Catskill Fire Tower Challenge webpage. Environmental Conservation Police on PatrolThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Division of Law Enforcement enforces the 71 chapters of New York State's Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York. In 1880, the first eight Game Protectors proudly began serving to protect the natural resources and people of New York State. In 2021, 282 Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators across the state responded to 26,207 calls and worked on cases that resulted in 11,562 tickets or arrests for violations ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the black market pet trade, and excessive emissions violations. Below are examples of the work our officers perform in Region 3. Illegal Bear Take - Ulster County
On Oct. 8, ECOs Walraven and Johnson received reports that someone had illegally killed a bear in the town of Rochester. The complainant said a local hunter shot the female bear with a bow and then, with two accomplices, tracked the animal into the woods and killed it with a shotgun. The hunter posted several pictures of himself and the two accomplices with the bear and shotgun on social media. The caller indicated the same bear was seen in the area with its cubs eating out of trash dumpsters on the property. ECOs interviewed the hunter who admitted to shooting the bear as it was feeding on trash and confirmed he and his accomplices had killed it. The Officers seized the bear's hide and meat and issued the hunter several tickets for unlawful take of black bear, hunting with the aid of a pre-established bait pile, and possessing a firearm afield during the special archery season. The ECOs tracked down and charged one accomplice and ticketed him for hunting with a revoked license and possessing a firearm afield during the special archery season. Charges are pending against the third accomplice. The case is due to be heard in the Town of Rochester Court in November. To contact an ECO to report an environmental crime or to report an incident, call 1-844-DEC-ECOS for 24-hour dispatch or email central.dispatch@dec.ny.gov (for non-urgent violations). Recent Forest Ranger ActionsNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from across New York State. In 2021, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 426 search and rescue missions, extinguished wildfires, participated in prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate hundreds of acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in thousands of tickets or arrests.
City of Poughkeepsie Town of Wawarsing
If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it's for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region.
November 16th -- Climate Justice Working Group to MeetThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) 13-member Climate Justice Working Group, established under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), will hold a meeting on Wednesday, Nov.16. The Climate Justice Working Group is tasked with establishing criteria for identifying disadvantaged communities for the purposes of co-pollutant reductions, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, regulatory impact statements, and the allocation of investments pursuant to the CLCPA. This will be an informational meeting with limited official action. Discussion will include an analysis of public comments received on the draft disadvantaged communities criteria. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or listen to the meeting via webcast. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged and can be done by clicking the WebEx link below. When: Wednesday, Nov.16, 3 p.m. ET Where: Via WebEx Webinar password: welcome123 (93526631 from phones) Audio: Dial 1-518-549-0500; Access code: 2336 686 4120 In-Person event locations, times, and partners information are available on the DEC website. Additional Information: This meeting will also be recorded and posted on the Climate Act website within three days, or as soon as practicable. DECinfo Locator
DECinfo Locator is an interactive map that lets you access DEC documents and public data about the environmental quality of specific sites in New York State, as well as outdoor recreation information. With more than 75 data layers available, this is the first application that shows both environmental quality monitoring and natural resource information together in one place. If you were looking for outdoor recreation destinations in Region 3, this DECinfo Locator recreation map view contains the information, plus more. |
|
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation respects your right to privacy and welcomes your feedback | Update preferences or unsubscribe | Learn more about DEC Delivers |
|
Connect with DEC:     
|
|
| Basil Seggos, Commissioner | |