News and Events for Albany, Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Schenectady and Schoharie Counties (Region 4)

In This Issue:

• DEC's Annual Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale is Now Open
• DEC and Friends of Camp Santanoni to Host Three Winter Weekend Events in 2023
• Environmental Conservation Officers on Patrol
• Take Part in the DEC Informational Kiosk Survey
• $460,000 in Grants Available to Support Projects that Implement Great Lakes Action Agenda Priorities
• Empire State Fellow Applications Accepted Through April 3, 2023
• Living the Green Life
• Green Purchasing Communities Program Launches
• Brownfield Cleanup Program

DEC's Annual Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale is Now Open

The Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery annual spring seedling sale is open to the public and runs until May 12. Each year, the nursery offers low-cost, New York-grown tree and shrub species for sale to encourage plantings that help conserve the state's natural resources and foster the next generation of forests.

Trees provide a variety of benefits:

• absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making them a powerful tool in the fight against climate change;
• helping to lower heating and cooling costs;
• providing food and shelter for wildlife;
• improving water quality by filtering runoff;
• preventing erosion;
• suppling a variety of wood products that support local economies; and
• increasing our overall health and well-being.

DEC's tree nursery grows more than 50 conifer and hardwood species from local seed sources, creating seedlings that are well-suited to our state's climate. They are available in bundles of 25 or more, plus there are several mixed species packets for those looking for a variety. Seedlings are a minimum of five inches tall and are one to three years old depending on the species. For more information including how to order, visit the Spring Seedling Sale webpage on DEC's website. Some species sell out early, so it is recommended to place orders by phone for the most up-to-date availability information.

Free Seedlings Available for Youth Education Through the School Seedling Program
Applications are now being accepted for the nursery's School Seedling Program. From now until March 31, schools and youth education organizations across New York State may apply to receive up to 50 free tree or shrub seedlings to plant with their students.

All schools (public, private, nursery, elementary, secondary, vocational, college or university), homeschool groups, and any youth education-based organization may apply, provided trees are planted within New York State. Individual homeschools must apply through a homeschool group, co-op, or other association. Seedlings are two to three years old, about four inches to 12 inches tall, and bare-root. There are three packets available - 50 white spruce, 25 red oak, or 30 mixed shrub species good for wildlife habitat - and each school or organization may only receive one packet per year. Visit DEC's website for more information and to apply online. For assistance or questions, contact the Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery at nysnursery@dec.ny.gov or 518-581-1439.

Photo: Staff from DEC's Division of Lands and Forests sort bare-root seedlings at the Nursery during the annual spring sale.

DEC and Friends of Camp Santanoni to Host Three Winter Weekend Events in 2023

Three Winter Weekend events being held in 2023 at the historic Camp Santanoni in the town of Newcomb in the Adirondacks. Hosted by DEC and the Friends of Camp Santanoni, the Winter Weekends invite visitors to enjoy winter recreation and exclusive winter access to the preserved buildings of the former camp. This is the first time these popular winter events are being held since the COVID-19 pandemic and are made possible through DEC's partnership with the Friends of Camp Santanoni, which includes Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) Adirondack Interpretive Center (AIC), the town of Newcomb, and thousands of supporters who believe in the importance of preserving this historic Great Camp for use as public education, recreation, and inspiration.

The 2023 Winter Weekend events will take place during:

• the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend, Jan. 14-16;
• President's Day holiday weekend, Feb. 18-20; and
• the weekend of March 11 and 12.

The AIC buildings will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during all three Winter Weekends.

Camp Santanoni Winter Weekends are open to all visitors at no cost. Reservations are not required. Contact AARCH at 518-834-9328 for more information on upcoming Winter Weekends. Additional information about Camp Santanoni, the AIC, and the Newcomb area may be found at:

DEC Camp Santanoni website
Adirondack Architectural Heritage
Adirondack Interpretive Center
Town of Newcomb

Environmental Conservation Officers on Patrol

Don't Lie to the Guys in Green - Rensselaer County
On Nov. 29, ECO Crain received a report about a dead deer with a crossbow bolt sticking out of it that had been found on a property in the town of East Greenbush. The ECO arrived, located the carcass, and determined it was several days old. Scavengers had picked at the carcass, revealing the stomach filled with corn. With few crop fields in the surrounding area, ECO Crain concluded one of the neighboring properties likely had a backyard bait pile where the deer had been shot. The Officer collected evidence from the scene and took photos as part of the investigation but had no subjects of interest to interview.

More than a month later, on Dec. 21, the same property owner contacted ECO Crain reporting a second dead deer on his lawn in nearly the same location. The deer had cut marks consistent with a crossbow bolt. Officer Crain backtracked the faint blood trail in the snow to the backyard of a neighboring property.

The following day, ECO Crain returned to the caller's property with Lieutenant Maloney. The two Officers followed the remainder of the blood trail to a neighboring backyard where they discovered a large area of corn and birdseed strewn adjacent to a homemade shed used as a hunting blind. Inside the blind, the Officers found a crossbow with a thermal scope mounted to it and multiple crossbow bolts with blood and hair. ECO Crain and Lt. Maloney contacted the homeowner and interviewed him about the blood trail leading to his home. The subject claimed that while he is a hunter, he had not hunted recently. However, when presented with the evidence, the hunter admitted to shooting three does over the bait pile without possessing any doe tags.

The subject was issued 12 tickets for offenses including illegal take of protected wildlife, hunting over bait, illegal take of antlerless deer without deer management permits, hunting with a crossbow during the late season without the proper license, and multiple tagging violations. All tickets are returnable to the Town of East Greenbush Justice Court. The suspect acknowledged his mistakes during the interview, as well as how he should have taken his friend's advice - "If they are in green uniforms, they know what they are doing. Whatever you do, don't lie to them."

Doe shot by crossbow found in Rensselaer County

Crossbow bolds found in the subject's blind

Crossbow used to take three illegal does over bait

Unattended Fire Spreads Out of Control - Montgomery County
On Dec. 14, the owner of a timber company based in Saint Johnsville paid a penalty related to an unattended fire that burned out of control. On Nov. 7, the company left a pile of waste slab wood burning overnight. The fire spread and required the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and local fire department to contain it. ECO Willson spoke to the owner of the timber operation who took responsibility for leaving the fire unattended. The Officer explained the State's open burning laws and ticketed the subject for the unattended open burn. The defendant appeared in Saint Johnsville Town Court and accepted a plea to one count of illegal disposal of solid waste, a violation, and paid a fine of $1,500 with a $90 surcharge.

Site of unlawful open burn of solid waste

For more Environmental Conservation Officers on Patrol or DEC Forest Rangers in Review stories, visit the Press Release page on DEC's website.

Take Part in the DEC Informational Kiosk Survey

Give us your feedback and win a gift card to a sporting goods store! DEC would like your opinion on our informational kiosks. Kiosks are small, open wooden structures that provide cover for educational/informational signs. These kiosks are located at various state properties such as state forests, wilderness areas, conservation easements, wildlife management areas (WMAs), boat launches, and more. Take our survey to let us know what you think and be entered to win a $50 sporting goods store gift card and a free subscription to the Conservationist magazine! Winners will be announced each month from January 2023 through January 2024. A grand prize winner will be announced in January 2024 and will receive a $200 sporting goods store gift card and a free magazine subscription. By providing input, you can help us improve your outdoor experience!

For prize rules and regulations, please visit DEC's website.

$460,000 in Grants Available to Support Projects that Implement Great Lakes Action Agenda Priorities

New York Sea Grant, in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), announced funding is now available for projects that apply an ecosystem-based management approach to address local watershed challenges. Projects will implement the goals of New York's Great Lakes Action Agenda and address actions specifically identified in locally supported plans pertaining to water quality, natural resources, or sustainable land uses. A total of $460,000, with up to $50,000 per project, in New York Great Lakes Basin Small Grants will be awarded.

County and local government or public agencies, municipalities, and regional planning and environmental commissions, not-for-profit organizations, and educational institutions including, but not limited to, public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, are eligible to apply.

Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. EST on March 1, 2023; instructions are online at the New York Sea Grant website. For more information, contact New York Sea Grant at 716-645-3611.

Read more about:

• New York's Great Lakes Action Agenda;
• New York Great Lakes Basin Small Grants projects; and
• other New York Great Lakes-related information on New York Sea Grant's website.

New York Sea Grant is a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, and one of 34 university-based programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program.

Empire State Fellow Applications Accepted through April 3, 2023

The application period for the 2023 class of Empire State Fellows is now open. The prestigious program attracts exceptional and diverse talent from New York State and across the country to serve in high-level positions in the administration. Since the program's inception 11 years ago, graduates of the Empire State Fellows program have gone on into senior roles, including Deputy Commissioner, Deputy Secretary and Chief of Staff positions throughout state agencies.

The Empire State Fellows Program is a full-time leadership training program that prepares the next generation of talented professionals for careers as New York State policymakers. The incoming class of Empire State Fellows will serve from September 2023 to September 2025, and receive an annual salary of $85,000, plus a generous benefits package. At the end of the fellowship, a performance review process will identify Empire State Fellows that will be given the opportunity to continue to serve as leaders in New York State government after completing the program.

The Governor's Office will appoint each Empire State Fellow to work directly with a Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, or other high-level policymakers at a New York State agency or authority, or in the Executive Chamber. Work assignments offer Fellows unparalleled experience collaborating with senior officials and participating in the policy-making process.

While taking part in the work of state government, Empire Fellows will participate in educational and professional development programs that will help them to serve as effective and ethical government leaders. The educational component of the Empire State Fellows Program kicks off with an orientation course in September 2023. Educational coursework will continue on a semi-monthly basis. Meanwhile, professional development activities, including a mentoring program and regular meetings with Cabinet members and other government leaders, will enhance Empire Fellows' collaboration with policymakers.

Applications opened on Sunday, January 1, 2023, and will be accepted through Monday, April 3, 2023. Read more information on the program and instructions on how to apply.

Living the Green Life

Information on sustainable clothing is available on this month's Living the Green Life webpage.

Each month we feature a new theme to provide tips to be a friend of the environment. Past topics have included sustainable food sources, pollinator protection, greening your home/work office space, and more.

You can also find information on NYSDEC's social media. Share how you Live the Green Life with us by using #LiveGreenNY.

Want to receive monthly tips in your inbox? Sign up for the Green Living monthly newsletter!

Green Purchasing Communities Program Launches

Good news for local governments! Governor Hochul recently announced the new Green Purchasing Communities Program, a first in the nation program that makes it easy for local governments to ensure that the products they are purchasing have a lower environmental impact. In addition, local governments that participate will receive recognition for their commitment to purchasing green products and services. Learn more at the Green Purchasing Communities Program website.

Benefits to local governments of becoming a Green Purchasing Community:

• Adopting a simple-to-administer green purchasing program.
• Moving the market in a more sustainable direction.
• Being recognized for their commitment to the environment.
• Getting points towards Climate Smart Communities Certification.

Local governments that become a green purchasing community commit to following the GreenNY purchasing specifications that New York State government uses. By making this simple change, local governments can work towards purchasing products and services that are better for our public health and environment. With over 75 different GreenNY purchasing specifications covering office and building management supplies, electronic equipment and appliances, food service items, and transportation items, there are specifications to follow for a wide variety of items frequently purchased by local governments. In addition, GreenNY is constantly working to update existing specifications and create new ones, meaning that Green Purchasing Communities will automatically be following the latest green purchasing specifications.

Applying and becoming a Green Purchasing Community is as easy as 1, 2… that’s it!

1. Add model language that states the local government will follow GreenNY specifications to the government's purchasing policy. This is passed by the local government's legislative body or other body that handles procurement policy.
2. Submit the application, along with the resolution approving the addition of the model language, and a copy of the new purchasing policy to gpc@dec.ny.gov.

The Department of Environmental Conservation and the Office of General Services are hosting a webinar on January 17, 2023, at 2 p.m., for potential applicants. The webinar will provide an overview of the new Green Purchasing Communities Program and how local governments can participate. Those interested can register for the webinar.

Additional information is available on the Green Purchasing Communities program website or by contacting gpc@dec.ny.gov. 

Brownfield Cleanup Program

Virtual Public Availability Session - Troy Belting and Supply Co. Site (Colonie)
A virtual public meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, January 12, 2023, at 6:00 PM via Webex (virtual platform) regarding a proposed remedy to address contamination related to the Troy Belting and Supply Company site #C401067 (Colonie, Albany County) within New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program.

More information

Proposed Cleanup - Troy Belting and Supply Company (Colonie) Comment Deadline
DEC invites the public to comment about a proposal to address contamination related to the Troy Belting and Supply Company site #C401067 (Colonie, Albany County) within New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program. Public comments about the proposal will be accepted through January 28, 2023.

More information

Brownfield Application - Former Barnet Mills Site (Rensselaer) Comment Deadline
DEC has received a Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) application for a site known as Former Barnet Mills, site ID #C442065. This site is located in the city of Rensselaer, within the County of Rensselaer, and is located at 20 Forbes Avenue. Public comments about the application must be submitted by January 20, 2023.

More information

Visit the Public Events Calendar on the DEC website for comment end dates and more information on the Brownfield Cleanup Program in Region 4.