By Mark Scott
Albany, NY – Governor Pataki says his proposed state budget will include a $30 million increase for the state's Environmental Protection Fund.
The spending plan Pataki will unveil a week from today will boost the fund to $180 million a year. The Environmental Protection Program was started in the mid-1990s with $25 million. Rob Moore, executive director of the group Environmental Advocates in Albany, says the fund has been used to protect open space across New York.
"Money is used for land acquisition efforts. It's used for recycling programs, water pollution controls, farmland preservation efforts and a great deal more," Moore said. "It's an important piece of funding that supports conservation projects across New York State from Long Island to Lake Ontario."
Over the past decade, the state has spent more than $585 million. In a written statement, Pataki said his administration has made, quoting here, "an unprecedented investment" to protect and enhance the environment. Moore says the governor is deserving of praise.
"I think he's taking actions this year. In his State of the State address, he talked about energy and the need to find alternative forms of energy to meet future demands," Moore said. "That, plus the surprise announcement of an increase in the EPF, are important components of his legacy as governor of New York State."
Also Monday, according to Moore, two state legislators introduced a bill that would ramp up the Environmental Protection Fund to $300 million over the next three years.