Lawmakers Seeking Information on DEC Campground and Park Closures

Letter to DEC seeks list of campgrounds and parks targeted for closure or reduced services due to potential budget cuts

March 18, 2010

Assemblymember Kevin Cahill (D-Ulster/Dutchess) and Assemblymember Robert Sweeney (D-Lindenhurst), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation, sent a letter to the Department of Environmental Conservation requesting information on campgrounds and other facilities targeted for closure or reduced operations due to cuts proposed in the Executive Budget. The DEC is responsible for 52 campgrounds in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks, and various other forests, preserves and recreational facilities across the state, including the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center.

“If the Department of Environmental Conservation made plans to shut down a number of their facilities, this information needs to be available. Families depend on these places to provide accessible environmental activities. They are the lifeblood of nearby small businesses that rely on tourism,” said Assemblymember Cahill. ‘It is important that the Legislature and the public fully understand the ramifications of the budget proposals that are on the table.”

“State campgrounds provide the public with a wide variety of outdoor experiences. Campers have access to cabins, or may choose a tent depending on the location, boat facilities, hiking trails, beaches and day use areas with picnic tables. These sites provide families with an inexpensive vacation and recreational opportunities to get away from the television and video games. We have heard the buzz about the possibility of closure for some of these sites. It is time for the Department to make any planned closures public so that the public and the Legislature have a chance to address these issues,” said Assemblyman Sweeney.

The lawmakers’ request comes on the heels of two lists recently released that include 90 parks and historic sites operating under the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation that are slated for closure or reduction in operations. The agency has already canceled summer campsite reservations at a dozen parks across the state.

News of the closures has drawn strong opposition from lawmakers and the public. Social networking sites like Facebook have been used to organize rallies across the state in protest of the park closures. The Facebook page set up for John Boyd Thatcher State Park in Albany County has already attracted over 36,000 fans. Similarly, more than 20,000 fans have signed up in support of Minnewaska State Park in Ulster County. Assemblymember Cahill will be addressing a rally in support of Minnewaska scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 20 at 3:00pm on the corner of Main Street and Wurts Avenue in New Paltz.

More than 56 million people visited state parks and DEC facilities last year. The tourism revenue generated by state recreational lands and managed open spaces are a critical drivers for many local economies. These facilities also help to maintain New York’s natural environment and biodiversity, mitigate the effects of pollution, and protect our heritage. The cost of closing these sites and the money it will take to eventually re-open them will outweigh any savings to the state.

Full text of the letter can be found by clicking here.

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