Environmental Funding Makes Strange Bedfellows

Business & Green groups in New York have teamed up to implore that Gov. Andrew Cuomo restores environmental funding, including a 40 percent cut to Environmental Protection Fund in last year's budget and a 20 percent budget cut to the state's environmental agencies.
Proponents for increased funding include The Chamber Alliance of New York State, New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling, New York Farm Bureau, Empire State Forest Products Association, and dozens of members of the We Love New York campaign to restore environmental funding, including The Nature Conservancy New York and Environmental Advocates of New York.
They will be assembling on Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the LCA Press Room to voice their concerns. They argue the following problems as a result of the cuts:

As a result of these deep cuts, the Department of Environmental Conservation is no longer able to adequately monitor air and water pollution, clean up toxic oil and chemical spills, and provide necessary permits for new businesses in a timely manner. The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has been forced to shutter parks. Local governments, farmers and not-for-profits working in partnership with the state have been left hanging as they wait for payments for projects already underway.