Citing the state’s budget surplus, the Adirondack Mountain Club is asking people to urge New York’s governor to invest $200 million in the state’s Environmental Protection Fund.
The EPF provides capital funds for forests, farms, clean water, local parks, recycling, municipal infrastructure and more. It funds projects like Professional Trail Crews and the Summit Steward Program in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks, and Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Spread Prevention Programs across the state.
Club officials say it is an effective vehicle for making capital investments in communities and the economy because for every $1 the EPF invests, $7 is returned to New York State. According to the club, various programs funded by the EPF support more than 350,000 jobs across a spectrum of industries, including outdoor tourism, agriculture, and protecting drinking water for millions of New Yorkers. All told, EPF-supported industries generate approximately $40 billion every year.
Read about the Adirondack Mountain Club seeking $200 million for the Environmental Protection Fund.