Riverkeeper brings a laundry list of concerns to state legislative budget hearing

ALBANY – Reductions for years in funding
for environmental programs in New York are placing the environment “deeply
at risk.” Riverkeeper staff attorney Michael Dulong told a joint
Senate and Assembly hearing on the DEC’s proposed 2015 budget the
environmental group has a number of concerns about the future of state
programs.
Dulong told lawmakers the state is at “a crossroads” on the environment.
“There are some good things in the budget but we need to address some of the big holes and water quality infrastructure, I think, is chief among them,” he said. “There is nothing new in the budget right now to address water quality infrastructure and we are looking at a $36 billion need over 20 years.”
Dulong also said the increase in crude oil transport through the state creates an environmental danger and enforcement of water pollution laws in the state are in “free fall.”