Testimony, 2009-2014

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Parks &Trails

NEWYORK

Testimony
of
Parks & Trails New York
to the
Assembly Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts, and Sports
and
Assembly Committee on Oversight, Analysis, and Investigation
regarding the
Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
December 9, 2009

Parks & Trails New York is a statewide not-for-profit organization that works to expand, protect
and promote a network of parks, trails and open spaces throughout New York State.

Our country’s National Parks enjoyed the limelight this fall because of filmmaker Ken Burns's
six-part series that aired on PBS. However, here in New York, we also have a very special park
system.

New York's state parks are its crown jewels - from the seascape at Montauk to the thunder of
Niagara, from the forests of Allegany to the scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands, from the
awe-inspiring canyon at Letchworth to the stately grounds of Saratoga Spa. Our system of state
parks is also the nation’s oldest, dating to the creation of the Niagara Reservation in 1885.

Consisting of 213 parks and historic sites covering 325,000 acres, our state parks preserve
priceless landscapes and ecosystems which together add up to an invaluable collection of
natural and recreational resources.

Ata time when everyone is searching for ways to stimulate the NYS economy, to bring more
money and jobs into the state, the tourism dollars generated by our parks are critical to our
state’s economy, too.

According to an independent report we released last year, The NYS Park System: An Economic
Asset to the Empire State, the state park system generates nearly $2 billion in annual economic
benefits for the state and local economies, bringing a 5:1 return on investment for the state.
Plus, the State Park System creates 20,000 jobs - exclusive of state parks employees.

Another great thing about our state parks - they're close to home! Unlike Yosemite and
Yellowstone, state parks are no more than an hour or two from most New Yorkers. In a typical
year more than 55 million people visit our magnificent State Parks and Historic Sites, seeking to
reconnect with nature and enjoy the great outdoors, while at the same time spending money in
every region of the state.

Despite their essential role in New York's economy, health and quality of life, our State Parks
are in jeopardy. They are suffering from decades of underinvestment. Despite this
administration's considerable progress in advancing an aggressive capital program, the
backlog of unmet maintenance and infrastructure needs— repairs to crumbling buildings,
bridges, roads, swimming pools, and water and electrical systems—is conservatively estimated
at $650 million. Unfortunately, and incredibly, state parks were left out of the federal stimulus
legislation.

The situation on the operating side is also dire. Since the spring of 2008, the State Parks budget
has been cut by 25% and the agency has lost nearly 1,000 permanent and seasonal staff. For
an agency that was lean to begin with, this has already meant fewer programs, less
maintenance and reduced hours at 100 parks - all of which have a direct effect on the public.

OPRHP has endured as many cuts as itcan. Any further cuts will not merely lead to more
service and program reductions, they will lead to park closings. If the agency has to absorb
another 5 to 10 percent cut in its operations budget, it will have no choice but to close parks.

Closing parks, reducing hours and eliminating programs will mean fewer visitors, and thus a
reduction in revenue for the state and reduced economic benefits for all. And because of the

expense of bringing a closed park back on-line the expectation is that any park that closes will
remain closed for three to five years, and maybe permanently.

This is unacceptable. J udging from the reaction in areas where State Parks were proposed to
be closed last winter, the public will not take summer park closings lightly and will hold their
legislators accountable.

Parks & Trails New York is not oblivious to the state’s current fiscal crisis and we understand
that some degree of shared sacrifice will be required throughout the state. However, the annual
parks budget is less than 1/4 of 1 percent of the total state budget and cuts made today, which
will inevitably lead to park closings, will have a deleterious effect for years, if not decades, on
the State Park System.

Making across-the-board cuts to all state agencies without consideration of the economic
benefits generated by some is working counter to economic recovery. In these challenging
economic times maintaining, or even extending, the services provided by our state parks would
be a sound investment in our quality of life and state and local economies. State Parks should
be given the funding to continue its revitalization efforts, begun in 2008, to overcome the
backlog of capital projects that exists throughout the State Park System and the necessary
operating funds to provide the level of services New Yorkers need during these hard economic
times and that will continue to generate economic benefits for the state.

We call on the Assembly to look for creative ways to bolster OPRHP's ability to fulfill its mission,
not look to cut the agency to the point where the only option is closing state park facilities.

Parks Trails

NEWYORK

Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
Presented by Laura DiBetta,
Director, Park Program & Government Relations

Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the
2012-2013 Executive Budget Proposal

February 7, 2012

Good afternoon. My name is Laura DiBetta and I am Park Program Director at Parks & Trails
New Y ork. In 1985, Parks & Trails New Y ork was founded to support the state park system, and
in the 25 years since, we have been the state’s leading organization working to preserve and
enhance a network of parks, trails and greenways for all New Y orkers for generations to come.
Our influential reports and advocacy efforts have been critical to keeping parks and historic sites
open and protecting New York’s natural, recreational, cultural and historical resources. Thank
you for the opportunity to comment today on the proposed Executive Budget for Fiscal Y ear
2012-2013.

New York State Parks—A 5-to-1 Return on Investment

New York’s state park system is the nation’s oldest, dating to the creation of the Niagara
Reservation in 1885. The system, comprised of 178 parks and 36 historic sites, welcomes more
than 55 million visitors annually. Today, our state parks and historic sites are significant
economic drivers, while also strengthening New Yorkers’ health and fitness, enhancing their
quality of life, and preserving invaluable landscapes, ecosystems and historic and cultural
treasures.

annually—that’s a 5-to-1 return on investment. For every dollar the state invests in the park
system it gets back $5. Plus, the State Park System creates 20,000 jobs—exclusive of state parks
employees. The study also showed that about $744 million of visitor expenditure—that is,
around 40% of total visitor spending—comes from visitors living outside the communities in
which the parks are located. This is money local businesses would not have without the presence
of the parks to attract visitors to the area.

This impact was recognized by the Regional Economic Development Councils; more than $16
million was awarded to park and historic site projects, including projects at state parks and
historic sites, through the consolidated funding application process.

Most New Y orkers, however, do not think about these benefits. All they know is they love their
parks. And when parks were threatened with closure, hundreds of New Y orkers rallied to their
support. It is thanks in large part to that outpouring of support—including support from many of
you—that parks have remained open.

Support Proposed $89 Million for State Park Infrastructure Needs

Despite New York’s legacy as a leader in parks and conservation and our park system’s
importance to the state’s economy and quality of life, our state parks remain chronically
underfunded. While the most visible threat to the park system came in 2010, when 88 parks and
historic sites were threatened with closure, the real long-term threat may very well be the park
system’s crumbling infrastructure.

In November 2006, Parks & Trails New Y ork released its Parks at a Turning Point report in
which we highlighted the many challenges facing the New Y ork State Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), particularly the agency’s enormous capital
projects backlog. Based on OPRHP’s analysis we know that the system-wide state parks capital
projects backlog is more than $1 billion. This includes critical safety repairs such as
rehabilitating dams, replacing aging water and sewer lines, bringing electrical systems into
compliance with fire codes, and repairing bridges, roads and swimming pools.

Parks & Trails New Y ork commends the Govemor for recognizing the need to reinvest in our
state park system as part of an overall strategy to grow New York’s economy sustainably and
create jobs. What better way to show that New Y ork is, in fact, open for business. The infusion
of $89 million in capital funding to address infrastructure needs at 48 state parks and historic
sites is a smart investment and a great first step in what we hope will be a multi-year
revitalization of the state park system.

In the past, challenging economic times and the need to put people back to work, have resulted in
some of this nation’s greatest achievements in infrastructure construction and improvement.
From work done by the Civilian Conservation Corps on parks, roads, and bridges during the
Great Depression, to the construction of the interstate highway system in the 1950’s and 60’s,
hard times have been eased by investment in infrastructure, with much to show in the end. With
5,000 buildings, 604 bridges, 106 dams, and 8,000 campgrounds, the state park system has no
shortage of infrastructure needs. This investment in our state park system will create jobs, help
grow the state’s economy, and help ensure New York’s parks and conservation legacy remains
intact.

Support Executive Budget Proposal for O PRHP Operating Budget

The Governor’s proposed budget also calls for a $3 million General Fund reduction in the parks
budget. We are pleased that the parks agency and the other environmental agencies were not cut
disproportionately this year. Given the state’s multi-billion dollar budget deficit, we applaud the
Governor’s support for parks and his recognition of the important link between well-maintained
parks and economic growth.

I would be remiss, however, if I did not acknowledge that the toll of the last few years will
continue to weigh heavily. The park agency’s budget has been cut 23% over the last few years—
more than many agencies—and it is operating today with 1500 fewer staff than it was in 2008.
The state park operations budget has been on a downward slide for more than 15 years and parks
are being starved as a result, with reduced hours, days, and seasons, fewer programs and
workers, and less maintenance, not to mention fewer resources dedicated to natural resource
protection and the visitor experience.

Support a Reinvestment in Our Parks

To continue to be well-maintained and inviting places for the 55 million plus visitors each year,
parks must receive an appropriate level of funding to maintain an adequate level of service and
address aging infrastructure. We urge the Governor and the Legislature to continue their
commitment to revitalizing the state park system.

Of course, we understand the Governor and Legislature’s number one priority is addressing the
budget deficit and we appreciate the magnitude of that challenge. But in every crisis there are
opportunities and perhaps there are opportunities here to explore new ways to revitalize our park
system.

One option is to take a closer look at the role of park and historic site friends groups in the future
of our park system. These nonprofit organizations—oftentimes made up entirely of volunteers—

clear trails, paint buildings, build kiosks, lead interpretive programs, and raise significant money
for local park and historic site projects. While their success should not allow the state to shirk its
responsibility to parks, greater investment in these organizations will serve to extend the capacity
of the parks agency and put to good use already existing capacity in our state parks.

Another option we strongly support is the establishment of a new, dedicated funding stream for
the state park system. Models for public-private partnerships and dedicated park funding that do
not require any new taxes exist in other places. It does not so much matter the source of that
funding stream—whether it is a penny surcharge for disposable plastic bags, an “I Love NYS
Parks” license plate supplement, or a tax check-off for parks—but that there is a united
commitment to finding a way to tum around the decline of our park system. A dedicated funding
stream for parks can help revitalize the park system and ensure its integrity for future
generations. We should study the experience of other jurisdictions, combine it with New Y ork
spunk and creativity, develop the model that best suits New Y ork, and get going.

Let’s find the opportunity in crisis this time that leaves our finest assets, such as our magnificent
park system, intact and flourishing. Parks & Trails New Y ork looks forward to working with the
Senate, the Assembly and the administration on protecting and preserving the legacy of our great
park system.

Support Executive Budget Proposal for the Environmental Protection Fund

Before I go I do want to also thank the Govemor for preserving the budget of the Environmental
Protection Fund (EPF) at last year’s level of $134 million and maintaining the Fund’s integrity.
Weare especially grateful that funding for state land stewardship and the municipal park grant
program remained steady.

The EPF is the lifeblood of environmental funding in New Y ork. The Fund supports a wide
variety of programs that generate revenue and create jobs in many sectors throughout the state.
The Legislature has shown staunch support for the EPF and helped maintain its integrity. As a
steering-committee member of The Friends of New York’s Environment coalition, Parks &
Trails New Y ork joins with our partners in urging the Legislature and Govemor to work together
this year to develop a strategy by which the EPF can grow in future years as the economy
continues to improve. Let’s continue to build on the momentum towards both a healthy economy
and environment.

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify.

Parks Trails
NEWYORK
Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
at the
Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the
2011-2012 Executive Budget Proposal
Respectfully submitted by Robin Dropkin, February 8, 2011

Good afternoon and thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify today. I would like to
start by telling you a bit about Parks & Trails New Y ork and about myself. Parks & Trails New
Y ork has been the leading statewide advocate for New Y ork’s parks and trails for more than 25
years, and I have been the Executive Director of the organization for eight years. I was drawn to
this organization because although I’m originally a Jersey girl my special place growing up was
not in New Jersey but in New Y ork. It was Bear Mountain State Park. All week I dreamed of
and looked forward to our Sunday outings at the park, each week hoping that this would be the
week | would actually see a bear.

Today that dream is still alive. If you visit Bear Mountain... or Harriman... or Jones Beach on
any weekend in nice weather you will find families of all ethnicities and all socio-economic

levels speaking dozens of languages. Y ou will find the heart of New Y ork.

New Y ork’s park system is one of its enduring legacies. But today we know that that legacy is in

danger.

The park agency’s budget has been cut 18% over the last few years - more than most agencies -

and it is operating today with 1500 fewer staff than it was in 2008. The Governor's proposed

Parks & Trails New York 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 518-434-1583 www.piny.org

2
budget calls for a $13 million General Fund reduction in the parks budget. We’ re pleased that
the parks agency and the other environmental agencies were not cut disproportionately this year
but the toll of the last few years will continue to weigh heavily. Although the parks agency says
it will achieve the majority of its mandated reduction through the annualized savings of actions
taken in the current fiscal year, including the Early Retirement Incentive and Layoffs
implemented last fall and the cancellation of the Empire State Games, there still will remain a
gap that will have to somehow he bridged. It remains to be seen how those savings will be
accomplished. I think what we can say for sure is that the reduction of services - less mowing,

less cleaning of restrooms, less nature programs - will certainly be felt by park visitors.

The Governor has said that this parks budget won’ t lead to parks closings. We commend the
Governor for realizing the importance of parks to the people of New Y ork and to the state’s
economy. According to a 2009 study, the NY S Park System boosts the state’s economy to the
tune of nearly $2 billion annually - that’s a 5 to 1 return on investment.

However, despite the last minute agreement before Memorial Day last year to keep parks open
by restoring $11 million to the budget, the state has been forced to forsake management of three
parks, one historic site and two golf courses. To the father in Lackawana who wants to take his
kid to Knox Farm it doesn’t really matter under whose watch the park was closed. All he knows
is that the park is closed. And to the small businessperson in Little Falls who will lose business
and whose revenues will fall and who will perhaps have to lay off workers because tourists aren’ t
coming to visit Herkimer Home, it doesn’t really matter who or why the site closed. It just

matters that it’s closed.

It’s hardly as if parks were flush at the beginning of this recession. Our state parks have been
chronically underfunded for decades. The result is a magnificent park system that is unraveling
at the edges, with a myriad of problems, both small and large— from bathrooms with peeling
paint and broken stall doors to water and sewer systems that have been shut down due to health

reasons. The state park operations budget has been on a downward slide for more than 15 years.

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And let’s not forget that during that same period of time the system expanded by 27 new parks
and 60,000 acres.

On the capital side, things are just as or even more dire. Today, there is a documented backlog
of more than $1billion in park capital infrastructure needs - almost half of which is health and
safety related. While we’ re pleased that the parks capital budget was not reduced further from
last year, it is at an historical low and conditions will continue to slip backwards each year unless
a commitment is made to address the system’ s deteriorated facilities and pressing health and
safety issues.

People who work for State Parks are some of the most creative and most dedicated state workers
around. No doubt, the parks agency will find a way to continue to limp along and keep the parks
together with spit and duct tape (although hopefully they have a large back supply of duct tape

since parks’ non-personnel services budget is decimated).

But is this the kind of park system we want here in New Y ork? Is this the kind of park system
we want for New Y ork families still struggling from the economic downtum? Is this the kind of
park system we want visitors from around the nation and the world to experience? I don’t think
so. The death by 1,000 cuts to the legacy of our magnificent state park system is a huge price for
the people of New Y ork to pay fora miniscule savings to the state budget.

Of course, we understand the Governor's number one priority is the huge budget deficit and we
appreciate his single-mindedness in this regard. But in every crisis there are opportunities and
perhaps there are opportunities here to explore new ways to revitalize our park system, such as
fostering a more robust park friends and volunteer program and a new dedicated funding stream
for parks. It doesn’t so much matter the source of that funding stream - a penny or two fee for
disposable plastic bags or a license plate supplement - but that there is a united commitment to
finding a way to turn around the decline of our park system. Models for public-private
partnerships and dedicated park funding exist in other places. We should study the experience of

4
other jurisdictions, combine it with New Y ork spunk and creativity, develop the model that best
suits New Y ork, and get going.

Let’s find the opportunity in crisis this time that leaves our finest assets, such as our magnificent
park system, intact and flourishing. Parks & Trails New Y ork looks forward to rolling up our
sleeves and working with the Senate, the Assembly and the new administration on protecting and

preserving the legacy of our great park system.

Before I go I do want to thank the Governor for preserving the budget of the Environmental
Protection Fund at last year’s level of $134 million and maintaining the Fund's integrity. The
EPF is the lifeblood of environmental funding in New Y ork. We are especially gratified that
funding for state land stewardship and the municipal park grant program remained steady.

Parks &Trails

NEWYORK

Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork

Impacts of the 2013-2014 State Budget on the Department of Environmental
Conservation and the Need for a New Environmental Bond Act

Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation
Assembly Subcommittee on Oversight of the

Department of Environmental Conservation

September 6, 2013

Good morning Chairman Sweeney and members of the committee. My name is Laura DiBetta
and I am the Parks Program Director at Parks & Trails New Y ork. Since 1985, Parks & Trails
New Y ork has been the state’s leading organization working to preserve and enhance a network
of parks, trails and greenways for all New Y orkers for generations to come. Thank you for the
opportunity to testify today on the state’s environmental programs and a new Environmental
Bond Act.

I would also like to thank the Chairman and members of the committee for your hard work in
enacting a state budget for fiscal year 2013-2014 that funded the Environmental Protection Fund
(EPF) at $153 million—an increase of $19 million—and provided $90 million in capital funding
for infrastructure improvements at state parks and historic sites, as well as a $40 million
investment in Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) infrastructure. The enacted
budget was truly a victory for the environment.

Parks and Trails: Good for the Environment, G ood for the Economy
New Y ork State enjoys significant economic benefits thanks to the state’s wealth of natural

resources and scenic beauty. Tourism is one of New York’s leading industries and it has as its
foundation the richness of the state’s environment. Outdoor recreation generates $33.8 billion in

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org

consumer spending, 305,000 direct jobs, and $12.4 billion in wages and salaries.! Active outdoor
recreation generates annual state and local tax revenues in New Y ork of $2.8 billion. Our world-
class parks and extensive network of trails are also key assets in helping the state and localities
attract tax-paying businesses and a high-quality workforce.

The storms of 2011 and 2012 (Irene, Lee and Sandy) demonstrated our vulnerability to weather-
related disaster and the need for further investment in programs that improve the strength and
resilience of our state’s infrastructure and protect our communities at a time of climate change
and an increased risk of extreme storm events. Parks, trails and transportation alternatives can
provide natural protective systems while keeping the lands they occupy in productive, attractive
use and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

While parks and trails already have a significant, positive impact on New York’s economy and
resiliency, there is a great deal more potential to be realized. Each year New York’s
environmental funding needs greatly exceed the amount of available funding. A significant
infusion of capital funding will go a long way toward filling the gap between available and
needed funding.

Protecting New York’s Conservation Legacy

New Y ork State has a long and proud tradition of being a leader in environmental protection and
our state parks system is second to none. Today, our 214 state parks and historic sites are
significant economic drivers, while also strengthening New Yorkers’ health and fitness,
enhancing their quality of life, and preserving invaluable landscapes, ecosystems and historic and
cultural treasures.

The tourism dollars generated by parks are critical, especially to local Upstate economies.
According to a 2009 independent study” commissioned by Parks & Trails New Y ork, the NYS
Park System boosts the state’s economy to the tune of nearly $2 billion annually—that’s a 5-to-1
retum on investment. Plus, the state park system creates and supports 20,000 jobs—exclusive of
state parks employees.

Thanks to the leadership of the Governor and the Legislature, state parks have received an
historic infusion of capital funding through the New Y ork Works initiative to restore and rebuild
state parks’ aging and dilapidated infrastructure. The $179 million committed in the last two
state budgets is breathing new life into a park system that has suffered from decades of
underfunding while creating thousands of local jobs and helping to grow the state’s economy.

‘Outdoor Industry Foundation, 2013. The Active Outdoor Recreation Economy. http://www. reports/NY -

newyork-outdoorrecreationeconomy-oia.pdf
°PERI Institute, The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State. March 2009. Prepared for Parks & Trails New Y ork.

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org 2

Visitors are clearly noticing the improvements, too. With visitation now up to more than 60
million people annually, our state parks and historic sites are primed to anchor the state’s
regional tourism efforts, particularly in Upstate communities. The Parks & Trails New Y ork
study I mentioned earlier also showed that about $744 million of park visitor expenditure—that
is, around 40% of total visitor spending—comes from visitors living outside the communities in
which the parks are located. This is money local businesses would not have without the presence
of the parks to attract visitors to the area.

With an approximately $1 billion backlog in health, safety, and infrastructure projects, state
parks and historic sites still face a tremendous need. In November 2006, Parks & Trails New

Y ork released its Parks at a Turning Point report in which we highlighted the many challenges
facing the New Y ork State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP),
particularly the agency’s enormous capital projects backlog. These challenges remain; according
to a recent report by the Office of the Comptroller, almost every park and historic site in the
system has some infrastructure need.*

In many parts of the state, the state forests, campgrounds, trails and wildlife management areas
managed by DEC serve as de facto state parks for local residents. The $40 million in capital
funding for DEC in this year’s budget is being put towards recreational facility improvements,
including campgrounds, environmental centers, trails and fishing access sites, among other
programs. But the backlog of projects remains. DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests faces a
large backlog of projects among its nearly 3 million acres of Forest Preserve, 780,000 acres of
State Forests, and 200,000 acres of Wildlife Management A reas. It also manages more than
4,000 miles of recreation trails in the Forest Preserve and in State Forests for hiking,
snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding providing access to fishing, boat
launches, campsites, beaches and scenic vistas. In order for these trails and sites to realize their
full potential as tourist and recreation destinations as well as continue to serve critical ecosystem
functions, DEC must have adequate stewardship and infrastructure funding.

We were extremely pleased to see funding for OPRHP and DEC in the state’s 10-year capital
spending plan released this year. The report includes a target of more than $1.2 billion and $5.4
billion over the next 10 years for state parks and DEC capital funding, respectively, showing the
Governor’s continued recognition of the importance of sustained capital funding for
environmental infrastructure needs.

It is our hope that we will continue to see this commitment to eliminating OPRHP’s capital
projects backlog, as well as funding for the infrastructure needs at DEC-managed lands.
Continuing to invest in these treasured places will keep people working to help grow New

ONY S Office of the State Comptroller. Safety of Infrastructure, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. September 2012. Report
2012-S-29.

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org 3

York’s economy sustainably, boost tourism in communities across the state, and secure New
York’s parks and conservation legacy for future generations.

Lean Agency Operations Budgets Taking a Toll

Given the state’s continued fiscal challenges, we appreciate that the operations budgets of
OPRHP and DEC have held steady. The Governor and Legislature have shown tremendous
support for parks and a clear recognition of the important link between well-maintained parks
and other public lands and economic growth.

I would be remiss, however, if I did not acknowledge that the toll of the last few years will
continue to weigh heavily. OPRHP’s budget has been cut 23% over the last few years—more
than many agencies—and it is operating today with 1,500 fewer staff than it was in 2008. DEC
staffing levels are likewise down significantly from just a few years ago. The state park
operations budget has been on a downward slide for more than 15 years and parks are being
starved as a result, with reduced hours, days, and seasons, fewer programs and workers, fewer
park police, and less maintenance, not to mention fewer resources dedicated to natural resource
protection and the visitor experience.

Local Parks and Trails: An Integral Part of State’s Recreation Assets

The situation for our local community parks and trails is equally challenging. Infrastructure
backlogs plague aging systems in municipalities with shrinking budgets. Important lands that
should be protected and added to the network of city, town, village and county parks and trails
either go to the highest bidder or sit undeveloped or underutilized because of a lack of funds.
Many communities struggle just to keep their parks open.

As with state parks, need greatly outpaces available funding. In 2012, funding requests through
the EPF’s municipal park grants program administered by OPRHP was nearly six times the
amount of available funding. Municipal parks alone requested $47,633,974 and were awarded a
paltry $7,878,133.

Funding for local park and trail improvements and open space protection—whether through an

enhanced EPF, an environmental bond act, or other mechanism—could clearly be productively
put to use immediately in communities across the state.

Bike and Pedestrian Paths, Trails and Greenways: Myriad C onnections and Benefits

Parks & Trails New Y ork also enthusiastically supports capital funding for bike and pedestrian
paths, trails and greenways. These projects can increase the number of people of all ages and

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org

abilities who engage in regular physical activity, improve air quality by reducing vehicle trips,
add tourism dollars to local economies, and enhance the quality of life for all New Y orkers.

Currently, more than 60% of New Y ork adults and 32% of New Y ork children ages 10 to 17 are
overweight or obese. New Y ork ranks second highest in the United States for medical
expenditures attributable to obesity. Spending on obesity-related diseases in New Y ork State
totals $11.1 billion (in 2009 dollars), Medicaid finances $4 billion and Medicare finances $2.7
billion of these costs.’ These Medicare and Medicaid expenditures directly impact our taxes and
the services supplied by all levels of government.

People who report having access to sidewalks and trails are 28-55% more likely to be physically
active. Therefore, funding for close-to-home, multi-use trails can provide opportunities for
everyone, irrespective of age or fitness level, to increase their level of daily physical activity,
improve their mental and physical health, and reduce the burden of rising health care costs.

Local economies also benefit from the presence of trails through increase in home values and the
addition of tourism dollars. A 2011 National Association of Realtors survey found that 77% of
respondents felt sidewalks and places to take walks such as trails were one of their top priorities
when deciding where to live.° Bicycle tourism is now the third most common vacation activity
and bicycle tourists can often spend between $100 and $300 per day, providing an enormous
boost for local business development.

Trails also help protect valuable open space; preserve natural and historic resources; provide safe
off-road links to parks, schools, libraries, shops and neighborhoods; and foster public-private
partnerships, community investment, and civic pride.

Again, need far outpaces available funding for trails projects. For example, for the 2011
Recreational Trails Program local assistance grant round, OPRHP received 104 applications
totaling $12,553,577 in federal funding requested. Of those, 23 projects were funded at just
$2.69 million in federal funding.

Environmental Protection Fund — the Lifeblood of Environmental Funding

The EPF is the lifeblood of environmental funding in New Y ork and supports a wide range of
programs that generate revenue and create jobs in many sectors throughout the state, as well as
support disaster recovery and preparedness. We applaud Assemblyman Sweeney and Senator
Grisanti for their leadership within the Legislature, and partnership with Governor Cuomo,
which led to a $19 million increase in appropriations for the EPF this year, the first increase

‘http://www. health.ny.gov/p ion_agenda/2013-2017/p i area 1.htm
5The 2011 Community Preference Survey: What Americans are looking for when deciding where to live, National Association of
Realtors, 2011. http://www.realtor. i files/smart- growth-comm-survey-results-2011.pdf, retrieved 7/6/13.

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org 5

since 2008.

The EPF has shown that programs that protect our environment also generate significant revenue
for the state; for every $1 invested in the EPF, the state gets back $7.5

From land conservation and farmland protection, to our parks infrastructure, zoos and botanical
gardens, to our community services such as recycling, waste management and invasive species
prevention, to waterfront revitalization and community resilience projects that prevent flooding
and storm impacts, there are unmet needs in localities across the state.

Closing

We know the members of this Committee share our passion for the outdoors and understand that
parks and trails are more than just niceties; they are essential community infrastructure. And
Govemor Cuomo’s actions reflect his recognition of the important role these treasured places
play in local economic growth, in the protection of important natural areas, improving New
Yorkers’ health and fitness, and in providing affordable recreational opportunities for New

Y orkers and out-of-state visitors, alike.

Funding for infrastructure projects is an investment in both New York’s environment and its
economy. To ensure that New Y ork State continues to reap the economic benefits made possible
by our natural resources we must make certain that there is adequate funding available to protect
those resources. The last environmental bond act was passed with strong public support in 1996,
and from what we understand most, if not all, of those funds have been spent.

We believe the new Bond Act proposal highlights the significant need for environmental
funding, are pleased at the public conversation this proposal has started, and appreciate your
efforts to find creative solutions to fund environmental programs and address the tremendous
infrastructure need in our state parks, forests, campgrounds, wildlife areas, local parks and trails.

We look forward to working with this Committee, the rest of the Legislature, the Governor, and
our partner organizations to protect and preserve New York’s parks and conservation legacy, as
well as strengthen the network of parks, trails and greenways across the state. It is our strong
hope that these discussions on the need and support for greater environmental funding coalesces
around a proposal to make a significant increase in the next state budget, building on the
excellent work done by the Governor and Legislature this fiscal year.

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify.

The Trust for Public Land. The Economic Benefits of New York's Environmental Protection Fund, January 2012.

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org 6

Parks Trails

NEWYORK

Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
to the Assembly Standing Committee on
Environmental Conservation

Hearing on the
Environmental Causes and Effects
of Extreme Weather Events

Respectfully submitted via email by
Robin Dropkin, Executive Director,
January 16, 2013

Chairperson Sweeney and members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to provide
input on potential actions to mitigate the man-made factors that contribute to extreme weather
events and thereby reduce the environmental impacts of such events.

Parks & Trails New Y ork is the only statewide nonprofit organization working to expand, protect
and promote a network of parks, trails and open space throughout New Y ork State. We have
been the State’s leading advocate for parks and trails for more than 25 years and are dedicated to
improving our health, economy, and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green
space. We have worked with hundreds of community organizations and municipalities to
envision, create, promote, and protect a growing network of parks and more than 1,500 miles of
greenways, bike paths, and trails throughout the state. These facilities are a significant part of our
infrastructure and should be considered as valuable assets when planning for a sustainable future.

At the outset, we wish to commend the Committee and Governor Cuomo for recognizing the
need to do long-term planning for climate change and the increased frequency and severity of
storm events which might afflict New Y ork State as a result.

The Problem

The storms of 2011 and 2012 (Irene, Lee and Sandy) demonstrated our vulnerability to weather-
related disaster. While high-velocity winds caused much damage to our communities, large
volumes of water from run-off and coastal storm surges had catastrophic impacts on roads, mass
transit facilities, utilities, homes and other buildings.

While there will always be a role for flood gates, sea walls, levees, jetties and other man-made
physical barriers, these will not always be enough to provide the resiliency needed to mitigate the
effects of more frequent and severe natural disasters and provide better assurance for long-term
community sustainability.

It is very expensive to construct artificial barriers, and they reduce the utility, and interfere with
other valuable functions, of the lands they occupy. Resources that could be applied to more
productive uses are diverted to a single and static purpose and locked up.

Recommendations

1. Use Natural Systems.

Natural systems should be employed to dissipate storm surges, absorb and disperse floods from
high precipitation events, and buffer buildings near waterfronts or at low elevation. Properly
located, constructed and maintained public parks and trails can provide natural protective
systems while keeping the lands they occupy in productive, attractive use. Therefore, restoring
existing park and trail systems and designing new parks, trails and greenways as an integral part
of protective systems and facilities should be a major strategy in protecting other infrastructure
systems and the rest of the built environment from future significant storms.

2. Provide Transportation A ltematives

Transportation systems should be designed and constructed to provide multiple modes for the
movement of people to provide options in the event of emergencies. Reliance exclusively on
motorized transport is unworkable given the vulnerability of vehicular traffic control systems,
mass transit networks, and motor fuel delivery and distribution to natural disasters. The extensive
bicycle network and vast pedestrian amenities recently implemented by New Y ork City better

equipped NY C residents and workers to safely and efficiently travel throughout the five
boroughs in the absence of transit and the presence of gridlock in the aftermath of Superstorm
Sandy. The Thursday after the storm, 30,000 cyclists crossed the East River bridges, 230% more
than on a normal day. Therefore, to preserve the ability for people to safely get to work, school
and shops when storms interrupt motorized transport, especially in dense urban areas, walkways
and bicycling infrastructure should be a mandatory component of our transportation modalities
and not just an optional amenity.

3. Get Ancillary Benefits

Unlike single-purpose physical barriers, parks and trails and transportation alternatives employed
as part of a comprehensive resiliency strategy can provide us with a host of other benefits at
almost no extra expense. These include:

e Making our State more attractive to knowledge workers and the high value-added
businesses they staff;

e Providing jobs and other economic opportunities from park and trail related tourism, the
fishing industry and related businesses;

e Improving the health and day-to-day quality of life for park and trail users;

e Reducing annual expenditures for drinking water purification and waste water treatment;
and

e Creating wildlife corridors to help preserve healthy ecosystems.

4, Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Our State should act with long-term resiliency and sustainability in mind. We believe that
climate change—which is creating higher ocean levels and more frequent and severe storms—is
in large part the result of the addition to the atmosphere of greenhouse gases from human
activities. While New Y ork alone cannot change the course of natural history, it must not make
things worse and should regard the reduction in emissions of greenhouse gas as its duty. The
park, trail and transportation recommendations we make above will also help us live up to this
duty: more trees in more parks provide a natural form of carbon sequestration; open spaces, trails
and greenways, as part of natural buffering and water dispersal zones, moderate temperatures
from the urban heat island effect; and safe multi-use trails and street network infrastructure that
encourage walking and bicycling for transportation reduces the combustion of fuels which emit
greenhouse gases.

Safe, off-road multi-use trails and street network infrastructure that encourages bicycling and
walking for transportation can have a direct impact on greenhouse gas emissions. With an
average fuel efficiency for U.S. automobiles of 20.5 mpg', and with every gallon of gas emitting
19.643 lbs of cos, then, for every mile biked or walked instead of driven, approximately 1 lb of
COz is kept from entering the atmosphere. Walking and biking currently yield greater CO2
reductions than other popular solutions like hybrid cars.

Parks are also essential partners in active transportation, providing connection points to trails
among and between communities. Increased connectivity can provide continuous and more
direct routes for travel by walking and biking.

Whether in parks or as part of tree canopies in developed areas, trees provide a natural form of
carbon sequestration. Land-use management techniques and forestry activities in 2010 resulted in
an offset of approximately 15.4% of total U.S. CO2 emissions.’

In cities, parks and natural areas directly mitigate climate change by moderating temperatures
from the urban heat island effect.

Closing

As the Assembly works with the Senate and the Governor on the State Fiscal Y ear 2013-2014
budget, we encourage you to consider investments in natural systems—in particular its state and
local parks and trails—as opportunities to keep people working to help grow the state’s economy
sustainably and better protect and prepare New York’s communities from the impacts of climate
change and severe weather events.

Parks & Trails New Y ork looks forward to working with this Committee, the rest of the
Legislature, the Governor, our partner organizations, and park and trail groups to make New
Y ork State a leader in sustainability efforts.

Thank you again for the opportunity to provide input.

1 Staniford, S. US Fleet Fuel Economy. Retrieved July 30, 2012, http://earlywam.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-fleet- fuel-

economy.html.

? Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program Fuel Emission Coefficients. U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Retrieved July 30, 2012, from http: eia.gov/oiaf/160 i

3 Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry. EPA. Retrieved June 22, 2012, from

http: epa. issions/US-GHG-Inventory-2012-Chapter-7-LULUCF.pdf.

Parks &Trails

NEWYORK

Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
to the Assembly Committee on
Tourism, Parks, Arts, and Sports Development

Respectfully submitted by
Laura DiBetta, Director, Parks Program & Government Relations
January 15, 2013

Chairperson Markey and members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to speak out
on behalf of New York’s outstanding outdoor recreational resources, especially its magnificent
state park system and its thousands of miles of greenways, canalways, and bikeways, and to
explore ways to enhance New York’s role as a leader in outdoor recreation and boost outdoor
recreation’s already significant impact on the state’s economy.

I am Laura DiBetta, Director of Parks & Trails New York’s Parks Program and Government
Relations. Since 1985, Parks & Trails New York has been the state’s leading advocate for the
expansion, protection, and promotion of a network of parks, trails, bike paths, and greenways
throughout the state.

Today, I am going to highlight the significant return on investment provided by outdoor
recreation, in particular how revitalization of our state park system and initiatives related to trail
and bicycle tourism can enhance the state’s tourism industry.

Outdoor Recreation Creates an Attractive Business Climate

Outdoor recreation is a major component of New York State’s economy, contributing $11.3
billion to the state’s tourism economy each year—that’s over 21 percent of the state’s total
tourism industry.’ A ctive outdoor recreation generates annual tax revenues for the state of nearly
$800 million.

1 New Y ork State Office of the Comptroller, 2010. Economic Benefits of Open Space Preservation, March 2010.
? Outdoor Industry Foundation, 2006. The Active Outdoor Recreation Economy: A $730 Billion Contribution to the
U.S. Economy. Fall 2006.

Our world-class parks and extensive network of trails are key assets in helping the state and
localities attract tax-paying businesses and a high-quality workforce.

From small business owners to Fortune 500 senior executives, recreation—including parks and
trails—ranks high as a factor for determining business location. And skilled workers prefer
places with a diverse range of outdoor recreational activities, from rock climbing to walking and
bicycling paths. Portland, Seattle, Austin, Denver, and San Francisco are among the top cycling
cities; they also are among the leaders in knowledge workers.”

Parks and trails already have a significant, positive impact on New York’s economy, but there is
a great deal more potential to be realized.

New York State Parks—A 5-to-1 Return on Investment

New York’s state park system is the nation’s oldest, dating to the creation of the Niagara
Reservation in 1885, and one of the most heavily visited. The system’s 179 parks and 35 historic
sites welcome 58 million visitors annually and are significant economic drivers, while also
strengthening New Yorkers’ health and fitness, enhancing their quality of life, and preserving
invaluable landscapes, ecosystems and historic and cultural treasures.

The tourism dollars generated by parks are critical, especially to local Upstate economies.
According to a 2009 independent study commissioned by Parks & Trails New Y ork, the NYS
Park System boosts the state’s economy to the tune of nearly $2 billion annually—that’s a 5-to-1
retum on investment. For every dollar the state invests in the park system it gets back $5. Plus,
the state park system creates 20,000 jobs—exclusive of state parks employees. The study also
showed that about $744 million of visitor expenditure—that is, around 40% of total visitor
spending—comes from visitors living outside the communities in which the parks are located.
This is money local businesses would not have without the presence of the parks to attract
visitors to the area.

Parks also generate significant additional benefits to the state, including maintaining the natural
environment, protecting communities from the impacts of extreme weather events and mitigating
the impacts from climate change, providing an escape for millions of New Y orkers and others
from around the world, and protecting the state’s heritage for future generations. Because of
these additional benefits, most assessments of the economic impact of parks underestimate their
true economic contribution.

3A merican Planning A sociation. How Cities Use Parks for Economic Development.
http://www. planning.org/cityparks/briefingpapers/economicdevelopment.htm.

Preserve and Enhance the NY S Park System

Over the past two years the Goveror has put parks in the forefront of his efforts to rebuild the
state’s infrastructure and economy. Thanks to the leadership of the Governor and Legislature,
state parks received a historic infusion of capital funding through the New Y ork Works initiative
to restore and rebuild state parks’ aging and dilapidated infrastructure. This $89 million
commitment in the 2012-2013 budget—leveraged to $143 million—is breathing new life into a
park system that has suffered from decades of underfunding while creating local jobs and helping
to grow the state’s economy.

Visitors are noticing the improvements, too. Through Labor Day, 47.4 million people had visited
state parks and historic sites in 2012—an 8.6 percent increase in visits over 2011. This is a
continuing trend; 2011 saw 58 million total visitors, up 1 million from 2010.

With an estimated $1.1 billion backlog in health, safety, and infrastructure projects, state parks
and historic sites still face a tremendous need. According to a recent report by the Office of the
Comptroller, almost every park and historic site in the system has some infrastructure need, from
crumbling buildings and bridges and leaky swimming pools, to outdated to water, sewer and
electrical systems and deteriorating roads.

To continue to be well-maintained and inviting places for the 58 million plus visitors each year,
parks must receive an appropriate level of funding to maintain an adequate level of service and
address aging infrastructure.

As the Assembly works with the Senate and the Governor on the State Fiscal Y ear 2013-2014
budget, we encourage you to keep the momentum for parks going with another round of funding
through the NY Works program. With an investment of $100 million annually, the backlog in
capital needs can be addressed over a roughly ten-year period. Continuing to invest in these
treasured places will keep people working to help grow New York’s economy sustainably, boost
tourism in communities across the state, and secure our parks and conservation legacy for future
generations.

In addition to investing in state parks infrastructure through the NY Works program, there are
other creative ways to move forward and secure the future of the park system.

surcharge is completely avoidable through the use of reusable bags. Through this proposal we
can reduce waste going to our landfills and reduce our contribution to greenhouse gases at the
same time we generate funding to keep our parks open and safe. It is a win-win. We encourage
the Committee to consider Pennies for Parks as well as other permanent sources of funding to
establish a long-term strategy to address capital needs at state parks and historic sites.

While the state parks agency has made great strides in expanding and enhancing its marketing,
for example launching a free phone app, much more could be done to promote state parks. The
successful I Love NY brand could be better linked with our state parks and historic sites. An “I
Love NY Parks” campaign, for example, would raise the visibility of the park system, increasing
visitation, which in turn would bring in more money for parks. Plus greater cooperation between
state agencies means greater operations efficiency.

In addition, partnerships with state park and historic site Friends groups could be enhanced.
These nonprofit organizations—oftentimes made up entirely of volunteers— already contribute
significantly to promotion of our park system in addition to clearing trails, painting buildings,
building kiosks, leading interpretive programs, and raising significant money for capital projects.
Greater investment in these organizations will serve to extend the capacity of the parks agency
and put to good use already existing capacity in our state parks.

We also join with our partners in urging the Legislature and Governor to work together to
develop a strategy by which the Environmental Protection Fund, the lifeblood of environmental
funding in New Y ork, can grow in future years as the economy continues to improve.

Make New Y ork State a World-C lass Destination for Bicycle Tourism

Data from other states indicates that bicycle tourism can make a substantial contribution to the
state and local economy. A survey of three Orange County Florida trails indicated that trail users
spend on average $19 per visit which supports 516 jobs and produces an economic impact of
$42.6 million.‘ A 2009 report by the League of American Bicyclists reveals that bicycling brings
in one billion dollars a year to Colorado’s economy, while bicycle-related activity in Portland,
Oregon contributes $90 million to its local economy and provides 850 to 1,150 jobs. A 2007
economic impact study of Pennsylvania’s Great Allegheny Passage Trail, which has many

“ Economic Impact Analysis of Orange County Trails, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, 2010,
http://www.ecfrpc.org/D. t-Librar i -Impact- of-Trails-in-Orange-County.aspx

similarities to our own Erie Canalway Trail, determined that it was generating $12.5 million in
revenue annually.° Right here in New Y ork, annual use for 22 locations on 14 multi-use
greenway trails is over 2.2 million users.° Clearly there is great unrealized potential in New

Y ork.

Extending 365 miles across New Y ork, the Erie Canalway Trail is the backbone of the statewide
trail system. Presently, the Erie Canalway Trail is more than 75% complete and on its way to
becoming a premiere tourist destination for cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts as well as the
longest, continuous intrastate multi-use trail in the nation. However, the Canalway Trail can
neither realize its full potential as a world-class tourism destination nor offer maximum benefit to
the more than 200 communities along its length until it is finished from Buffalo to Albany as a
continuous off-road trail.

The NY S Canal Corporation estimates that closing the five remaining major gaps will result in
more than 1.5 million bicycle and pedestrian trips across the Erie Canalway Trail, an increase of
500,000 trail users annually, and will generate an estimated $5 million in additional annual
mobility, health, recreation and reduced auto use benefits system-wide.

For more than two decades the federal transportation bill has provided New Y ork communities
with the funds to build pedestrian and bicycle paths, sidewalks, bike lanes, and other
infrastructure that promotes complete streets and walking and bicycling. However, the current
federal transportation bill has reduced support by 30% for such programs and given state DOTs
much greater flexibility in how to utilize these funds.

New Y ork State can still be a national leader in trails and active transportation by ensuring that
100% of the state’s federal Transportation Alternatives funding is directed to building
community infrastructure and trails that encourage safe walking and bicycling.

New Y ork must also commit to continuing the federally funded Recreational Trails Program
which is designed to directly support construction, maintenance and development of trails for all
types of recreation.

It is also vitally important for New York’s communities to have the opportunity to apply for the
estimated $30-$50 million in dedicated, unallocated funds in the Transportation Enhancements
program, which supports trails and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure construction. If

5 The Great Allegheny Passage Economic Impact Study, Phases I, II, & III. Allegheny Trail Alliance, Latrobe, PA.

www.atatrail.org/about/reports.
® Report of the 2012 New York State Trail User Count, December 2012.

www. piny.ong/greenways/NY ST railUserC ount/2012% 20NY $% 20T rail% 20User% 20Count% 20report.pdf

communities are not allowed the opportunity to access these funds very soon, New Y ork State
will lose them.

As with state parks, better statewide marketing and more visibility for the Canalway Trail and
other bikeways and greenways would go a long way to enhancing their economic impact. Our
state’s trails and the communities in which they are located would greatly benefit from more tie-
in with state tourism efforts. An “I Love NY Trails” or “I Love NY” Heritage marketing
campaign could be coordinated with other state and federal agencies. A signage program could
also be implemented to better promote and brand the system of New Y ork State trails.

Closing

We know the members of this Committee share our passion for parks and trails. And Governor
Cuomo’s Cleaner, Greener NY plan and NY Works initiative also show he understands their
importance, especially to the state’s economy. Parks & Trails New Y ork looks forward to
working with this Committee, the rest of the Legislature, the Govemor, our partner
organizations, and park and trail groups to revitalize our wonderful but beleaguered park system
and make New Y ork a top destination for trail and bicycling tourism.

Parks &Trails

NEWYORK

Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
to the Assembly Committee on
Tourism, Parks, Arts, and Sports Development

Respectfully submitted by Robin Dropkin, November 1, 2011

Chairperson Markey and committee members, thank you for this opportunity to speak out on behalf of
New York’s outstanding outdoor recreational resources, especially its magnificent state park system
and its thousands of miles of greenways, canalways, and bikeways, and to explore ways to enhance
New York’s role as a leader in outdoor recreation and boost outdoor recreation’s already significant
impact on the state’s economy.

Iam Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York. Since 1985, Parks & Trails
New York has been the state’s leading advocate for the expansion, protection, and promotion of a
network of parks, trails, bike paths, and greenways throughout the state.

New Y ork State Parks—A 5-to-1 Return on Investment

New York’s state park system is the nation’s oldest, dating to the creation of the Niagara Reservation
in 1885. The system, comprised of 178 parks and 36 historic sites, welcomes 57 million visitors
annually. Our state parks and historic sites are significant economic drivers, while also strengthening
New Yorkers’ health and fitness, enhancing their quality of life, and preserving invaluable landscapes,
ecosystems and historic and cultural treasures.

Ata time when everyone is searching for ways to stimulate the economy, to bring more money and
jobs into the state, the tourism dollars generated by parks are critical, especially to local Upstate
economies. According to a 2009 independent study commissioned by Parks & Trails New Y ork, the
NYS Park System boosts the state’s economy to the tune of nearly $2 billion annually—that’s a 5-to-1
retum on investment. For every dollar the state invests in the park system it gets back $5. Plus, the
State Park System creates 20,000 jobs—exclusive of state parks employees. The study showed that

about $744 million of visitor expenditure—that is, around 40% of total visitor spending—comes from
visitors living outside the communities in which the parks are located. This is money local businesses
would not have without the presence of the parks to attract visitors to the area.

Outdoor Recreation Creates an Attractive Business Climate
Our world-class parks and extensive network of trails are key assets in helping the state and localities
attract tax-paying businesses and a high-quality workforce.

Fortune 500 senior executives, when ranking city attributes for facility location, consider quality of life
issues such as parks and recreation equal with cost of living, and just behind the number one
attribute—a pool of talented, skilled workers.' And these skilled workers prefer places with a diverse
range of outdoor recreational activities, from rock climbing to walking and bicycling paths. Portland,
Seattle, Austin, Denver, and San Francisco are among the top cycling cities; they also are among the
leaders in knowledge workers.’

Small business owners also rank recreation high as a factor for relocation, higher than cost of living,
education, safety, and health care.’

Parks and trails already have a significant, positive impact on New York’s economy, but there is a
great deal more potential to be realized.

Preserve and Enhance the NY S Park System

Despite their essential role in New York’s economy, health, and quality of life, our state parks are in
jeopardy. The threat of closure of 88 parks is still fresh in many New Y orkers’ minds. But while
today parks remain open, they are being starved, with reduced hours, reduced days, reduced seasons,
fewer programs, fewer workers, less maintenance. The backlog of unmet maintenance and
infrastructure needs—repairs to crumbling buildings, bridges, roads, swimming pools, and water and
electrical systems—is estimated at $1.1 billion while the parks agency’s capital budget this year is a
mere $7 million. Can you imagine keeping a system which includes 5,000 buildings, 604 bridges, 106
dams, and 8,000 campgrounds functioning with a capital budget of $7 million?

' Poll conducted by Haris Interactive for AT Keamy/EDS Corp. June/July 2001.

*A merican Planning Association. How Cities Use Parks for Economic Development.

http://www. planning.org/cityparks/briefingpapers/economicdevelopment.htm.

3 Dr. John Compton (2003). The Economic Benefits of Parks and Open Space: How Land Conservation Helps Communities
Grow Smart and Protect the Bottom Line. Texas A&M University.

But the cuts to the state parks agency and other state agencies are well-known and not about to be
reversed in the foreseeable future. So I want to focus on creative ways to move forward.

A new, dedicated funding mechanism for parks is the best chance to adequately support our iconic
state park system, for ourselves and future generations. A viable proposal currently before the
Committee is Pennies for Parks, Bill A.6272/S.4277. It’s a proposal for a penny surcharge on plastic
bags, which can provide more than $60 million to Parks for capital needs. A recent poll shows 3 out of
4 New Y orkers support a one penny surcharge if the money goes to parks. Plus, the surcharge can be
avoided through the use of reusable bags. Through this proposal we can reduce waste going to our
landfills at the same time we generate funding to keep our parks open and safe. It is a win-win.

While the state parks agency has made great strides in expanding and enhancing its marketing, much
more could be done to promote the state’s parks and trails. For example, the successful I Love NY
brand could be better linked with our state parks and historic sites. This would increase park visitation,
which in tum would bring in more money for parks. Plus greater cooperation between state agencies
means greater operations efficiency. Similarly, our state’s trails and the communities in which they are
located would greatly benefit from more tie-in with state tourism efforts.

I also urge the committee to take a closer look at the role of park and historic site friends groups in the
future of our park system. These nonprofit organizations, oftentimes made up entirely of volunteers,
clear trails, paint buildings, build kiosks, lead interpretive programs, and raise significant money for
local park and historic site projects. While their success should not allow the state to shirk its
responsibility to parks, greater investment in these organizations will serve to extend the capacity of
the parks agency.

Make New Y ork State a World-Class Destination for Bicycle Tourism

Parks & Trails New Y ork has worked with more than 300 communities and organizations to build
thousands of miles of trails, helping to bring important economic, public health, tourism, and quality-
of-life benefits to New Y orkers across the state. A special focus of our efforts is promoting and
completing the 350-mile Erie Canalway Trail from Buffalo to Albany so it can realize its full potential
as a world-class tourism destination and attract cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts from around the
nation and the world to help revitalize the economies of Upstate towns and villages.

Bicycle tourism is now the third most common vacation activity’ and bicycle tourists spend significant
money on food, lodging, and transportation. Data from other states indicates that bicycle tourism can

“U.S. Travel Association

make a substantial contribution to the state and local economies. Bicycling brings in one billion
dollars a year to Colorado’s economy. In Portland, Oregon, it contributes $90 million and about 1,000
jobs. A 2007 economic impact study of Pennsylvania’s Great Allegheny Passage Trail, which has
many similarities to our own Erie Canalway Trail, determined that it was generating $40 million in
revenue annually.? The Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation estimated in a recent
study that for just one trail studied—the Town of Hurley Rail Trail in the Hudson Valley—the
economic impact was greater than $1 million.®

Again, better statewide marketing and more visibility for the Canalway Trail and other bikeways and
greenways would go a long way to enhancing their economic impact.

Closing

We know the members of this committee share our passion for parks and trails. And Governor
Cuomo’s Cleaner, Greener NY plan also shows he understands their importance, especially to the
state’s economy. Parks & Trails New Y ork looks forward to working with the Committee, the rest of
the legislature, our partner organizations, and park and trail friends groups to revitalize our wonderful
but beleaguered park system and make New Y ork a top destination for trail and bicycling tourism.

5 The Great Allegheny Passage Economic Impact Study, Phases I, II, & III. Allegheny Trail Alliance, Latrobe, PA.

www.atatrail.org/about/reports.
® NY S Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation (2010). Every Mile Counts - An Analysis of the 2008 Trail User

Surveys.

Parks &Trails

NEWYORK
Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
The Future Development, Growth and Maintenance of the State Park System

Assembly Committee on
Tourism, Parks, Arts, and Sports Development

November 21, 2013

Good moming Chairperson Markey and members of the committee. My name is Robin Dropkin
and I am Executive Director of Parks & Trails New Y ork. We have been the state’s leading
advocate for parks and trails for nearly 30 years and are dedicated to improving New Yorkers’
health, economy, and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green space. Thank you
for this opportunity to speak out on behalf of New York’s magnificent state park system and to
explore ways to efficiently and effectively manage existing assets while continuing to enhance
the park system and maximize public use and enjoyment of its facilities.

A State Parks Renaissance

New Y ork State has a long and proud tradition of being a leader in environmental protection and
our state park system is second to none. Today, our 214 state parks and historic sites are
significant economic drivers, while also strengthening New Yorkers’ health and fitness,
enhancing their quality of life, and preserving invaluable landscapes, ecosystems and historic and
cultural treasures.

With visitation now up to more than 60 million people annually, our state parks and historic sites
are primed to anchor the state’s regional tourism efforts, particularly in Upstate communities.

Challenges Remain

With an approximately $1 billion backlog in health, safety, and infrastructure projects, state
parks and historic sites still face a tremendous need. Parks & Trails New Y ork has long called
attention to the backlog of parks’ capital needs. In November 2006, Parks & Trails New Y ork
released its landmark Parks at a Turning Point report in which we highlighted the many
challenges facing the New Y ork State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
(OPRHP), particularly the agency’s enormous capital projects backlog. These challenges remain;
according to a recent report by the Office of the Comptroller, almost every park and historic site
in the system has some infrastructure need.!

Among the backlog of capital projects faced by the agency is its portfolio of facilities—from
historic structures to storage and maintenance buildings—that sit underutilized and deteriorating
because of the need for significant investment, or because the facilities do not serve a park
purpose. In light of current budgetary constraints, we need to think creatively about how we can
efficiently and effectively manage existing assets while continuing to enhance the park system
and ensure that the public is able to use and enjoy our parks and historic sites to their maximum
potential.

Recommendations

Parks & Trails New Y ork supports strategies that strengthen and diversify funding sources. A
stable level of public funding is key, along with private, philanthropic support and revenues from
user fees, concessions, and other appropriate public-private partnerships.

Conduct an inventory and assessment of assets

Before the state can begin to fully implement new strategies for maintaining and enhancing the
state park system, there is a need to more completely understand the portfolio of facilities that
currently sit underutilized. We recommend OPRHP build upon its October 2010 Capital Needs
Assessment and conduct an inventory of assets for mission-related revenue opportunities, such as
historic buildings as overnight accommodations.

!NY S Office of the State Comptroller. Safety of Infrastructure, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. September 2012. Report
2012-S-29.

Develop public-private partnerships to save historic structures

Innovative thinking is needed to ameliorate the immense problem of OPRHP’s aging
infrastructure and save important and historic properties. PTNY supports authorizing OPRHP,
after careful consideration of terms to protect the public interest, to enter into agreements with
private individuals who are willing to invest private funds to rehabilitate and maintain vacant and
at-risk buildings in state parks and historic sites for which the agency has no public use and lacks
the funds or staff resources to improve and maintain, either in exchange for receiving a long-term
lease or life estate to live in the building or for licenses or leases for adaptive reuse. In such
partnerships, ownership of the structures would remain with OPRHP and, at the end of the lease
or term, control would revert back to the state.

Given the state’s fiscal constraints and the continued slow turnaround of the economy, a resident
curator program is a very appropriate step to take at this point and would hopefully save some
important and historic properties. New Y ork has already approved such public-private
partnerships: the Governor and Legislature authorized OPRHP to lease the caretaker’s house and
garage at Buttermilk Falls State Park in 2011 as a way to encourage private investment in the
buildings. Similar programs have also been very successful in other states, including Maryland
and Massachusetts.

Many other properties, such as three residential-style properties located in three Long Island
parks—Cold Spring Harbor State Park, Heckscher State Park, and Hither Hills State Park—have
been vacant for many years and need major renovations.

Just recently, the National Park Service (NPS) announced it is looking for tenants to invest in
and repair 35 at-risk historic buildings at a former Army base inside the Gateway National
Recreation Area in New Jersey. Tenants could sign up to a 60-year lease in return for committing
to restoring the buildings. NPS estimates for repairs range from $350,000 for a captain’s quarters
to nearly $6 million for barracks. The invitation to submit proposals is open to government
agencies, schools, non-profits, companies, and private citizens.

Longer term leases or licenses of properties to private entities for adaptive reuse can also assist
with the agency’s capital backlog. The Legislature has already designated approximately 50 state
park properties or facilities as requiring longer term leases in order to attract private funding for
rehabilitation and repair purposes and many more could potentially be added to the list, for
example: the clubhouse and tennis facility at Bethpage State Park, the Winter Cottage and Main
House at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, recreational facilities at the location of the
aquatic complex and campground at Heckscher State Park; and the Bayswater Sunset Lodge at
Bayswater Point State Park.

It is PTNY’s expectation that the ultimate uses agreed upon between the agency and the
concessionaire would be consistent with park purposes and that any user fees or other costs to the
public would allow all New Y orkers to use and enjoy the facilities.

Strengthen the capacity of Friends groups and expand volunteer engagement

Active and engaged grassroots organizations already contribute significantly to the stewardship
of the state’s parks and historic sites, raising tens of millions of dollars and logging hundreds of
thousands of hours of volunteer assistance. Finding ways to strengthen and further engage these
organizations will reap large benefits, enabling these groups to leverage more private and federal
funding, marshal more volunteer power, and better fill the growing gap in government support.

Over the years, Parks & Trails New Y ork has developed a suite of resources and opportunities
for Friends groups. Through capacity-building grants, a one-on-one technical assistance
program, an online resource kit, periodic regional gatherings and more, we are helping to build
the capacity and strength of Friends groups. But there is clearly more that could be done and the
need is great.

For the past two years Parks & Trails New Y ork has worked with State Parks and local Friends
groups to engage thousands of volunteers for the popular event, I Love My Park Day. In May,
thousands of volunteers, including Governor Cuomo, contributed more than 10,000 volunteer
hours to cleanup, repair, and beautify nearly 80 state parks and historic sites. With a 100%
participation increase from 2012, I Love My Park Day has gained momentum and is making a
real difference for parks and historic sites around the state. Imagine what could be accomplished
by a year-round volunteer force. Together, we should explore plugging into existing volunteer
networks, such as AmeriCorps, to grow the event into a year-round volunteer program.

Create a dedicated funding stream for state parks

PTNY also strongly supports the establishment of a new, dedicated funding stream for the state
park system. A dedicated funding mechanism for parks is the best chance to adequately support
our iconic state park system, for ourselves and future generations.

Models for dedicated park funding that do not require any new taxes on New Y orkers exist in
other places, such as an “I Love NYS Parks” license plate, a surcharge on disposable grocery
bags, a voluntary tax check-off for parks, or a voluntary donation as part of vehicle registration.
Several states use a percentage of a tax—for example, sales tax, real estate transfer tax, gas tax,
etc.—dedicated to parks.

Other examples increase philanthropic efforts to support state parks in ways that enhance citizen
engagement in state parks. The state of California, for example, has instituted a State Parks’

Patron Program as a vehicle for “point of sale fundraising.” The program collects voluntary
donations from patrons of hotels, restaurants, or other service providers close to parks.
Participating businesses work with park managers to determine the use of collected funds to
achieve mutually agreeable goals. Participating businesses are recognized at the park, online, in
print materials and in press releases. A similar program could be piloted in New Y ork at the three
hotels located in state parks: the Bear Mountain Inn in Bear Mountain State Park, the Gideon
Putnam Resort and Spa in Saratoga Spa State Park, and the Glen Iris Inn in Letchworth State
Park.

A dedicated funding stream for parks can help revitalize the park system and ensure its integrity
for future generations. It does not so much matter the source of that funding stream, but that
there is a united commitment to finding a way to make the park system the best it can be. We
should study the experience of other jurisdictions, combine it with New Y ork spunk and
creativity, develop the model that best suits New Y ork, and get going. (See Appendix A for
examples of dedicated funding mechanisms used in other states.)

Keep parks and historic sites relevant

While the state parks agency has clearly expanded and enhanced its marketing, for example
launching a free phone app and virtual tours of its campgrounds, much more could be done to
promote state parks. The successful I Love NY brand could be better linked with our state parks
and historic sites. An “I Love NY Parks” campaign, for example, would raise the visibility of the
park system, increasing visitation, which in tum would bring in more money for parks. Plus
greater cooperation between state agencies means greater operations efficiency.

In addition to marketing, new models for providing recreational opportunities, interpretation,
lodging, and other park and site features should continue to be explored to attract new and
different visitors and keep parks and historic sites relevant.

Lean Agency Operations Budgets Taking a Toll

Parks & Trails New Y ork believes it is critically important to also address OPRHP’s operations
budget. Given the state’s continued fiscal challenges, we appreciate that OPRHP’s operations
budget has been held steady. However, rising costs outside OPRHP’s control mean that even a
steady-state budget will result in belt-tightening. This reality and the toll of the last few years
continue to weigh heavily. OPRHP’s budget has been cut 23% over the last few years—more
than many agencies—an4d it is operating today with 1,500 fewer staff than it was in 2008. With
decades of underinvestment in state parks, the effects can be felt on the ground with reduced
hours, days, and seasons, fewer programs and workers, fewer park police, and less maintenance,
not to mention fewer resources dedicated to natural resource protection and the visitor

experience. While critically important, capital improvements without sufficient funding for
operations leave the agency struggling to achieve its mission of “providing safe and enjoyable
recreational and interpretive opportunities for all New Y ork State residents and visitors and to be
responsible stewards of our valuable natural, historic and cultural resources.”

Closing

Great strides have been made the past two years in addressing capital needs at state parks and
historic sites and in moving the entire state park system forward into the 21% century. A suite of
creative strategies are needed in order for this renaissance to continue. By encouraging
philanthropic and non-profit support, implementing new public-private partnerships and business
opportunities, and boosting volunteerism, along with continued state investment in infrastructure
and increased operations support, New Y ork can preserve its parks and conservation legacy for
future generations. Parks & Trails New Y ork looks forward to working with this Committee, the
rest of the Legislature, the Governor, and our partner organizations to implement creative
solutions to continue the revitalization of our wonderful but beleaguered park system.

Appendix A: Examples of Dedicated Funding Mechanisms for State Parks

E les of Dedicated Funding Mechanisms for State Parks*
7 (Revenue
Dedicated (Generated States
[Revenue Source
|Annually

Sales tax

Tens of millions of
dollars

(Minnesota, Arkansas, Texas (sale of sporting goods
lonly)

(Oil and gas/drilling
itax

Tens of millions of
dollars

|Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Alaska, Pennsylvania

Real estate transfer
tax

$5 to $20 million

(Tennessee, Delaware, North Carolina

\V ehicle license fee
(opt-in or opt-out)

Tens of millions of
dollars

(Montana, Washington

Income tax Less than $10 \A rkansas, Kansas, South Carolina, Colorado, Delaware
donation check-off |(million

ie ape ae Less than $10 (Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, Kentucky, North
aoe or million (Carolina, South Carolina, California, Maine

> Source: http://www.lao.ca

is/201

parks-030212.aspx

Parks &Trails

NEWYORK
Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork

Joint Legislative Public Hearing
on the
2014-2015 Executive Budget Proposal

January 29, 2014

Good afternoon. My name is Robin Dropkin and I am Executive Director of Parks & Trails New
Y ork. In 1985, Parks & Trails New Y ork was founded to support the state park system, and in
the almost 30 years since, we have been the state’s leading organization working to preserve and
enhance a network of parks, trails and greenways for all New Y orkers for generations to come.
Our influential reports and advocacy efforts have been critical to keeping parks and historic sites
open and protecting New Y ork’s natural, recreational, cultural and historical resources. Thank
you for the opportunity to testify today on the proposed Executive Budget for Fiscal Y ear 2014-
2015.

New York State Parks— A 5-to-1 Return on Investment

New Y ork’s state park system is the nation’s oldest, dating to the creation of the Niagara
Reservation in 1885, and one of the most heavily visited. Today, our 214 state parks and historic
sites are significant economic drivers, while also strengthening New Y orkers’ health and fitness,
enhancing their quality of life, and preserving invaluable landscapes, ecosystems and historic and
cultural treasures.

The tourism dollars generated by parks are critical, especially to local Upstate economies.
According to a 2009 independent study’ commissioned by Parks & Trails New Y ork, the NYS
Park System boosts the state’s economy to the tune of nearly $2 billion annually— that’s a 5-to-1
return on investment. Plus, the state park system creates and supports 20,000 jobs— exclusive of

'PERI Institute. The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State. March 2009. Prepared for Parks & Trails New Y ork.

state parks employees. Overall, outdoor recreation in New Y ork State generates $33.8 billion in
consumer spending, 305,000 direct jobs, and $12.4 billion in wages and salaries.” Our world-
class parks are key assets in helping the state and localities attract tax-paying businesses and a
high-quality workforce.

Parks also generate significant additional benefits to the state, including maintaining the natural
environment, protecting communities from the impacts of extreme weather events and mitigating
impacts from climate change, providing an escape for millions of New Y orkers and others from
around the world, and protecting the state’s heritage for future generations. Because of these
additional benefits, most assessments of the economic impact of parks underestimate their true
economic contribution.

But when most New Y orkers think of state parks, they don’t think about retum on investment or
state appropriations: all they know is that they love their parks. When parks were threatened with
closure, tens of thousands of New Y orkers rallied to their support. For the past two years, on the
first Saturday in May, thousands of New Y orkers have taken time out of their busy weekend to
volunteer for 1 Love My Park Day and help clean up, improve and beautify state parks and
historic sites across the state. It is thanks in large part to this outpouring of support— including
support from many of you— that parks have remained open and are beginning to thrive again.

Because parks are loved by so many New Y orkers, they are one of the most visible and symbolic
of government programs. When parks look shabby and neglected, New Y orkers notice and feel
less proud of their state. And, since rebuilding a park restroom or repairing the roof of a visitor
center can be done quickly and at a fraction of the cost of rebuilding a bridge or highway
underpass, park improvements offer government a tangible way to show New Y orkers— and the
world - that New Y ork is on the move again.

Preserve and Enhance the NY S Park System

Parks are an integral part of the state’s infrastructure. The Governor and Legislature have
recognized this by including parks over the last two years in efforts to rebuild the state’s
infrastructure and economy. This commitment has made it possible for State Parks to sustain its
progress in addressing the estimated $1 billion in critical infrastructure needs, breathing new life
into the park system. The $179 million investment made by the state over the last two years,
leveraged with $50 million in other funds, is creating strong local jobs and helping to grow the
state’s economy while also restoring and reinvigorating treasured and beloved state parks and
historic sites. Flagships like Niagara Falls, which only a few years ago were called “shabby” and

Outdoor Industry Foundation, 2013. The Active Outdoor Recreation Economy. http://ww i reports/NY-
newyork-outdoomecreationeconomy-oia.pdf
2

“underfinanced” by the New York Times, are beginning to receive makeovers that will encourage
increased visitation from tourists all over the world.

Visitors are clearly noticing the improvements. With visitation now up to more than 60 million
people annually, our state parks and historic sites are primed to anchor the state’s regional
tourism efforts, particularly Upstate.

With an estimated $1 billion’ backlog in health, safety, and infrastructure projects, state parks
and historic sites still face a tremendous need. In November 2006, Parks & Trails New Y ork
released its Parks at a Turning Point report in which we highlighted the many challenges facing
the New Y ork State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), particularly
the agency’s enormous capital projects backlog. These challenges remain; according to a recent
report’ by the Office of the Comptroller, almost every park and historic site in the system has
some infrastructure need, from crumbling buildings and bridges and leaky swimming pools, to
outdated water, sewer and electrical systems and deteriorating roads.

Support Proposed $90 Million for State Park Infrastructure Needs

The $90 million in new capital funding through the New Y ork Works program for capital needs
at state parks and historic sites proposed in the FY 14-FY 15 Executive Budget recognizes the
important role these treasured places play in local economic growth, in the protection of
important natural areas, and in providing affordable recreational opportunities for New Y orkers
and out-of-state visitors, alike.

The majority of these funds will be used to maintain and rehabilitate aging facilities in state
parks, half of which are over 50 years old. We urge you to support the Governor's budget
proposal for parks and keep the momentum going. Through the commitment of the Governor and
the Legislature, OPRHP will be able to sustain its progress in addressing the backlog in
infrastructure needs and critical safety repairs, restoring and reinvigorating the state park system.

Y ork’s economy sustainably, boost tourism in communities across the state, and secure New
Y ork’s parks and conservation legacy for future generations.

*New Y ork State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, 2010. New York State Parks & Historic Sites: Capital Needs Assessment,
October 12, 2010.

‘NYS Office of the State Comptroller. Safety of Infrastructure, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. September 2012. Report
2012--29,

Lean Agency Operations Budgets Taking a Toll

The Executive Budget maintains the agency’s operations budget. Given the state’s recent fiscal
challenges, we appreciate that OPRHP’s operations budget has been held steady over the past
several years. However, rising costs outside of the state’s control mean that even a level
operations budget will have deleterious results. OPRHP’s budget has been cut 23% since the
economic crisis— more than many agencies— and it is operating today with 1,500 fewer staff
than it was in 2008. The effects can be felt on the ground with reduced hours, days, and seasons,
fewer programs and workers, fewer park police, and less maintenance, not to mention fewer
resources dedicated to natural resource protection and the visitor experience.

Essentially, our state parks are serving more and more visitors, but being given fewer and fewer
resources with which to do so. While capital improvements are critically important, without
sufficient funding for operations the agency is left struggling to achieve its mission of “providing
safe and enjoyable recreational and interpretive opportunities for all New Y ork State residents
and visitors and to be responsible stewards of our valuable natural, historic and cultural
resources.”

Support Reinvestment in Our Parks

In addition to investing in state parks infrastructure through the NY Works program, there are
other creative ways to move forward and secure the future of the park system.

One option is to take a closer look at the role of park and historic site Friends groups. Active and
engaged grassroots Friends organizations already contribute significantly to the stewardship of
the state’ s parks and historic sites, raising tens of millions of dollars and logging hundreds of
thousands of hours of volunteer assistance. Finding ways to strengthen and further engage these
organizations will reap large benefits, enabling these groups to leverage more private and federal
funding, marshal more volunteer power, and better fill the growing gap in government support.

Restore the Environmental Protection Fund

The Environmental Protection Fund— the dedicated source of funding for protecting New

Y ork’s water and air, providing stewardship for state parks and forests, and delivering essential
resources to communities such as the municipal park program that supports local parks and
trails— is increased by $4 million to $157 million in the Executive Budget proposal. While this
increase is a start, it falls well short of what is needed to meet the significant and growing
demand for environmental funding across the state.

In a year when New Y ork has its first budget surplus since the recent economic decline and
investments are being made in many sectors, we call on the Legislature to not miss the
opportunity to continue to make necessary investments to protect and restore the environment.
As you know, EPF programs are very popular; a recent survey of New Y ork voters shows that a
majority of voters in every part of the state support enhancing the Fund. Therefore we urge you,
on behalf of all New Y orkers, to work with your colleagues to provide more funding for the EPF
in this state budget.

Closing
Parks & Trails New Y ork looks forward to working with the Senate, the Assembly and the
administration on protecting and preserving the legacy of our great park system, as well as

strengthening the network of parks, trails and greenways across the state.

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify.

Parks Trails

NEWYORK

Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
Presented by Laura DiBetta,
Director, Parks Program & Government Relations

Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the
2013-2014 Executive Budget Proposal

February 4, 2013

Good afternoon. My name is Laura DiBetta and I am Park Program Director at Parks & Trails
New Y ork. In 1985, Parks & Trails New Y ork was founded to support the state park system, and
in the more than 25 years since, we have been the state’s leading organization working to
preserve and enhance a network of parks, trails and greenways for all New Y orkers for
generations to come. Our influential reports and advocacy efforts have been critical to keeping
parks and historic sites open and protecting New York’s natural, recreational, cultural and
historical resources. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the proposed Executive
Budget for Fiscal Y ear 2013-2014.

New York State Parks—A 5-to-1 Return on Investment

New York’s state park system is the nation’s oldest, dating to the creation of the Niagara
Reservation in 1885, and one of the most heavily visited. Today, our 214 state parks and historic
sites are significant economic drivers, while also strengthening New Yorkers’ health and fitness,
enhancing their quality of life, and preserving invaluable landscapes, ecosystems and historic and
cultural treasures.

The tourism dollars generated by parks are critical, especially to local Upstate economies.
According to a 2009 independent study! commissioned by Parks & Trails New Y ork, the NYS
Park System boosts the state’s economy to the tune of nearly $2 billion annually—that’s a 5-to-1

‘PERI Institute. The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State. March 2009. Prepared for Parks & Trails New Y ork.

retum on investment. Plus, the state park system creates and supports 20,000 jobs—exclusive of
state parks employees.

Most New Y orkers, however, do not think about these benefits. All they know is they love their
parks. When parks were threatened with closure, thousands of New Y orkers rallied to their
support. Last May, at the first-ever I Love My Park Day, thousands of New Y orkers took time
out of their busy weekend to volunteer and help clean up, improve and beautify state parks and
historic sites across the state. It is thanks in large part to this outpouring of support—including
support from many of you—that parks have remained open and are beginning to thrive again.

Preserve and Enhance the NY S Park System

Over the past two years, Governor Cuomo has put parks in the forefront of his efforts to rebuild
the state’s infrastructure and economy. Thanks to the leadership of the Governor and the
Legislature, state parks received an historic infusion of capital funding through the New Y ork
Works initiative to restore and rebuild state parks’ aging and dilapidated infrastructure. The $89
million commitment in last year’s budget—leveraged to $143 million—is breathing new life into
a park system that has suffered from decades of underfunding while creating thousands of local
jobs and helping to grow the state’s economy.

With an estimated $1.1 billion’ backlog in health, safety, and infrastructure projects, state parks
and historic sites still face a tremendous need. In November 2006, Parks & Trails New Y ork

*New Y ork State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, 2010. New York State Parks & Historic Sites: Capital Needs Assessment,
October 12, 2010.
2

released its Parks at a Turning Point report in which we highlighted the many challenges facing
the New Y ork State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), particularly
the agency’s enormous capital projects backlog. These challenges remain; according to a recent
report’ by the Office of the Comptroller, almost every park and historic site in the system has
some infrastructure need, from crumbling buildings and bridges and leaky swimming pools, to
outdated to water, sewer and electrical systems and deteriorating roads.

Support Proposed $90 Million for State Park Infrastructure Needs

The Governor’s 2013-2014 budget proposal for state parks reflects his recognition of the
important role these treasured places play in local economic growth, in the protection of
important natural areas, and in providing affordable recreational opportunities for New Y orkers
and out-of-state visitors, alike.

The Executive Budget provides $45 million in new capital funding through the New Y ork Works
program, along with $45 million in previously unallocated appropriations, for a total of $90
million for capital needs at state parks and historic sites this year. In addition, the Governor’s
five-year capital plan commits to providing $90 million annually for state parks capital projects
for each of the next five years. We urge you to support the Governor’s budget proposal for parks
and keep the momentum going. Through the commitment of the Governor and the Legislature,
OPRHP will be able to sustain its progress in addressing the more than $1 billion in
infrastructure needs and critical safety repairs, restoring and reinvigorating the state park system.

With an investment of $90 million annually—leveraged with additional private and federal
dollars——the backlog in capital needs can be addressed over a roughly 10-year period.
Continuing to invest in these treasured places will keep people working to help grow New
York’s economy sustainably, boost tourism in communities across the state, and secure New
York’s parks and conservation legacy for future generations.

Support Executive Budget Proposal for O PRHP Operating Budget
The Executive Budget proposal also maintains the agency’s operations budget. Given the state’s
continued fiscal challenges, we appreciate the Governor’s support for parks and his recognition

of the important link between well-maintained parks and economic growth.

I would be remiss, however, if I did not acknowledge that the toll of the last few years will
continue to weigh heavily. The park agency’s budget has been cut 23% over the last few years—

NYS Office of the State Comptroller. Safety of Infrastructure, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. September 2012. Report
2012-S-29.

more than many agencies—and it is operating today with 1500 fewer staff than it was in 2008.
The state park operations budget has been on a downward slide for more than 15 years and parks
are being starved as a result, with reduced hours, days, and seasons, fewer programs and
workers, fewer park police, and less maintenance, not to mention fewer resources dedicated to
natural resource protection and the visitor experience.

Support a Reinvestment in Our Parks

In addition to investing in state parks infrastructure through the NY Works program, there are
other creative ways to move forward and secure the future of the park system. To continue to be
well-maintained and inviting places for the 60 million-plus visitors each year, parks must receive
an appropriate level of funding to maintain an adequate level of service and address aging
infrastructure. We urge the Governor and the Legislature to continue their commitment to
revitalizing the state park system.

One option is to take a closer look at the role of park and historic site Friends groups in the future
of our park system. These nonprofit organizations—oftentimes made up entirely of volunteers—
clear trails, paint buildings, build kiosks, leading interpretive programs, and raise significant
money for capital projects. While their success should not allow the state to shirk its
responsibility to parks, greater investment in these organizations will serve to extend the capacity
of the parks agency and put to good use already existing capacity in our state parks.

The best chance to adequately support our iconic state park system, for ourselves and for future
generations, is by creating a new, dedicated funding mechanism. A viable proposal currently
before the Legislature is “Pennies for Parks.” It is a proposal for a five-cent surcharge on
disposable bags, which can provide more than $70 million annually to state parks for capital
needs. A recent poll* shows 3 out of 4 New Y orkers support a surcharge if the money goes to
parks. Plus, the surcharge is completely avoidable through the use of reusable bags.

It is estimated that the average adult in New Y ork State uses 468 disposable shopping bags each
year—for a total of 7.03 billion disposable shopping bags statewide (6.4 billion plastic and 630
million paper bags). Through this proposal—one that has proven successful in other parts of the
country—we can make progress on many of the state’s goals. We can reduce litter in our
communities and waste going to our landfills, and prevent stormwater infrastructure from getting
clogged, all of which reduces the financial burden on municipalities which must bear the costs of
this waste. We can protect wildlife and marine species which often ingest plastic, a fatal mistake.
We can also reduce our state’s contribution to greenhouse gases and curb our dependence on oil.

“June 2011 public opinion poll of 812 voters conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates,

All of these environmental and economic goals can be achieved at the same time we generate
funding to keep our parks open and safe. It is truly a win-win.

We encourage the Legislature to consider Pennies for Parks as a permanent source of funding to
address capital needs at state parks and historic sites. By making a commitment today to tum
around the decline of our park system we can preserve its integrity for future generations.

Support Executive Budget Proposal for the Environmental Protection Fund

Parks & Trails New Y ork also commends the Govemor for his commitment to the
Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The EPF is the lifeblood of environmental funding in
New Y ork. Like our state park system, the EPF not only protects our environment, it also
generates significant revenue for the state; for every $1 invested in the EPF, the state gets back
$7.° The EPF supports a wide variety of programs that generate revenue and create jobs in many
sectors throughout the state, as well as support disaster recovery and preparedness. This includes
providing much-needed funding for stewardship of state parks and forests, as well as local
community parks and trails that continue to struggle to stay off the chopping block.

After holding the EPF steady for the past two years, the Governor’s proposal would boost the
EPF with an additional $19 million investment, for a total appropriation of $153 million. While
New York’s economy is still rebuilding, we are encouraged that the Governor has proposed new
investments in the environmental programs that will help move our state forward. We are
especially grateful that this proposal includes small increases in funding for state land
stewardship and public access and for the municipal park grant program.

The Legislature has shown staunch support for the EPF and helped maintain its integrity. We
join with our partners in support of this critical investment in New York’s environment and
economy, and urge the Legislature and Governor to implement policies that support the EPF and
enhance funding for these programs.

Closing
Parks & Trails New Y ork looks forward to working with the Senate, the Assembly and the
administration on protecting and preserving the legacy of our great park system, as well as

strengthening the network of parks, trails and greenways across the state.

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify.

5The Trust for Public Land. The Economic Benefits of New York's Environmental Protection Fund. January 2012.

Parks Trails

NEWYORK

Written Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
FY 2015 Capital Budget Hearing

New Y ork State Division of the Budget
October 17, 2013

Since 1985, Parks & Trails New Y ork has been the state’s leading organization working to
preserve and enhance a network of parks, trails and greenways for all New Y orkers for
generations to come. Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony on the State
Fiscal Y ear 2014-2015 Executive Budget proposal, in particular the capital budget of the New
Y ork State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP).

Outdoor Recreation: G ood for the Environment, Good for the Economy

New Y ork State enjoys significant economic benefits thanks to the state’s wealth of natural
resources and scenic beauty. Tourism is one of New York’s leading industries and it has as its
foundation the richness of the state’s environment. Outdoor recreation generates $33.8 billion in
consumer spending, 305,000 direct jobs, and $12.4 billion in wages and salaries.! Active outdoor
recreation generates annual state and local tax revenues in New Y ork of $2.8 billion. Our world-
class parks are also key assets in helping the state and localities attract tax-paying businesses and
a high-quality workforce.

The storms of 2011 and 2012 (Irene, Lee and Sandy) demonstrated our vulnerability to weather-
related disaster and the need for further investment in programs that improve the strength and
resilience of our state’s infrastructure and protect our communities at a time of climate change
and an increased risk of extreme storm events. Parks can provide natural protective systems
while keeping the lands they occupy in productive, attractive use.

‘Outdoor Industry Foundation, 2013. The Active Outdoor Recreation Economy. http://www. reports/NY -
newyork-outdoorrecreationeconomy-oia.pdf

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org 1

While parks already have a significant, positive impact on New York’s economy and resiliency,
there is a great deal more potential to be realized. Each year New York’s environmental funding
needs greatly exceed the amount of available funding. A significant infusion of capital funding
will go along way toward filling the gap between available and needed funding.

Protecting New York’s Conservation Legacy

The tourism dollars generated by parks are critical, especially to local Upstate economies.
According to a 2009 independent study* commissioned by Parks & Trails New Y ork, the NYS
Park System boosts the state’s economy to the tune of nearly $2 billion annually—that’s a 5-to-1
retum on investment. Plus, the state park system creates and supports 20,000 jobs—exclusive of
state park employees.

Visitors are clearly noticing the improvements, too. With visitation now up to more than 60
million people annually, our state parks and historic sites are primed to anchor the state’s
regional tourism efforts, particularly in Upstate communities. The Parks & Trails New Y ork
study cited earlier also showed that about $744 million of park visitor expenditure—that is,
around 40% of total visitor spending—comes from visitors living outside the communities in
which the parks are located. This is money local businesses would not have without the presence
of the parks to attract visitors to the area.

With an approximately $1 billion backlog in health, safety, and infrastructure projects, state
parks and historic sites still face a tremendous need. In November 2006, Parks & Trails New

Y ork released its Parks at a Turning Point report in which we highlighted the many challenges
facing OPRHP, particularly the agency’s enormous capital projects backlog. These challenges

°PERI Institute. The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State. March 2009. Prepared for Parks & Trails New Y ork.

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org 2

remain; according to a recent report by the Office of the Comptroller, almost every park and
historic site in the system has some infrastructure need.

We were extremely pleased to see funding for OPRHP n the state’s 10-year capital spending plan
released this year. The report includes a target of more than $1.2 billion over the next 10 years
for state parks capital funding, showing the Governor’s continued recognition of the importance
of sustained capital funding for environmental infrastructure needs and the important role these
treasured places play in local economic growth, in the protection of important natural areas, and
in providing affordable recreational opportunities for New Y orkers and out-of-state visitors,
alike.

It is our hope that we will continue to see this commitment to eliminating OPRHP’s capital
projects backlog. Continuing to invest in these treasured places will keep people working to help
grow New York’s economy sustainably, boost tourism in communities across the state, and
secure New York’s parks and conservation legacy for future generations.

Lean Agency Operations Budget Taking a Toll

Given the state’s continued fiscal challenges, we appreciate that the operations budget of OPRHP
has held steady. The Governor and Legislature have shown tremendous support for parks and a
clear recognition of the important link between well-maintained parks and other public lands and
economic growth.

We would be remiss, however, if we did not acknowledge that the toll of the last few years will
continue to weigh heavily. OPRHP’s budget has been cut 22% over the last few years—more
than many agencies—and it is operating today with 1,500 fewer staff than it was in 2008. The
state park operations budget has been on a downward slide for more than 15 years and parks are
being starved as a result, with reduced hours, days, and seasons, fewer programs and workers,
fewer park police, and less maintenance, not to mention fewer resources dedicated to natural
resource protection and the visitor experience. While significant, capital improvements without
sufficient funding for operations keep the agency struggling to achieve its mission of “providing
safe and enjoyable recreational and interpretive opportunities for all New Y ork State residents
and visitors and to be responsible stewards of our valuable natural, historic and cultural
resources.”

ONY S Office of the State Comptroller. Safety of Infrastructure, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. September 2012. Report
2012-S-29.

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org 3

Closing

As you prepare the State Fiscal Y ear 2014-2015 Executive Budget proposal, we encourage you
to keep the momentum for parks going with another round of funding through the NY Works
program. With an investment of $90 million annually the backlog in capital needs can be
addressed over a roughly ten-year period. We also encourage you to begin to put OPRHP’s
operations budget on an upward trajectory so that our state parks and historic sites can more fully
realize their potential as destinations and economic engines for local communities. Continuing to
invest in these treasured places will keep people working to help grow New York’s economy
sustainably, boost tourism in communities across the state, and secure our parks and
conservation legacy for future generations.

Thank you again for the opportunity to submit testimony.

Parks & Trails New Y ork — 29 Elk Street Albany, NY 12207 — 518-434-1583 — ptny@ ptny.org - www.piny.org 4

Parks &Trails

NEWYORK

Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
to the Assembly Committees on
Tourism, Parks, Arts, and Sports Development
and
Oversight, Analysis, and Investigation

Respectfully submitted by Robin Dropkin, December 13, 2010

Chairman Englebright and committee members, thank you for this opportunity to speak out on
behalf of New Y ork’s magnificent but beleaguered park system and to explore ways to move
forward to revitalize the system.

Iam Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New Y ork. For more than 25 years,
Parks & Trails New Y ork has been the state’s leading advocate for parks and trails, working to
expand, protect, and promote a network of parks, trails, bike paths, and greenways throughout
the state. We have worked with more than 300 communities and organizations to build
thousands of miles of trails, helping to bring important economic, public health, tourism, and
quality of life benefits to New Y orkers around the state. A special focus of our efforts is
completing the 350-mile Erie Canalway Trail from Buffalo to Albany as an off-road path. We
are dedicated to closing the trail’s six remaining gaps so it can realize its full potential as a
world-class tourism destination and attract cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts to help
revitalize the economies of hundreds of Upstate towns and villages along the Erie Canal
Corridor.

We also represent the interests of the 57 million annual visitors to New Y ork’s crown jewels, its
state parks. Our system of state parks is the nation’s oldest, dating to the creation of the Niagara
Reservation in 1885. Our state parks preserve invaluable landscapes and ecosystems, strengthen
New Y orkers’ health and fitness and enhance their quality of life.

Plus, at a time when everyone is searching for ways to stimulate the economy, to bring more
money and jobs into the state, the tourism dollars generated by parks are critical, especially to
local economies Upstate. According to a 2009 independent study commissioned by Parks &
Trails New Y ork, the NY S Park System boosts the state’s economy to the tune of nearly $2
billion annually - that’s a5 to 1 retwm on investment. For every dollar the state invests in the
park system it gets back $5. Plus, the State Park System creates 20,000 jobs - exclusive of state
parks employees.

Our park system is a priceless legacy - created by civic leaders, philanthropists, public servants
and taxpayers from generations past and sustained by taxpayers today. And taxpayers today
repeatedly tell us that parks are one of the things, one of the few things, that they feel their taxes
are well spent on.

It was made clear last winter, when 88 parks were on the chopping block, that New Y orkers love
and need their parks. When the news of the proposed closures hit, the hue and cry could be
heard from the tip of Montauk clear across the state to Buffalo. New Y orkers jumped into action
- they made phone calls, sent emails, wrote letters, organized rallies, created Facebook pages,
tweeted their outrage, and harangued their legislators about the closing of parks.

Which is why so many legislators supported keeping parks open. And why so many of them said
that they had never heard from so many constituents on any other issues.

Despite their essential role in New Y ork’s economy, health and quality of life, our State Parks
are in jeopardy. They are suffering from decades of underinvestment. The backlog of unmet
maintenance and infrastructure needs— repairs to crumbling buildings, bridges, roads, swimming
pools, and water and electrical systems— is estimated at $1 billion.

The situation on the operating side is just as dire. Since 2008, State Parks has lost

17 percent of its permanent staff and almost 20 percent of its seasonal staff - a total of more
than 1,400 permanent and seasonal workers. During the previous decade, the parks operating
budget declined steadily, while the system expanded by 26 new parks. For an agency that was
lean to begin with, this spells disaster.

We know that the state is in serious fiscal trouble and understand that some degree of shared
sacrifice is in order, but parks are being disproportionately hit. Consider the last cut to the state
workforce. The cuts to park positions represented almost 5 percent of the workers at the agency.
Compare this with proposed cuts at the Department of Motor Vehicles of 2.6 percent or the
Department of Transportation of 1.4 percent.

Plus, unlike other agencies, the vast majority - more than 85 percent - of parks staff works
directly on operations, out in the field. And the parks budget is miniscule to begin with - less
than 4 of one percent of the total state budget.

OPRHP has endured as many cuts as it can. Any further cuts will not merely lead to more
service and program reductions, but inevitably to park closings. Already, it’s being reported that
the state is considering closing parks. It seems as though Knox Farm State Park near Buffalo and
the Robert Moses Nature Center in the Thousand Islands will close come January 1 because
there will be no staff left to keep open the gates.

For all these reasons, it’s time to step back and think creatively about ways to remedy the
situation. A new, dedicated funding mechanism for parks seems to us the best chance to
adequately support our iconic state park system, for ourselves and future generations.

We know the members of this committee share our passion for parks. And Gov-elect Cuomo’s
Cleaner, Greener NY plan also shows he understands the importance of parks, especially to the
economy.

Parks & Trails New Y ork looks forward to working with the Assembly, the Senate and the new
administration, and our partner, the Alliance for NY S Parks, on revitalizing our wonderful but
beleaguered park system.

Parks GTrails

NEWYORK

Testimony of Parks & Trails New Y ork
to the Assembly Committees on
Tourism, Parks, Arts, and Sports Development
and
Oversight, Analysis, and Investigation

Respectfully submitted by Robin Dropkin, December 13, 2010

Chairman Englebright and committee members, thank you for this opportunity to speak out on behalf
of New Y ork’s magnificent but beleaguered park system and to explore ways to move forward to
revitalize the system.

I am Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New Y ork. For more than 25 years, Parks &
Trails New Y ork has been the state’ s leading advocate for parks and trails, working to expand, protect,
and promote a network of parks, trails, bike paths, and greenways throughout the state. We have
worked with more than 300 communities and organizations to build thousands of miles of trails,
helping to bring important economic, public health, tourism, and quality of life benefits to New Y orkers
around the state. A special focus of our efforts is completing the 350-mile Erie Canalway Trail from
Buffalo to Albany as an off-road path. We are dedicated to closing the trail’s six remaining gaps so it
can realize its full potential as a world-class tourism destination and attract cyclists and other outdoor
enthusiasts to help revitalize the economies of hundreds of Upstate towns and villages along the Erie
Canal Corridor.

We also represent the interests of the 57 million annual visitors to New Y ork’s crown jewels, its state
parks. Our system of state parks is the nation’s oldest, dating to the creation of the Niagara Reservation
in 1885. Our state parks preserve invaluable landscapes and ecosystems, strengthen New Y orkers’
health and fitness and enhance their quality of life.

Plus, at a time when everyone is searching for ways to stimulate the economy, to bring more money
and jobs into the state, the tourism dollars generated by parks are critical, especially to local economies
Upstate. According to a 2009 independent study commissioned by Parks & Trails New Y ork, the NYS
Park System boosts the state’s economy to the tune of nearly $2 billion annually - that’s a 5 to 1 retum
on investment. For every dollar the state invests in the
park system it gets back $5. Plus, the State Park System creates 20,000 jobs - exclusive of state parks
employees.

Our park system is a priceless legacy - created by civic leaders, philanthropists, public servants and
taxpayers from generations past and sustained by taxpayers today. And taxpayers today repeatedly tell
us that parks are one of the things, one of the few things, that they feel their taxes are well spent on.

It was made clear last winter, when 88 parks were on the chopping block, that New Y orkers love and
need their parks. When the news of the proposed closures hit, the hue and cry could be heard from the
tip of Montauk clear across the state to Buffalo. New Y orkers jumped into action - they made phone
calls, sent emails, wrote letters, organized rallies, created Facebook pages, tweeted their outrage, and
harangued their legislators about the closing of parks.

Which is why so many legislators supported keeping parks open. And why so many of them said that
they had never heard from so many constituents on any other issues.

Despite their essential role in New Y ork’s economy, health and quality of life, our State Parks are in
jeopardy. They are suffering from decades of underinvestment. The backlog of unmet maintenance and
infrastructure needs— repairs to crumbling buildings, bridges, roads, swimming pools, and water and
electrical systems— is estimated at $1 billion.

The situation on the operating side is just as dire. Since 2008, State Parks has lost

17 percent of its permanent staff and almost 20 percent of its seasonal staff - a total of more

than 1,400 permanent and seasonal workers. During the previous decade, the parks operating budget
declined steadily, while the system expanded by 26 new parks. For an agency that was lean to begin
with, this spells disaster.

We know that the state is in serious fiscal trouble and understand that some degree of shared sacrifice is
in order, but parks are being disproportionately hit. Consider the last cut to the state workforce. The
cuts to park positions represented almost 5 percent of the workers at the agency. Compare this with
proposed cuts at the Department of Motor Vehicles of 2.6 percent or the Department of Transportation
of 1.4 percent.

Plus, unlike other agencies, the vast majority - more than 85 percent - of parks staff works directly on
operations, out in the field. And the parks budget is miniscule to begin with - less than % of one
percent of the total state budget.

OPRHP has endured as many cuts as it can. Any further cuts will not merely lead to more service and
program reductions, but inevitably to park closings. Already, it’s being reported that

the state is considering closing parks. It seems as though Knox Farm State Park near Buffalo and the
Robert Moses Nature Center in the Thousand Islands will close come January 1 because there will be
no staff left to keep open the gates.

For all these reasons, it’s time to step back and think creatively about ways to remedy the situation. A
new, dedicated funding mechanism for parks seems to us the best chance to adequately support our
iconic state park system, for ourselves and future generations.

We know the members of this committee share our passion for parks. And Gov-elect Cuomo’s
Cleaner, Greener NY plan also shows he understands the importance of parks, especially to the
economy.

TESTIMONY SUBMITTED BY
THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND COALITION
TO THE
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES CONCERNING
FISCAL YEAR 2010 APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE LAND AND WATER
CONSERVATION FUND AND THE FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM

MARCH 26, 2009

This testimony is submitted on behalf of the following partner groups working together
as the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Coalition to promote full funding for
the Land and Water Conservation Fund, federal and stateside, and Forest Legacy
Programs.

Adirondack Mountain Club (NY) ¢American Canoe Association ¢ American
Hiking Society ¢ American Land Conservancy ¢American Whitewater ¢
Appalachian M in Club @ Appalachian Trail Conservancy ¢ Civil War
Preservation Trust ¢ Cooks Creek Watershed Association (PA) ¢ Defenders of
Wildlife ¢ Defense of Place (CO) # Delaware River Greenway Partnership (PA) «
East Coast Greenway Alliance (RI) # Eastern Forest Partnership ¢ Friends of
Congaree Swamp (SC) ¢ Friends of Virgin Island National Park # Georgia River
Network ¢ Highlands Coalition ¢ Hudson Highlands Land Trust (NY)
Housatonic Valley Association ¢ Kent Land Trust (CT) ¢ Kittatinny Group, PA
Sierra Club ¢ The Land Conservancy of New Jersey # Maine Appalachian Trail
Land Trust ¢ Monroe Highlands C onservancy (NY) ¢ Montgomery County Lands
Trust (PA) ¢ Musconetcong Mountain Conservancy (NJ) # Naromi Land Trust
(CT) @ National Association of State Park Directors ¢ National Park Trust «
National Parks C onservation Association ¢ National Recreation and Park
Association ¢ National Wildlife Refuge Association ¢ The Nature Conservancy
New Jersey Conservation Fund ¢ Nez Perce Trail Foundation ¢ North Country
Trail Association ¢ Northern Forest Alliance ¢ Outdoor Alliance ¢ Outdoor
Industry Association ¢ Orange County Land Trust (NY) Pacific Crest Trail
Association ¢ Parks & Trails New Y ork @ Partnership for the National Trails
System ¢ Ramapo River Watershed Intermunicipal C ouncil (NY/NJ) ¢Southern
Appalachian Forest C oalition ¢ Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
Swan Ecosystem Center (MT) ¢ The Trust for Public Land ¢ Virginia Association
for Parks ¢ Western Pennsylvania Conservancy # Western Rivers Conservancy ¢
The Wilderness Society ¢ Winter Wildlands Alliance
Wildlands Conservancy, Inc. (PA)

Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Simpson and other members of the Subcommittee,
thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony. We begin this statement by

applauding the Subcommittee for the increases in the Land and Water Conservation Fund
(LWCF) and Forest Legacy Program (FLP) funding contained in the Fiscal Y ear 2009
Omnibus A ppropriations bill. We are equally delighted by increases for these programs
proposed in the Fiscal Y ear 2010 Obama A dministration budget along with the
commitment to reach full funding of the LWCF in the next five years.

The LWCF Coalition is made up of more than 50 groups including land trusts, trails and
outdoor recreation organizations, fish and wildlife groups, state parks agencies and
foundations, as well as other conservation organizations working to achieve full funding
for the LWCF and the FLP. We urge the Subcommittee to set the course towards this
goal by including substantial funding increases in the Fiscal Y ear 2010 Interior
appropriations bill for these two important programs. We recommend increasing the
funding of federal LWCF to $325 million, stateside LWCF to $125 million, and the
allocation of $125 million for the Forest Legacy program.

We thank the Subcommittee for its leadership and continued support of these essential
programs. Despite the best efforts of this Subcommittee and other Congressional leaders,
the LWCF has suffered dramatic funding cuts in the past decade. Over the program’ s
forty-four year history only once has it been fully funded at the congressionally
authorized level of $900 million annually. Today we face an extensive and growing
backlog of land acquisition needs in our national parks, national wildlife refuges, national
forests, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) units and other federal lands. Critical
resource and recreational properties are being lost to inappropriate development that
compromises management objectives and undermines resource protection across our
federal lands. Willing-seller landowners with conservation intent, wishing to see their
property protected, wait years with no measurable prospect for federal acquisition of their
property. America’s irreplaceable wildlands, woodlands, farmlands, fish and wildlife
habitats, scenic areas, historic sites, trails and neighborhood parks are being developed,
fragmented, and otherwise sacrificed because there is simply not enough LWCF money
to go around.

The LWCF is a vital funding mechanism creating significant environmental, economic
and cultural benefits. Lands protected through the program include wildemess access
points, river corridors popular with paddlers and anglers, endangered species habitat,
beaches, campgrounds, historic battlefields, and pristine mountain forests. Eighty percent
of the lands acquired with LWCF funds lay within the existing boundaries of federal
parks, refuges, forests, or recreation areas. Within our national parks alone, 1.9 million
acres of inholdings identified for protection remain to be acquired and may be developed
if they are not conserved.

The state grants component of the LWCF is in equal distress from insufficient funding.
This program supports the protection of recreation lands and the development of parks at
the state and local level to provide accessible, close-to-home recreation. These matching
grants enable communities, counties, and states to acquire land and to build or improve
recreational facilities. Despite low funding levels, the program has distributed funds to
almost every county in the country for over 41,000 projects including creating parks,

LWCF Coalition Testimony 2

playgrounds, recreation facilities, trails, and preserving forests and wildlife habitat.
Across the nation over 6,600 state parks and countless local parks depend on this federal
partnership to help meet land acquisition and park infrastructure needs. Forty-four states
recently reported that less than five percent of park funding needs are currently being
met. The federal partnership is largely missing from the funding equation and the social
and economic benefits of these parks cannot be overstated. With soaring child obesity
rates, spending time with children out-of-doors can inspire a lifetime of healthy exercise
and outdoor activity. Today we better understand that outdoor play contributes to a
child’s development on many levels including their capacity to be creative and problem
solve, as well as their emotional and intellectual development.

In 1990, Congress created another important tool to help protect forests. The Forest
Legacy Program (FLP), administered by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service (USFS), helps to
preserve working forestlands threatened by conversion/development. This program
leverages federal funds with state and private monies to permanently protect forested
properties by direct fee title purchase or through conservation easements. FLP enables
landowners and communities to retain ownership of forestland and to continue to eam
income from these resources through sustainable timber harvesting. This program also
conserves open space, wildlife habitat, and clean water, and ensures continued
opportunities for public recreation. To date, this program has protected over 1.7 million
acres in 36 states and Puerto Rico. A total of $381 million of federal funds have been
matched by $484 million in non-federal funds and donations, making the federal share
only 44 percent of overall project costs. FLP funding has steadily diminished from a
height of $69 million in Fiscal Y ear 2003, while demand for funding has steadily
increased. For Fiscal Y ear 2010, the USFS received 84 project proposals from 44 states
and territories to protect 288,530 acres with a total project value of over $363 million.

In the face of the current economic downturn, we cannot underestimate the power public
lands can have in tuming the tide. Tourism dollars and visitation to our parks and public
lands can serve as an economic engine for local and regional economies. Each year
millions of Americans visit our public lands to enjoy hiking, wildlife watching, hunting,
fishing, climbing, camping, mountain bicycling, horseback riding, photography, paddling
and boating, cross-country and backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, and outdoor education
and interpretation. The Outdoor Industry Association reports that recreation contributes
$730 billion annually to the U.S. economy. Investment by the Congress in the LWCF will
yield greater public benefits now, than perhaps in any time in recent history. With
property values significantly down from just a year ago, timely acquisition funding will
make a real difference in addressing the backlog of federal agencies’ land acquisition
needs. In this market, public agencies can better compete with private buyers and
developers, and can stretch LWCF dollars even further.

A 2006 economic assessment of the National Park System produced by the National
Parks Conservation Association determined that national park visitors spend over $11
billion annually in communities surrounding parks, generating $13.3 billion in local sales
and supporting 267,000 jobs. Similarly, a recent Fish and Wildlife Service report,
Banking on Nature, revealed that the 40 million annual visitors to national wildlife

LWCF Coalition Testimony 3

refuges generate more than $1.7 billion in annual sales to local economies, resulting in
the creation of 27,000 jobs and generating more than $542 million in employment
income. State parks in California generate almost $3 billion for adjacent local economies,
providing a retum of two dollars in state taxes for every dollar spent on maintenance and
operations in state parks. Today, California State Parks alone could put 2,620 people to
work on 23,000 projects over the next five years if adequate funds were made available.

The LWCF and Forest Legacy Programs are needed now more than ever to protect
watershed, wildlife and local economies. Fighting wildfires along the wildland-urban
interface is costing the American taxpayer billions of dollars annually and is having huge
impacts on federal agency budgets, particularly the BLM and USFS. Using the LWCF for
strategic land purchases in and adjacent to public lands to prevent private development in
the most fire prone areas will allow agencies to implement better fire prevention
management in these critical zones. Furthermore, the Forest Legacy Program provides
states and private landowners with a tool to maintain key areas as working forests and to
prevent inappropriate development.

Drinking water quality and quantity greatly depend on the protection of forestlands,
grasslands, and wetlands ranging from high elevation watersheds to coastlines. These
acres filter pollutants, prevent erosion along rivers, and decrease the costs and damage
from floods and storms. Headwaters, river corridors, lakeshores, and estuaries also
provide critical natural habitat and migratory corridors for fish and wildlife. The
American public deeply values the protection of water resources. A 2008 summary of
local and statewide polls conducted nationwide ranked clean water as the top
conservation concem for 88 percent of the people polled. Protection of land and water
through LWCF purchases in and around our national forests, parks, refuges and other
conservation areas helps maintain the long-term integrity of our nation’s water quality
and water supplies. Maintaining working forests with Forest Legacy dollars provides a
critical tool to protect valuable community watersheds.

Today, the 682 million acres of federal land and waterways provide a critical opportunity
to address the unprecedented challenges that climate change poses to our forests, fish and
wildlife, and riparian resources. The strategic acquisition of key inholdings, buffer areas,
and wildlife migration corridors within and adjacent to existing public lands enhances
adaptation efforts and fosters intact landscapes. These natural areas also store carbon,
buffer flooding, conserve water, and support healthy fisheries and wildlife populations.
Hand-in-hand with mitigating the deleterious impacts of our environment from buming
fossil fuels is the need to respond to climate change with a foresighted investment in land
protection and natural resource adaptation across the federal public lands.

In closing, we thank the Subcommittee for your continuing leadership on federal land

conservation. The LWCF Coalition stands ready to work with you to secure full and
consistent funding for the LWCF and FLP. Thank you.

LWCF Coalition Testimony 4

Testimony submitted on behalf of the LWCF Coalition by Maddy Pope, Director of
National Outreach, The Trust for Public Land maddy.pope@ tpl.org

LWCF Coalition Testimony

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