ENCON

Ensure that hazardous waste sites are cleaned up,

hunting and fishing programs continued and

open space is preserved.

Legislators need to protect and maintain our environment by:

• Reauthorizing and expanding the Superfund so current staff and remediation standards are maintained;

• Keeping the conservation/fish and wildlife fund solvent; and

• Providing adequate funds to maintain current environmental protection fund services and staff.

Reauthorize and expand the Superfund.

FACT: The Legislature must refinance the New York State Superfund with at least $138 million as recommended by the Superfund Working Group. Current projections indicate that funds for Superfund remediation of the state's worst sites will be exhausted by March 31,2001 — $50 million short of existing obligations. New funding is vital for the continuation of the present level of New York's programs to investigate and remediate hazardous waste and substances, petroleum, and other contaminated sites across the state.

FACT: Both the Governor's and Assemblyman Grannis' reauthorization legislation for the Superfund refer to the need to investigate and remediate approximately 785 hazardous waste sites. However, professionals at DEC believe that both bills significantly underestimate the number of sites that require investigation and remediation! For example there are, at least 1,400 dry cleaner sites that probably used perchoroethylene that would require remediation. There are another 1,000 sites that used hydrocarbons as cleaning agents that should be investigated for possible remediation. And there are 250 turn-of-the -century manufactured coal-gas facilities (not already under a consent order with major utilities), and numerous old print shops, auto repair facilities, and hazardous substance sites that need investigation and possible remediation.

FACT: In the Capital Region alone, there are more than a dozen hazardous waste sites, such as United Plating Corporation in Schenectady and Dewey Loeffel in Rensselaer County, that may not be fully investigated or adequately remediated if legislation to refinance the Superfund is not passed this year.

FACT: Identification and remediation of hazardous waste and hazardous substances sites is important for protect our environment and the public's health and also for the economic revitalization of sites and their return to the tax roles.

Keep the Conservation/ Fish and Wildlife Fund solvent.

FACT: The solvency of the Conservation Fund is at risk as the fund is facing a deficit of $2.5 million in the current fiscal year. This deficit will rise to $8.7 million by the end of the SFY 2002-03 and to $15.5 million by the end of SFY2003-04 if sport, hunting, and fishing fees are not raised to cover this deficit. The Legislature must provide alternative funding if the fees are not raised.

FACT: Resident and non-resident license fees have not been raised since 1991 and 1993 respectively, while the costs associated with running NY's fish and wildlife program have increased annually. Currently, NYS hunting and fishing license fees are lower than neighboring states and the proposed increase makes these fees more comparable.

FACT: Authorizing the Commissioner of DEC to adopt license fee changes via regulation, based upon the Conservation Fund Advisory Board's recommendation, will ensure the timely adoption of appropriate revenue increases to be used to support the state's high quality fish and wildlife programs.

Provide adequate funds to maintain current environmental protection fund services.

FACT: The Executive Budget proposes to fund 43 positions with funds from the Environmental Protection Fund instead of the General Fund. If the Legislature does not approve this funding source transfer it must provide $2.7 million in funding to support these positions or it will jeopardize the administration of the Environmental Protection Fund program and the maintenance and acquisition of pristine open spaces.

• Keep our communities and citizens safe from hazardous waste.

• Adequately fund hunting and fishing programs.

• Continue the preservation of open space.

Keep quality services at the

Department of Environmental Conservation!