NYS DEC releases Environmental Bond Act Draft Eligibility Guidelines to support planting 25 million trees by 2033
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today released for public comment new proposed eligibility guidelines to improve, expand, and assess the state’s forestry efforts on public and private lands under the historic $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022.
The guidelines will help support implementation of Governor Kathy Hochul’s initiative to plant 25 million trees by 2033 by building capacity for production of plant materials and investing in a comprehensive data tracking and management system for forestry projects.
To further achieve New York’s climate goals, Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State Address and Executive Budget included $47 million to support a new goal of planting 25 million trees statewide by 2033.
The draft eligibility guidelines available for comment enable the public to provide input on the implementation of Bond Act funding for forestry and community health benefits as part of the $400 million directed towards ‘Climate Change Mitigation.’
Read more on the DEC’s website.
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