What's the Issue?
Every year, New York State passes a budget that includes funding for environmental, community, and climate change initiatives. And each year, as costs increase and other issues clamor for attention and limited dollars, we must again make the case to the Governor and State Legislature that a clean, healthy environment is paramount to quality of life in New York.
In the first quarter of the year, we spend a considerable amount of time talking with partner organizations and lawmakers to ensure that money is allocated to important programs that help us continue to defend the valley.
What's Our Vision?
We are proud that New York is one of the top states in the country when it comes to investing in environmental initiatives, but there is still more to do. We want New York, especially the Hudson Valley, to lead the nation in clean air and water, land protection, environmental justice, and climate resilience.
What's the Status
To achieve these goals for all New Yorkers, Scenic Hudson, along with various coalition partners, supports the following initiatives for the 2025-2026 budget session:
- Increase the Environmental Protection Fund, which is New York’s only dedicated capital investment program for the environment, to $500 million. It supports more than 100 environmental programs that provide a broad array of resources benefitting all New Yorkers.
- Provide $250 million in capital funds for NYS Parks for jobs, outdoor recreation, climate resiliency, and wildlife protection.
- Increase the Clean Water Infrastructure Act allocation to $600 million to enable New York State to tackle both longstanding and emerging threats to clean water in our state.
- Strengthen conservation within the state budget by advocating for the inclusion of specific language to support state land acquisition, nonprofit tax exemptions, and payments to communities that host State Parks.
- Support the Governor’s proposed funding for climate and flood resiliency.
State Legislature
The New York State Legislature consists of two houses: the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Senate currently has 63 members, and the Assembly has 150 members.
Executive Budget
In New York, the Governor submits a budget plan for each fiscal year to the State Legislature. The current state fiscal year runs from April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026.
Appropriations
After the governor proposes her executive budget to the New York State Legislature, there is healthy debate and discussion about it. The final decisions made by the Legislature about how to allocate funds are called appropriations.
- Alliance for New York’s Farmland
- New Yorkers for Clean Water & Jobs Coalition
- New York Clean Water Coalition
- Hudson Valley Alliance for Housing & Conservation

KEEP NY GREEN
What can you do now?

REACH OUT TO YOUR LEGISLATORS
Tell your elected officials to support important programs that help us in our ongoing efforts to defend the valley.
- GOVERNOR HOCHUL: Email her here, or tweet at her @GovKathyHochul
- STATE SENATOR: Find your Senator here
- STATE ASSEMBLY: Find your Assembly member here

ATTEND A LOBBY DAY
Throughout the budget process, lobby days are held by various organizations and coalitions to bring diverse and passionate voices to Albany. This is one way to ensure that political leaders in Albany hear directly from the people they represent, about the issues they care about. During a lobby day, you can meet directly with legislators and their staffers to discuss a variety of issues that affect your communities with the help of trained advocates. See below to register for this year’s environmentally-focused advocacy days:

ADD YOUR VOICE! We bring the voices of the Hudson Valley directly to the decision makers and policy makers shaping our future.