ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — In his State of the State address on Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo set an environmental agenda for 2020 legislation that earmarks 4,000 acres of land in the Mid-Hudson Valley region for conservation. Cuomo says that land acquisitions should stimulate local economies by attracting tourism among outdoor enthusiasts.
Nearly $21 million in funds will expand state parks throughout the region—complementing nearly 2,000 acres of newer tracts of wilderness and open space, where preservation is already underway—by adding adjacent buffers, scenic vistas, and hiking trails.
- Minnewaska State Park Preserve: 633 new acres added to 740 acres already underway
- Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve: 965 new acres added to 30 acres already underway
- Schunnemunk Mountain State Park: 158 new acres added to 808 acres already underway
- Harriman State Park: 404 acres already underway
- Fahnestock State Park: 150 new acres
- Sterling Forest State Park: 112 new acres
- Rockefeller State Park Preserve: 1 new acre
New acquisitions would include some of the largest privately held parcels west of the Hudson River in the biodiverse corridors of the Shawangunks and Hudson Highlands. $11.4 million from state parks and $9.2 million from the Environmental Protection Fund and the Hudson Highlands Conservation Act would fund Cuomo’s ecological positions.
