Environment (Forestry)

passed both · New York · Assembly Jun 2, 2026

A 9598: Relates to prohibitions on the use of certain tropical hardwoods for state contracts

Requires that companies contracting with the state do not contribute to tropical forest degradation or deforestation directly or through their supply chains.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProhibits state contractors from using tropical hardwoods linked to deforestation, directly protecting tropical forests and natural resources through supply chain restrictions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4626: Authorizes the county of Cattaraugus to discontinue as parklands and lease certain reforested lands in the town of Perrysburg

Bill A 4626 authorizes Cattaraugus County to stop using specific reforested lands (totaling ~64 acres) in Perrysburg as public parks and lease them for up to 30 years. The lease allows oil/gas exploration, timber production, and recreational use, with all lease revenue required to fund county park improvements or new park acquisitions. Public access to existing recreational facilities on the land must continue under a fair reservation system.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill directs lease revenue from land to fund park improvements/acquisitions, strengthening county park budget allocation without tax increases.95% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentAllows oil/gas exploration on reforested lands, prioritizing extractive industry over conservation and weakening parkland protections.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry Parks & Recreation

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5439: Relates to establishing contractual requirements for logging agreements

This bill requires all timber logging operations to use a written contract between property owners and loggers. The contract must include equal split of timber sales money, payment per truckload before further removals, detailed receipts for each load, and $1 million liability insurance documentation. It also sets logging standards (like cutting tree-tops to 3 feet), allows property owners to monitor operations, and treats violations like timber theft as criminal offenses with civil remedies available to owners.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill sets logging standards (e.g., tree-tops to 3 feet) and requires monitoring, promoting sustainable forestry and conservation of natural resources.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry

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in committee · New York · Senate May 15, 2025

S 6888: Relates to the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County

Bill S 6888 implements a constitutional amendment for the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County. It establishes rules for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the complex on forest preserve lands. The bill limits the use of forest preserve land for Nordic skiing, biathlon trails, and necessary facilities to 322.26 acres. As an offset, the state must acquire at least 2,500 acres of land to add to the forest preserve in the Adirondack park, subject to legislative approval. The bill also defines specific facilities that are allowed or prohibited at the complex, such as excluding hotels or zip lines.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates 2,500-acre forest preserve expansion as offset for land use, directly conserving natural resources in Adirondacks.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry Parks & Recreation

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in committee · New York · Assembly Sep 8, 2025

A 3260: Authorizes the state to convey certain forest preserve land

Authorizes the state to convey certain forest preserve land; provides such sale shall be subject to legislative approval and the proceeds of such conveyance shall be used for acquisitions to the forest preserve.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProceeds from land conveyance must fund forest preserve acquisitions, directly conserving natural resources and expanding protected land.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jun 13, 2025

A 3628: Relates to the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County

This bill implements a constitutional amendment allowing the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex to operate on forest preserve land in Essex County's Adirondacks. It requires the state to acquire at least 2,500 acres of additional forest preserve land within the Adirondack Park as an offset for using existing forest preserve land for the complex. The bill limits development on the complex site to 322.26 acres for Nordic skiing, biathlon trails, and necessary facilities (like parking and lodges), while prohibiting unrelated amenities like hotels or zip lines. All development must follow the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan and require a unit management plan approval.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires 2,500-acre forest preserve land acquisition as offset for development, conserving natural resources and aligning with Adirondack Park protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry Parks & Recreation Public Lands

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1869: Imposes a highway use fee on outdoor advertising; establishes a New York state urban reforestation fund and makes provisions supporting urban forestry

Imposes a highway use fee on outdoor advertising; establishes a New York state urban reforestation fund from fees imposed on outdoor advertising; makes provisions supporting urban forestry.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes urban reforestation fund from highway advertising fees to support urban forestry conservation, directly advancing environmental protection through funding and resource management.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 3540: Authorizes the county of Cattaraugus to discontinue as reforested lands certain reforested lands in the town of Perrysburg

This bill authorizes Cattaraugus County to stop using specific reforested lands (totaling 63.73 acres) in Perrysburg for reforestation purposes. The county may repurpose these currently vacant lands for dam rehabilitation and future development, but only after acquiring equivalent or greater-value land for reforestation elsewhere. The bill requires the county to dedicate replacement land or funds for reforestation before discontinuing use, and mandates restoration if the land is later used for non-reforestation purposes. It directly affects Cattaraugus County's land management decisions for these parcels.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates replacement reforestation land/funds, ensuring no net loss of reforestation efforts while allowing land repurposing for dam rehab/development.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry Public Lands

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passed · New York · Senate May 12, 2026

S 548: Authorizes the state to convey certain forest preserve land

Authorizes the state to convey certain forest preserve land; provides such sale shall be subject to legislative approval and the proceeds of such conveyance shall be used for acquisitions to the forest preserve.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill directs sale proceeds to acquire additional forest preserve land, actively expanding conservation efforts rather than depleting resources.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Forestry

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passed both · New York · Assembly Jun 25, 2025

A 7454: Relates to the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County

This bill proposes amending New York's constitution to clarify state forest preserve land management, not specifically related to the Mount Van Hoevenberg complex as the title suggests. It allows limited land exchanges and infrastructure projects while preserving the forest preserve's core purpose, including: conveying specific parcels to towns for public uses (like airport extensions, cemeteries, or water wells) in exchange for equivalent forest land; permitting up to 25 miles of ski trails on designated mountains; and allowing highway maintenance within strict acreage limits. These provisions require legislative approval before land transfers and mandate that exchanged lands must be equal in value. The bill does not create new facilities at Mount Van Hoevenberg but modifies constitutional language governing forest preserve land use statewide.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentPreserves forest preserve core purpose via equivalent land exchanges, preventing degradation while permitting limited infrastructure like ski trails.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry Public Lands

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