[ THEME MUSIC ] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M DAVID LOMBARDO FILLING IN FOR DAN CLARK.

BACK IN 2022, NEW YORK VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED A BALLOT MEASURE AUTHORIZING THE STATE TO BORROW $4.2 BILLION TO SPEND ON A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

THIS YEAR, STATE OFFICIALS SOLICITED INPUT ON HOW TO SPEND THE MASSIVE INVESTMENT WITH POLICYMAKERS, ADVOCATES AND ORDINARY NEW YORKERS OFFERING A WIDE RANGE OF IDEAS FOR MONEY.

BUT THE FUNDS WERE APPROVED WITH INITIAL GUARDRAILS WHICH SHAPED WHERE THE MONEY CAN BE SPENT.

FOR EXAMPLE, AT LEAST $1.1 BILLION NEEDS TO BE SPENT TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES FROM FLOOD RISKS AND UP TO $1.5 BILLION CAN GO TO FIGHT AIR POLLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

FOR STATUS AND UPDATE ON THIS INITIATIVE AS WELL AS A REVIEW OF BIG, RENEWABLE ENERGY HEADLINES FROM THE STATE CAPITOL, WE'RE JOINED IN THE STUDIO BY GWENDOLYN CRAIG WITH THE ADIRONDACK EXPLORER AND THE TIMES UNION'S RICK KARLIN.

GWEN, I WANT TO START WITH YOU, AND AS I MENTIONED IN THE INTRO, A YEAR AGO, NEW YORK VOTERS APPROVED A BIG ENVIRONMENTAL BOND ACT.

FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, WHERE DO WE STAND IN THE PROCESS OF DISPERSING THIS MONEY?

WELL, WE'RE SORT OF STILL AT THE BEGINNING STAGES.

THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW OF GRANT OPPORTUNITIES ANNOUNCED.

APRIL, WE HAD A $425 MILLION POT OF MONEY FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.

ONLY 200 MILLION OF THAT IS FROM THAT $4.2 BILLION, SO WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.

WE ALSO RECENTLY HAD AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT 100 MILLION IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS TRANSITION OF SCHOOL BUSES TO ZERO EMISSIONS.

THAT'S GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL'S INITIATIVE THAT ALL SCHOOL BUSS IN NEW YORK STATE ARE-- THAT ARE SOLD HAVE ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2027 AND ALL SCHOOL BUSES ON THE ROAD HAVE TO BE ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2035.

SO WE'RE JUST STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THESE MONEYS TRICKLE IN, BUT REALLY, WE HAD RECENTLY A TEN-STOP LISTENING TOUR WHERE OFFICIALS WENT AROUND AND ASKED, HOW DO YOU WANT THIS MONEY TO BE SPENT?

PROVIDED A LITTLE BIT OF SOME OF THE CRITERIA THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT FOR DIVVYING UP THIS MONEY.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A MINIMUM OF 35% OF THE FUNDS HAVE TO GO TO DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WITH A GOAL OF 40%.

THERE'S NOW A MAP ONLINE WHERE YOU CAN SEE IF YOU'RE IN A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY OR NOT.

THERE'S NOT A LOT IN OUR REGION.

IT'S VERY HEAVILY FOCUSED ON THE NEW YORK CITY AREA IN WESTERN NEW YORK.

WE DO HAVE ONE IN THE ADIRONDACKS I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT, BUT-- AND THEN THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A TEN-YEAR MINIMUM FOR THESE PROJECTS WITH THE LIFE SPAN OF THESE PROJECTS.

IN TERMS OF THE BENEFITS AND HOW LONG THEY'RE EXPERIENCED FOR, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING, I THINK, MORE FUNDS ROLLING OUT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE YET HEARD ANYTHING BEING ANNOUNCED.

RIGHT.

THAT SOMETHING'S BEEN FUNDED YET.

SO THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THE STATE HAS MADE A MASSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SPENDING INVESTMENT LIKE THIS.

AND YOU REPORTED ON THE LAST MAJOR ONE OF THESE BACK IN THE '90S.

WHAT LESSONS, IF ANY, CAN STATE OFFICIALS LEARN FROM THAT EXPERIENCE?

YES, SO THE LAST BIG ENVIRONMENTAL BOND ACT NEW YORKERS PASSED WAS $1.75 BILLION IN 1996 UNDER REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR GEORGE PATAKI.

WE TRIED TO FIND OUT HOW THAT MONEY WAS SPENT AND WE FOUND THAT ABOUT 95% OF IT HAS BEEN SPENT, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY STILL MONEYS LEFT OVER.

OKAY.

AS OF LAST YEAR, THERE WAS-- ABOUT 82 MILLION, I WOULD SAY LEFT.

DURING THAT, LIKE BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR, WE HEARD AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT A FISH LADDER IS ACTUALLY GETTING FUNDED FROM THAT FUNDING IN PLATTSBURGH AT THE IMPERIAL MILLS DAM.

SO WE'RE STILL SPENDING THAT.

I THINK WHAT WE ALSO FOUND WAS THAT EVERY STATE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR DOLLING OUT THOSE MONEYS KEPT TRACK OF THAT IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND ALSO HAD DIFFERENT RECORDS OF RETENTIONS.

SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET A BLANKET LIST OF WHAT WAS SPENT.

I THINK STATE OFFICIALS HAVE SORT OF ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AND MAY BE TRACKING IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY GOING FORWARD.

YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE-- YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT STATE PARKS COMING UP.

THE STATE PARKS, RECREATION AND PRESERVATION HAD A BEAUTIFUL LIST OF EXACTLY WHAT WAS FUNDED, WHAT YEAR, HOW MUCH.

WE COULD NOT GET THAT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAD NO RECORDS TO OFFER BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS BEYOND THEIR RECORDS RETENTION POLICY.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND, MA ITS DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE ALSO FOR THE SAME REASON.

SO EVERYBODY'S BEEN DOING IT PIECEMEAL.

I THINK GOING FORWARD, WE'RE HOPING THERE'S A MORE COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS.

AND YOU KNOW, WE ALSO WERE ASKING THE STATE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE IF THEY EVER DID AN AUDIT OF THE 1996 SPEND ACT, AND THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE EITHER.

WE'LL SEE HOW STATE OFFICIALS ADDRESS THAT GOING FORWARD.

WELL, I WANT TO TURN TO SOME OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS.

RICK, RECENTLY WE HEARD FROM THE STATE THAT IT HAD TAPPED TWO DOZEN NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS AS PART OF OUR EFFORT TO BUILD UP OUR GREEN ENERGY CAPACITY.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT, THOUGH, COME ON THE HEELS OF STATE REGULATORS DENYING A REQUEST FOR BILLIONS OF ADDITIONAL DOLLARS WORTH OF SUBSIDIES TO OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS THAT THE STATE ADDED TO ITS PORTFOLIO YEARS AGO.

THIS POTENTIALLY, THOUGH, COULD JEOPARDIZE THE STATE'S GREEN ENERGY GOALS IF THESE PROJECTS DECIDE THEY'RE NO LONGER FINANCIALLY VIABLE.

WHAT WAS THE, I GUESS, THE DECISION MAKING BEHIND THE PSC'S DECISION AND WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS?

EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, WHICH REGULATES UTILITY RATES IN NEW YORK STATE, THEY BASICALLY-- THEY HAD GOTTEN REQUESTS FROM SEVERAL BIG OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS DOWN ON LONG ISLAND AS WELL AS A SLEW OF SOLAR PROJECTS ON LAND FOR LARGE RATE INCREASES ESSENTIALLY.

BASICALLY, THEY WANTED TO GET GUARANTEES THAT THEY WOULD GET MORE MONEY FOR THEIR WHOLESALE POWER, WHICH WOULD BE PASSED ONTO CONSUMERS.

BUT THE PS-- THEY CITED INFLATION.

THE INFLATION THAT WE'VE HAD POST-COVID, WHICH IS REAL, BUT THE PSC DENIED IT.

THEY SAID, NO, YOU'VE CONTRACTED FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT, AND THEY ADDED UP THE TOTAL WHERE THEY CONCLUDED THAT IT WOULD GO FROM THE TOTALITY OF THESE RATES WOULD GO FROM 10 TO $22 BILLION.

IT WOULD MORE THAN DOUBLE.

A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.

THE AMOUNT THEY'RE GOING TO GET FOR THEIR RATES.

THEY SAID, NO EVEN NYSERDA CONCLUDED THAT IN SOME OF THE INSTANCES THAT WHOLESALE PRICES COULD GO UP 64%.

SO THEY SAID NO.

THIS WAS A BIG BLOW TO A LOT OF THE BIG ENERGY COMPANIES THAT ARE BUILDING MOSTLY A LOT OF SCANDINAVIAN COMPANIES ARE BUILDING THESE BIG, OFFSHORE WIND ARRAYS.

WELL, TWO SCANDINAVIAN COMPANIES, AND THEY SAID THEY'RE GOING BACK AND RECONSIDERING WHETHER THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD AND COMPLETE THESE PROJECTS.

THEY MIGHT DROP OUT OF THE PROJECTS, DROP THE PROJECTS.

THIS WOULD HAVE A LOT OF EFFECTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

HERE IN THE ALBANY, NEW YORK, AREA, THERE'S A LOT OF PLANS TO BUILD COMPONENTS FOR THESE PROJECTS AT PORT AT ALBANY AND THEN THEY BARGE THEM DOWN THE RIVER TO LONG ISLAND TO BUILD THE PROJECTS.

AS A REACTION, THE STATE VERY QUICKLY, IN A WAY THEY WENT INTO DAMAGE CONTROL.

RIGHT.

THEY SAID, LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO REOPEN THE BIDS VERY QUICKLY AND THEY'RE NOW SAYING THERE WAS-- ACTUALLY THERE WAS A CONVENTION OF GREEN ENERGY PEOPLE YESTERDAY AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE STATE IS LOOKING FOR INPUT VERY QUICKLY AND THEY'RE SAYING, OKAY, BID AGAIN.

COME BACK AGAIN WITH ANOTHER SET OF BIDS THAT YOU THINK IS MORE REALISTIC.

THEY'RE TRYING TO KEEP THIS MOVING, BUT THE REALITY IS SOME OF THE PEOPLE YESTERDAY WERE SAYING THIS IS GOING-- THIS COULD VERY WELL CAUSE DELAYS IN HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GET THESE WIND PROJECTS ONLINE AND THE MORE YOU WAIT, THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT BECOMES.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE NEW BIDS ARE.

THE STATE THIS WEEK ALSO, AGAIN, THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF DAMAGE CONTROL.

JUST THIS WEEK, THEY ANNOUNCED A WHOLE OTHER RAFT OF PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN AWARDED.

UH-HUH.

IT WAS AROUND BASICALLY A SOLICITATION FOR A NUMBER.

THEY CALL IT NY3, NEW YORK 3, THE THIRD ROUND OF WIND PROJECTS.

RIGHT.

AND THEY AWARDED THOSE THIS WEEK TO A BUNCH OF PRODUCERS.

SO THEY'RE MOVING AHEAD, ALBEIT AT A HIGHER PRICE AND WITH SOME TREPIDATION FROM THE DEVELOPERS.

YEAH.

THE INDUSTRY SEEMS TO HAVE SOME SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE STATE'S ACTUAL COMMITMENT TO THIS.

BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO THE DECISION FROM THE STATE REGULATORS AND THE PSC, WE ALSO HAD THE GOVERNOR VETOING SOME LEGISLATION THAT BURIED IN IT, HAD SOME PARKLAND ALIENATION THAT WAS REALLY CRITICAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME OTHER PROJECTS.

THEY NEED TO RUN SOME CABLES.

OFF THE BEACHES IN LONG ISLAND, YEAH.

I THINK WHAT PEOPLE ARE REALIZING IS THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE VERY BIG.

THEY'RE VERY COMPLEX AND WHILE THEY ARE GREEN ENERGY, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THEIR OWN.

ONE OF THE CONCERNS ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER NOW IS THE COAST GUARD RECENTLY CHANGED ITS RULES OVER THE SUMMER THAT IN A WAY THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS BELIEVE WILL ALLOW THEM TO PARK THEIR BARGES AT CERTAIN SPOTS ALONG THE HUDSON NEAR KINGSTON AND NEWBURGH.

THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEED FOR THIS BARGE TRAFFIC TO SUPPORT THE WIND INDUSTRY.

SO THERE'S PEOPLE ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE GROWTH OF THE PORTS AND THE BARGE TRAFFIC ALONG THE HUDSON.

THERE'S PEOPLE ON LONG ISLAND WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEIR BEACHES AS THEY RUN THE CABLES ONTO LAND.

I'VE DONE STORIES AND WE'VE ALL SEEN STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE IN SOME OF THE-- SO THE OF THE AREAS OF THE HUDSON VALLEY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF SECOND HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE FIGHTING SOLAR FARMS BECAUSE THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO DAMAGE THE VIEWS AND THE BUCOLIC NATURE OF THE AREA.

RIGHT.

THIS TRANSITION TO GREEN ENERGY, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS OF HIGH POPULATION.

WELL, IN OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY NEWS, GWEN, THE STATE IS LOOKING TO REHAB FORMER INDUSTRIAL SITES AND HAVE THEM FIND SECOND LIFE AS THE HOMES FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY.

IN ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY, THEY'RE DEVELOPING ONE OF THESE SO-CALLED BUILD-READY PROJECTS.

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT'S ENVISIONED THERE?

AND HOW THE CURRENT PITCH COMPARES TO WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY BILLED FOR THESE SITES?

RIGHT.

SO THE ADIRONDACK PARK HAS A FEW VERY RARE INDUSTRIAL DOESN'T ZONED AREAS.

THIS BUILD-READY PROGRAM IS ESSENTIALLY THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY GOING OUT AND GETTING ALL-- COLLECTING ALL THE PERMITS, DOING ALL THE LEGWORK TO GET A SITE READY FOR DEVELOPERS SO THE DEVELOPER WILL-- WILL PURCHASE AN LLC THAT NYSERDA HAS CREATED AND JUST GET THE SOLAR PANELS UP.

THIS IS AT BENSON MINES.

IT'S A FORMER IRON ORE MINE IN THE ADIRONDACKS AND IT WILL BE ON THE MINE TAILINGS PILE.

IT REALLY WAS A CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT WHAT IT WAS ANNOUNCED A FEW YEARS-- I THINK A COUPLE YEARS AGO, BUT IT WAS ANNOUNCED AT 20 MEGAWATTS WHEN WE HEARD THE STATE JUST EARLIER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO SAYING THEY'RE GOING OUT TO BID FOR THIS PROJECT.

IT'S NOW DOWN TO 12 MEGAWATTS.

I ASKED WHY AND THE ANSWER WAS, WELL, WE FOUND IT WAS A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE TO UPGRADE THE GRID AND IT WASN'T LOCAL GRID UPGRADES, AND WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIME LINE AND THE EXPENSE OF THAT.

WE'VE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO 12.

THE DEVELOPER SHOULD PURCHASE IT.

COULD STILL MAKE IT 20.

ALL THE PERMITS ARE THERE FOR 20, BUT THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHATEVER HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO UPGRADE THE GRID.

RIGHT.

SO IT WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE LARGEST SOLAR PROJECT IN THE ADIRONDACK PARK.

IT'S NOT ANYMORE.

THERE'S OTHER ONES BEING PROPOSED THAT ARE 20 AND 40.

SO WE'RE ALSO AT 12 MEGAWATTS.

THAT'S ABOUT-- LESS THAN A QUARTER PERCENT OF THE STATE'S SOLAR GOALS OF 6,000 MEGAWATTS BY 2025.

VERY SMALL BUT IT IS THE CHANCE FOR THE STATE TO TRY THIS IDEA OF DOING ALL THE LEGWORK AND SEEING THE IF DEVELOPERS CAN COME RIGHT IN.

YEAH.

IT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THE GRID.

IT'S A REALLY KEY PART OF THE WHOLE GREEN TRANSITION.

A LOT OF THE OVERALL-- THE NEED FOR POWER IS IN NEW YORK CITY.

THERE'S A LOT OF SOLAR FARMS UPSTATE WHERE THERE'S LAND, BUT-- HOW DO YOU GET IT DOWN THERE?

THERE'S A LACK OF THE TRANSMISSION CAPACITY TO GET IT DOWN THERE AND NEED TO BUILD UP THE TRANSMISSION LINES WHICH IS ANOTHER BALL OF WAX.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE'LL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT ON ANOTHER SHOW.

WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH THE TIMES UNION'S RICK KARLIN AND THE ADIRONDACK EXPLORER'S GWEN CRAIG, THANKS SO MUCH.

> AND NOW WE'RE GONNA TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE STATE PARK SYSTEM WHICH IS CELEBRATING ITS 100TH BIRTHDAY NEXT YEAR.

TO COMMEMORATE THE ANNIVERSARY, THE STATE IS LAUNCHING A CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE IN 2024 WHICH INCLUDES EMISSION DISCOUNTS AND NEW ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO ATTRACT VISITORS TO PARKS ALL OVER THE EMPIRE STATE.

IN ADVANCE OF THE SPECIAL CELEBRATION, ERIK KULLESEID, THE COMMISSION ARE TO THE STATE OFFICE OF PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAS BEEN TRAVELING ALL OVER NEW YORK TO PROMOTE THE STATE SYSTEM AND HE RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH US IN THE STUDIO.

[ THEME MUSIC ] WELL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE TIME, COMMISSIONER.

SO 2024 MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE STATE PARK SYSTEM.

CAN YOU TAKE US BACK TO HISTORY IN 1924 AND THE ORIGIN OF THE CREATION OF THE PARK SYSTEM WHERE THE $15 MILLION INVESTMENT UNDER GOVERNOR ALFRED E. SMITH?

I'LL TAKE YOU BACK IN HISTORY.

SO 1924 WAS THE SENTINEL YEAR.

IT WAS THE YEAR THE STATE PARK'S ACT PASSED IN APRIL AND THAT WAS AN ACT THAT TOOK WHAT WAS SORT OF A COLLECTION OF PARKS, STATE-OWNED AROUND THE STATE, YOU KNOW, NIAGRA FALLS GOES BACK TO THE 1880S.

LETCHWORTH PARK GOES BACK TO THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.

LETCHWOOD PARK IN THIS AREA GOES BACK TO 1913.

BUT IN 1924, THE STATE PARKS ACT WAS PASSED AND IT BROUGHT TOGETHER ALL THOSE DISPARATE REGIONAL EFFORTS THAT WERE REALLY BEING RUN BY PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY UNDER SINGLE UMBRELLA, THE STATE PARKS.

CAME ALONG WITH A $50 MILLION BOND ACT TO HELP BUILD IT OUT.

15 MILLION DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT TODAY BUT I THINK IS A HEALTHY SUM BACK THEN AND WHAT IT WAS WAS A PERIOD OF INCREDIBLE GROWTH, AN EXPANSION OF THE MANDATE OF PARKS, RIGHT?

PARKS, UNTIL THAT MOMENT, HAD REALLY BEEN FOCUSED AS MUCH AS ANYTHING ON FOCUSED ON PRESERVING THOSE SPECIAL SCENIC PLACES, NIAGRA FALLS, LETCHWORTH GORGE, SINGULAR LANDSCAPES, SINGULAR VISTAS, SING LA ITEMS THAT YOU REALLY COULDN'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE.

IN THAT YEAR-- FROM THAT PERIOD FORWARD, THERE WAS A FOCUS ON RECREATION.

NEW YORK WAS BOOMING THEN.

BURGEONING CITIES, TEAMING CITIES AND IT NEEDED PLACES TO PROVIDE RECREATION FOR THE WORKING CLASS.

SO YOU HAD A LOT OF EXPANSION INTO THE BEACHES, JONES BEACHES, A LOT OF THE OCEAN BEACHES COMING INTO PLAY.

A LOT OF THE WORK AT HARRIMAN, HUDSON VALLEY AND THIS IS REALLY A BIG DESTINATION WHERE BEACHES AND RECREATION CAME INTO PLAY OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO BE OPEN.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT YEAR NOT JUST FOR COLLECTION BUT SORT OF A CHANGE IN APPROACH AND AN EXPANSION OF THE MANDATE AND BREADTH OF WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

FAST FORWARDING TO RECENT YEARS, HOW HAS THE PARK SYSTEM TRIED TO LIVE UP TO THAT INITIAL MANDATE?

YOU KNOW, HAVE WE BEEN BUILDING MORE PARKS?

HAVE WE BEEN TRYING TO CREATE NEW RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES?

HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR JOB TODAY MANIFESTING THAT ORIGINAL 1924 MANDATE?

SO THE 19-- SO AFTER THAT YEAR, SO LIKE I SAID, AND ACTUALLY DURING THE '30S, WPA, CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, AGAIN, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE PUT TO WORK IN PARKS, TO BUILD OUT PARKS.

THAT CONTINUED INTO THE '50S AND '60S.

YOU SAW SORT OF THE GREAT SOCIETY.

YOU HAD A LOT OF FEDERAL DOLLARS START COMING IN IN THE '60S, UNDER THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND AND A LOT OF CONTINUED EXPANSION BUT THEN YOU REALLY BEGIN TO SEE THE END OF THE 20TH CENTURY CONTINUED EXPANSION HERE AND THERE AS IT CAME UP, BUT YOU HAD A REAL DISINVESTMENT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

YOU SEE POOLS CLOSING.

YOU SEE MORE THAN ONE LAKE AND BEACHES CLOSE.

THERE WAS A LACK OF INVESTMENT AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THE LAST 15 YEARS THAT REALLY ALMOST 40-YEAR BACKLOG OF DISINVESTMENT HAD STARTED TO BE ADDRESSED AND SO RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE.

YOU KNOW, SO I WOULD SAY DURING THE PATAKI ADMINISTRATION, THERE WAS A HUGE EXPANSION OF THE PARK SYSTEM.

WE EXPANDED NEARLY 10% DURING THAT PERIOD, IN ACREAGE, NEW PARKS AND NEW AREAS AND THEN THE LAST 15 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH INCREASED CAPITAL.

WE'RE STILL NOT THERE YET.

WE'RE STILL LEVEL SETTING WITH THE RIGHT LEVEL OF CAPITAL IS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS DRAMATIC SYSTEM, 5,000 BUILDINGS, THOUSANDS MILES OF TRAILS, 36 GOLF COURSES AND TRAILS, YOU KNOW, REALLY A HUGE PORTFOLIO OF RECREATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO RIGHT NOW, SORT OF LOOKING FORWARD, WE ARE FOCUSING ON, OKAY, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE.

RIGHT?

SO WE ARE GOING BACK TO THOSE PLACES WHERE THERE ARE CLOSED FACILITIES.

WE STILL HAVE CLOSED POOLS, CLOSED BEACHES.

YOU KNOW, LAKE SEBEGO DOWN IN THE HARRIMAN-- HEROIN STATE PARK WHICH IS OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY, WHICH IS A BEACH THAT WE CLOSED IN 2011 DUE TO A TROPICAL STORM IRENE AND LEE, AND WE DID NOT REOPEN BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE THE CAPITAL.

WE ALSO-- WE DO EXPAND GOVERNOR HOCHUL, HERSELF, OPENED A NEW PARK IN KINGSTON AT THE OLD QUARRY, A STATE PARK THAT IS A LOVELY-- IT'S ACTUALLY A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE DESPITE ITS INDUSTRIAL PAST.

IT USED TO BE A QUARRY.

IT'S A LOVELY PLACE.

THE EMPIRE STATE TRAIL RUNS THROUGH IT.

WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLE SWIMMING OPPORTUNITIES AND QUARRY LAKES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE IN THE FUTURE, RIGHT?

THIS CENTURY, WHAT'S THE NEXT CENTURY GOING TO BE ABOUT?

CLIMATE CHANGE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

SO WE HAVE THE LARGEST SHORELINE OWNER IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THOSE BEACHES AND THOSE BARRIER ISLANDS OFF THE SOUTH SHORE OF LONG ISLAND.

THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE PARKS, AND WE'VE GOT A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AT SEA LEVEL RISE, STORMWATER, JUST THIS SUMMER, BEAR MOUNTAIN IN THE HUDSON VALLEY, VERY POPULAR PARK IN HUDSON VALLEY WAS CLOSED FOR THREE MONTHS BECAUSE OF A STORM THAT RIPPED THROUGH IN JULY.

RIGHT?

IT WAS NOT A TROPICAL STORM.

IT WAS JUST EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN OVER A VERY SHORT PERIOD THAT WASHED A WHOLE LOT OF THE HILLSIDE INTO THE PARK.

CLOSED DOWN OUR WATER SYSTEM.

THAT WAS CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER, SO YOU'VE GOT TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND AS FACILITIES BECOME AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO EXPAND AND I THINK THE WHOLE SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED WITH NOT A BIG URBAN FOOTPRINT AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR US IN THE CITY OF KINGSTON, HIGH FALLS WHICH IS ON THE GORGE IN ROCHESTER IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE THERE'S AN EFFORT TO CREATE A STATE PARK THERE.

SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FILL OUT THE PORTFOLIO, RIGHT, AND BE IN SOME OF THE MAJOR CITIES AROUND THE STATE, TOO.

SO LOOKING AHEAD TO 2024, WHICH IS, AS WE MENTIONED, THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY ARE TO THE STATE PARK SYSTEM, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO DO TO CELEBRATE THE STATE PARK BIRTHDAY?

SO WE KICKED IT OFF THIS SUMMER.

THIS SUMMER, I DID A TWO-DAY TOUR OF TEN STOPS IN TWO DAYS, RAN AROUND THE STATE.

BEING A LITTLE BIT SILLY BUT HAVING A TOTALLY GOOD TIME SHOWING THE BREADTH AND SCOPE OF WHAT OUR STATE PARK SYSTEM IS TO SORT OF BUILD MOMENTUM.

NEXT YEAR, WE'LL HAVE A STATE PARK CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, '24, WE'LL GIVE YOU A LIST OF A HUNDRED PARKS, A HUNDRED DESTINATIONS ACROSS THE SYSTEM AND PEOPLE CAN GET A LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER CHECK OFF WHERE THEY'VE GONE AND GET A PRIZE AT THE END OF THE SUMMER.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO TRY A PARK THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO.

TRY A REGIONEN OF PARKS THAT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO.

ROLL IN MORE VISITATION, ALL IN A VIEW TO CELEBRATING THAT LEGACY.

I'M BIAS, BUT I THINK OUR PARK SYSTEM IS UNPARALLEL.

WE OWN ALL THE BEST PLACES THAT NEW YORK OFFERS, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF NATURAL LANDSCAPES AND RECREATIONAL LANDSCAPES SO A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE THAT, GET-- HELP BOLSTER OUR ADVOCACY AND OUR GOALS FOR HAVING MORE CAPITAL TO CONTINUE TO REBUILD THE SYSTEM AND PUT IT AT A LEVEL WHERE IT SHOULD BE TO ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND ALSO TO CELEBRATE THE PAST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO START A SHARE YOUR STORY SORT OF ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO GO IN, UPLOAD MATERIALS, TELL THEIR STORIES, TELL HOW THE STATE PARK SYSTEM HAS ENHANCED THEIR LIVES, RIGHT?

SO A LOT OF FUN STUFF THAT SERVES TO JUST REMIND PEOPLE HOW SPECIAL THE NEW YORK STATE PARK SYSTEM IS AND HOW EXCEPTIONAL, UNIQUE, SINGULAR THIS STATE PARK SYSTEM IS.

WELL, IN ADDITION TO GET PEOPLE TO TRY OUT NEW PARKS FOR THE FIRST TIME, IS PART OF THAT EFFORT GOING TO BE ENGAGING PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT EVEN BE COGNIZANT OF THE PARKS THAT ARE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OR ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THEM THROUGH MAYBE A SHORT DRIVE OR SUBWAY RIDE?

TOTALLY.

I MEAN, WE WANT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALWAYS LOOKING TO EXPAND OUR AUDIENCE AND THAT'S DONE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE REFLECT.

THERE'S A LOT OF ASPECTS TO THAT.

THERE'S STAFFING, RIGHT?

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF REFLECTS THE POPULATION COMES TO VISIT.

WE NEED TO BE ADVERTISING IN THE RIGHT AREAS.

WE NEED-- THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A HUGE SPANISH-SPEAKING POPULATION THAT WE NEED TO REACH IN THE NEW YORK AREA, PARTICULAR TO GET THEM OUT OF THE PARKS.

WE NEED TO REDUCE THOSE BARRIERS TO ENTRY IN MANY WAYS.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU OR I OR MANY PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THE TRAIL AND KNOW WHAT A TRAIL MAP MEANS AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO BE OUT THERE.

SO YES, IT'S CONTINUING TO OFFER LANGUAGE SERVICES, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME INTO THE PARKS AND MAKE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE, RIGHT?

AND NOT EVERYBODY, NOT EVERY CULTURE, NOT EVERY ETHNICITY ENJOYS PARKS THE SAME WAY.

WE ALSO HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE AND LET PEOPLE COME IN AND ENJOY NATURE THE WAY THEY LIKE TO.

WELL, ASSUMING DO YOU HAVE AN UPTICK IN VISITATION IN 2024, HOW MANY ADDITIONAL PARK POLICE OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WILL YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY?

SO WE HAVE A GREAT PARK POLICE FORCE.

THEY'VE BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE 1880S, THE OLDEST POLICE FORCE IN THE COUNTRY OR OLDEST PARK POLICE FORCE, I SHOULD SAY.

THEY'VE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS.

THEY, DID-YOU KNOW, THEY ARE REALLY EXPERT AT-- IT'S AMAZING WHAT THEY GET DONE WITH PRETTY LEAN STAFFING.

WE WILL BUILD THEM AS NECESSARY.

THERE'S NO QUESTION.

WE'RE EXPANDING THEM NOW.

THEY SUFFERED.

THERE WAS A-- THEIR FUTURE WAS IN QUESTION FOR A WHILE UNDER THE CUOMO ADMINISTRATION, BUT NOW THEY'RE BACK AND GROWING AGAIN.

WE'RE BUILDING THE PARK POLICE FORCE, AND WE ALSO DO A LOT OF PARTNERING.

WE PARTNER WITH STATE POLICE, WITH LOCAL POLICE.

UD BE SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF PARTNERSHIPS THEY HAVE BECAUSE IT'S A PRETTY FAR-FLUNG SYSTEM, RIGHT, SO WE NEED TO HAVE PARTNERS IN POLICING OUR PARKS AND I THINK WE DO A GREAT JOB OF THAT.

IN TERMS OF RESOURCES FOR THE PARK SYSTEM, I KNOW THE BUDGET DIRECTOR RECENTLY PUT OUT A LETTER ENCOURAGING AGENCIES AND OFFICES INCLUDING YOUR OWN TO MAINTAIN FLAT FUNDING THIS YEAR BUT ARE THERE EXCEPTIONS FOR, SAY, ONE-TIME EXPENSES FOR SOMETHING LIKE 100TH BIRTHDAY PARTY?

SO YOU'RE RIGHT, WE HAD A FLAT BUDGET.

THAT'S CUSTOMARY FOR GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT HAS TO BE LEAN AND EFFICIENT, BUT YES, IN THE BUDGET LETTER, THERE'S A CALL FOR ONE-TIME INVESTMENTS AND IT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IN SOME OF THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

I'M LOOKING AT THOSE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO EXPAND DRAMATICALLY.

LIKE I SAID SORT OF EARLIER, WE'RE STILL REBUILDING AND BRINGING BACK ONLINE ASSETS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF-LINE, RIGHT?

THIS IS A MATTER OF RESTORING THE SYSTEM.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT-- THERE IS A NEW PARK BUT BY IN LARGE, THIS IS TO CONTINUE REBUILDING A PARK SYSTEM THAT WAS UNDERINVESTED IN FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.

YOU MENTIONED YOUR VISITS TO THE STATE PARKS IN 2023, THIS WHIRLWIND TOUR YOU WENT ON WHICH BY MY ACCOUNT INCLUDED SWIMMING, BIKE RIDING, GOING ON A ZIP LINE, PADDLING IN A KAYAK, DESCENDING INTO CAVES, AND MUCH MORE SO MY QUESTION IS-- AND THIS IS AN HR QUESTION.

THIS ISN'T ME.

YOU HAVE TO PUT INTO LIKE A VACATION REQUEST FOR THESE TRIPS, OR DOES THIS COUNT AS WORK FOR YOU?

YOU ALSO FORGOT SHOOTING THE CANNON OFF AT OLD FORT NIAGRA.

VACATION?

YOU KNOW, I AM VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ONE OF GREATEST JOBS AROUND, RIGHT?

BECAUSE MY JOB IS TO BE IN THE PARKS, TO BE PROMOTING THE PARKS.

THERE'S NOTHING I LIKE TO DO MORE THAN THAT.

SO I WORK HARD BUT YOU KNOW, ALMOST SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WORK.

IS THERE ANY THOUGHT TO MAYBE GOING TO BETHPAGE BLACK AND SHOOTING AROUND WITH YOUR FAVORITE RADIO AND TV HOST, MAYBE HE SHOOTS A HUNDRED.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO CELEBRATE 2024 AS WELL.

I WOULD HAVE BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOU OUT TO BETHPAGE BLACK.

I WOULD BE A DISASTER ON THAT COURSE NOT BEING A GOLFER MYSELF, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING YOU TEE OFF.

WELL, WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH NEW YORK STATE PARKS RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSIONER, ERIK KULLESEID..

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND FOR MORE ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STATE PARK SYSTEM, VISIT PARKS.NY.GOV/100.

AND THAT'S GONNA DO IT FOR THIS EPISODE OF "NEW YORK NOW."

IF YOU MISSED ANY OF THAT'S PROGRAM OR WANT TO REVISIT PAST EPISODES OR EXPLORE OUR WEB EXTRAS, CHECK OUT NYNOW.ORG.

FROM ALL OF US AT WMHT, I'M DAVID LOMBARDO.

THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

[ THEME MUSIC ] ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR "NEW YORK NOW" IS PROVIDED BY WNET.

AND BY THE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.