Parks and Open Spaces News

On July 22, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Great American Outdoors Act, one of NYLCV’s top policy priorities, with overwhelming bipartisan support. The U.S. Senate passed a same-as bill in June.

The State Legislature recently passed several of our priority bills that will improve water quality, protect natural areas, remove toxins from our environment, and encourage clean transportation.

Last week, Mayor de Blasio and the City Council finalized the City budget, which drastically cuts environmental programs that are needed to combat climate change and fight for climate justice.

The Great American Outdoors Act has passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate by a vote of 73-25. The GAOA combines two major conservation bills: S.500 (the Restore Our Parks Act), which seeks to address the maintenance backlog on public lands, and S.1081, which permanently allocates $900 million a year to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). More than 60 members co-sponsored the legislation including New York Senators Schumer and Gillibrand.

Although City parks make up 14% of NYC’s land, New York City's Parks Department receives only 0.6% of the City’s total budget, leaving parks and gardens neglected and overlooked as necessary infrastructure for successful and healthy neighborhoods.

The $3 billion Environmental Bond Actwill provide $550 million for open space land conservation and recreation projects if approved by voters this fall.

There is strong bipartisan support from a group for a bill known as The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422). The bill, if passed, would provide full dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and address the maintenance backlog facing America’s national parks and other public lands.

Green infrastructure includes projects that mimic the natural environment to manage stormwater runoff, improve air quality, and cool temperatures throughout the city to mitigate the urban heat island effect.