Stream Conservation Webinar; Watershed Alliance Conference Oct. 26 -30; Climate Smart Communities

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
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Hudson RiverNet
News From the Hudson River Estuary Program

In This Issue

  • Stream Conservation and Land Use Webinar October 8
  • Hudson River Watershed Alliance Annual Conference Oct. 26 - 30
  • Hudson Valley Communities Receive Climate Smart Communities Certification
  • Plastic Bag Ban Enforcement Starts Oct. 19

Streams Conservation and Land Use Webinar October 8

A Woman in a neon vest plants a tree by a stream.DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program is presenting a webinar on stream conservation and land use October 8, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Stream stability, flows, and corridors, mapped and unmapped streams, regulations and protections, and the positive effects of actions taken by community groups, as well as municipal planning and management will be discussed. One Professional Development Hour-Continuing Education Unit (PDH-CEU) is available for attendance by engineers, architects, and public officials. Register for the Zoom webinar now. Register for the PDH-CEU by emailing cultural@sunyorange.edu with “for PDH-CEU” in the subject line. Hudson River Estuary Trees for Tribs helps to protect and restore streamside buffers.


Hudson River Watershed Alliance Conference October 26 - 30

Walkill RiverThe Hudson River Watershed Alliance will host its annual conference virtually on Zoom during the afternoons of October 26 – October 30, 2020, and will focus on the needs of watershed groups. In 2019-2020, with funding from DEC’s Estuary Program, the Hudson River Watershed Alliance conducted a needs assessment, interviewing local, community-based watershed groups across the Hudson River watershed. The conference will focus on these findings and will provide trainings to help meet those needs.

The conference begins on October 26 with a panel discussion about the watershed work that has continued during COVID-19. The plenary session takes place on the afternoon of October 27, with a series of three interactive workshop sessions to follow on October 28, 29, and 30. The conference is co-sponsored by the Hudson River Estuary Program. For more information and to register, please visit the Hudson River Watershed Alliance website.


Hudson Valley Municipalities: Climate Smart Communities Certification

Aerial view of a solar farm-- a large field filled with solar panels, located in Beacon, NY.DEC recently announced that 13 local governments achieved silver or bronze certification as part of New York State's Climate Smart Communities program, which supports municipal efforts to meet the economic, social, and environmental challenges posed by climate change. Six of these communities in the Hudson Valley, the City of Beacon, and the villages of Croton-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings on Hudson, Mount Kisco, and Sleepy Hollow, and the Town of Pound Ridge received funding and technical assistance from DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program to help them achieve certification. This assistance included vulnerability assessments, flood guides, and resilience analyses. Both Beacon and Hastings-on-Hudson rose from their original bronze-level certifications to the silver level. In addition, the Beacon and Mount Kisco climate smart programs work to address environmental challenges in underserved and economically disadvantaged communities.

Read more about the certification achievements of all 13 communities in DEC's press release and on New York’s Climate Smart Communities website. 


DEC Announces Enforcement of New York's Plastic Bag Ban to Start Oct. 19, 2020

Plastic bag ban graphic OctDEC will begin enforcement of the State’s ban on single-use plastic carryout bags on Oct. 19, 2020. The plastic bag ban, which went into effect on March 1, was not enforced per an agreement between the parties in a lawsuit brought by Poly-Pak Industries, Inc., et al, in New York State Supreme Court.

Pursuant to an Order of the New York State Supreme Court, Albany County, DEC agreed to provide the parties and the Court at least 30 days' notice prior to commencing enforcement. DEC is currently conducting extensive outreach to stakeholders, including grocery stores, retailers, and others, to provide notice of the start of enforcement and answer questions.

DEC continues to encourage New Yorkers to use reusable bags wherever and whenever they shop with the #BYOBagNY campaign, launched earlier this year. Additional information about exemptions to the plastic bag ban, frequently asked questions, and posters, flyers, and tip strips to download, as well as tips for keeping reusable bags clean are available on DEC's website.

For more information about the plastic bag ban, reusable bags, or to file a complaint about entities using single-use plastic carryout bags, visit DEC’s website, email plasticbags@dec.ny.gov, or call (518) 402-8706.