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Governor Spitzer Outlines New Environmental Agenda
Audubon Identifies Central Conservation Themes in Governor’s First State of the State

Albany, NY, Wednesday, January 4, 2007—Audubon New York, one of the state’s largest conservation organizations, today recognized Governor Eliot Spitzer for his commitment to protecting New York’s great natural heritage. From Buffalo to Montauk, Governor Spitzer has set forth a broad agenda to revitalize local economies, by balancing our environmental and economic needs.

“Eliot Spitzer has consistently been a strong advocate for protecting water quality, from cleaning up Long Island Sound to reducing acid rain, and he needs to continue that tradition to implement his agenda,” said David J. Miller, Executive Director of Audubon New York, the 50,000 member state program of the National Audubon Society. “We look forward to working with his new administration to continue to protect and restore our important water resources from Long Island Sound to the Hudson River to the Great Lakes.”

Whether clean water, clean air or habitat protection projects, New York State faces unprecedented conservation needs across the state. “Governor Spitzer has called for an expansion of the Environmental Protection Fund which can provide for the restoration and protection of the state’s great natural resources, as well as help shepard in a smart growth agenda to enhance our economy,” continued Miller. “We look forward to a strong budget proposal that will bring the Environmental Protection Fund to an unprecedented level of $350 million next year.”

“As habitat loss remains the leading threat to bird populations in the state, Governor Spitzer’s commitment to revitalizing the economy by focusing on Smart Growth should be commended,” added Miller. Over the last decade, Audubon New York has been a leader in promoting Smart Growth in the State. “Balancing the need to grow economically with the need to protect the state’s critical ecological resources is a winning combination, whether in the Finger Lakes, Great Lakes, Adirondacks or Catskills.”

“Bird watching is the fastest growing outdoor recreational activity in the state, and the ecotourism opportunities it affords will play a significant part in the revitalization of our local economies, both in the upstate and downstate regions of New York,” concluded Miller. “By continuing to preserve and restore the state’s biodiversity through open space conservation and habitat protection, as well as ecological research, Governor Spitzer will help make New York State an international destination for all who enjoy the outdoors.”

Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Our national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.

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