Audubon New York, the state program of the National Audubon Society, has submitted formal comments to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement to update the “Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Habitat Management Activities of the Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Fish and Wildlife" (DSEIS).
The draft SEIS describes and evaluates habitat management methods used on nearly 234,000 acres of state land - mostly Wildlife Management Areas managed for wildlife production and for recreation. There is a need to update and amend the PEIS adopted in 1979 to reflect current practices. Overall, Audubon New York supports the DSEIS, the provisions of which will improve management of Wildlife Management Areas and the value of the habitat they provide. The comments address specific provisions of the DSEIS that directly impact priority birds and their habitats as well as Audubon programs and priorities.
