Environmental Management Bureau
Responsible stewardship of our state's natural resources is a team effort. It includes all employees throughout
the state park system as well its many visitors. The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) within the New York
State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) consists of dedicated employees that have
training and experience in environmental science, natural resource protection, and environmental impact
analysis.
EMB, as part of the State Parks team, assists other agency staff and the public in responsible stewardship of
natural resources. The bureau assists in protecting outdoor resources such as water and land; plants and animals;
the environmental health and safety of patrons and employees; and in ensuring compliance with environmental laws
and regulations.
Program Areas
The work of the EMB is performed in three general program areas: natural resource stewardship,
environmental compliance and environmental health.
Natural Resource Stewardship
EMB provides recommendations on natural resource conservation in state parks, including the protection of
threatened or endangered species, bird conservation, and invasive species control. The bureau coordinates the
Bird Conservation and Natural Heritage Areas programs within the agency and works closely with staff from the
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the New York Department of State (DOS).
EMB also works with other resource protection organizations to develop invasive species management protocols and
natural resource management strategies. It seeks ways to advance agency initiatives in a manner that ensures
adequate protection of environmental resources. EMB provides natural history and interpretive information to assist in the development
of environmental education programs offered through state parks, historic sites, nature centers, visitor centers and museums.
Environmental Compliance
EMB coordinates procedural and substantive compliance with various environmental law, such as the State
Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) and the State Agency Environmental Audit. An important component of
the planning process within OPRHP is environmental review. For all projects, the agency must make a determination
of the significance of the environmental impacts of a project. The bureau leads oversight of the preparation of any
agency environmental impact statements or assessments and in coordinating public participation within the
environmental review process. As a part of the State Agency Environmental Audit, OPRHP submits an annual report
to DEC that assesses the impact of park operations.
Environmental Health
Water quality in state parks is also an important part of OPRHP's commitment to the public. State parks provide
drinking water to park patrons and offer many swimming opportunities at bathing beaches and pools. Good water
quality is essential to these services. EMB coordinates the agency's bathing beach and pool monitoring programs
and serves as a liaison with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) on safe drinking water monitoring.
Results from monitoring are used to protect public health and safety, as well as environmental quality.
Contact
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
Agency Building 1, Empire State Plaza
Albany, New York 12238
Phone: (518) 474-0409
Fax: (518) 474-7013 |
