NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
By Lissa Harris on Monday, Jul. 16, 2012 - 8:02 pm
Above: Ulster County executive Mike Hein, with Ulster County Department for the Environment Coordinator Amanda LaValle and Riverkeeper's Kate Hudson, at a press conference on the Draft Consent Order held at the Saugerties Beach last month. Photo courtesy... Read more
By Lissa Harris on Monday, Jul. 16, 2012 - 10:00 am
A little rain over the weekend was welcome, after a summer that's been unusually dry so far. But upstate New York is still pretty parched, raising the risk of wildfires, causing normally gushing streams to run at a trickle, and threatening drinking water... Read more
By Lissa Harris on Tuesday, Jul. 3, 2012 - 5:20 pm
Above: Photo of cut log by Flickr user EasyPickle. Published under Creative Commons license.
This afternoon, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced that they are loosening the regulations that govern transportation of... Read more
By Andrew Wyrich on Wednesday, Jun. 20, 2012 - 5:38 pm
Above: Highlights from testimony at a June 19 hearing held by the state DEC on the topic of New York City's releases of muddy water into the Lower Esopus Creek. Video by Andrew Wyrich.
Ulster County residents and officials packed the largest lecture hall... Read more
By Lissa Harris on Monday, Jun. 4, 2012 - 3:52 pm
The latest chapter in the ongoing saga of the muddy lower Esopus is being written -- and officials in Ulster County are clamoring to be more than just a footnote in it.
On May 23, the state Department of Environmental Conservation announced that they had... Read more
By Lissa Harris on Thursday, May. 31, 2012 - 11:54 pm
For years, the state-owned Belleayre Mountain Ski Center in New York's Catskill mountains was a playground for police officers and other “VIP” skiers who were allowed to ski for free at the discretion of Belleayre management.
Two years ago, Belleayre came... Read more
By Lissa Harris on Monday, May. 7, 2012 - 3:13 pm
Above: The invasive Eurasian woodland plant Alliaria petiolata, more commonly known as garlic mustard, looking appropriately dramatic. Garlic mustard is most obvious in Northeastern woods around this time of year, when it is in full bloom. Photo by Flickr... Read more
By Lissa Harris on Saturday, Apr. 28, 2012 - 2:04 pm
Above: Department of Environmental Conservation officers provide an honor guard at the April 28 memorial service for Robert Van Benschoten, a longtime employee of the agency and its former director of law enforcement. The service was held at the New... Read more
By Lissa Harris on Friday, Apr. 27, 2012 - 12:39 pm
A screenshot from a Gannett interactive map of New York State towns that have passed bans or moratoria on hydraulic fracturing. To use the map and see further detail, click this link.
On Thursday, April 27, Bethel's town board unanimously passed a law... Read more
By Lissa Harris on Monday, Apr. 2, 2012 - 10:57 am
Above: The Times Herald-Record films the first cast of Opening Day on the Willowemoc Creek, with Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther and actor Olek Krupa joining the crew of eager flyfishers.
April 1 was the first day of trout season in New York State -- and for... Read more