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New York State officials applauded the 2012 legislative session as one of the most productive in history. But what got done for the environment?

NYLCVEF and our environmental partner organizations joined together to answer that question at a panel discussion held in New York City. Called “Who is the Greenest of them All?” the discussion updated New Yorkers on several key legislative initiatives affecting their air, water and health.

One of the biggest environmental successes of the year was the Sewage Pollution Right to Know Law, which requires sewage treatment plant operators to notify the public whenever a release of untreated sewage occurs. Gov. Cuomo signed this law into effect during the summer.

Lawmakers also approved additional environmental funding that will help municipal parks, recycling and land conservation efforts.

But several other initiatives didn’t make it through Albany’s political process. Among them were the Solar Jobs Act, closing a loophole on hydrofracking wastewater and protecting children’s health from toxic chemicals.

Dozens turned out to participate in the briefing, which took place in New York City. NYLCVEF would like to thank our partner organizations — Environmental Advocates of New York, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Environment New York and the Energy and Climate Center at Pace Law School — for organizing this great event!

Some of the most pressing questions regarding urban parks address how our urban environments can incorporate nature and how these parks can promote community. NYLCVEF’s symposium “What is an Urban Park, Anyway?” cohosted with the Yonkers Committee for Smart Development and Groundwork Hudson Valley looked to address these questions and more . This public symposium featured six speakers–Meg Walker, Vice President, Project for Public Spaces; Rick Madger, Executive Director, Groundwork Hudson Valley; Yvette Hartsfield, Yonkers Parks Commissioner; Rose Harvey, the New York State Parks Commissioner; Christopher Rizzo, Board member of Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and New Yorkers for Park; and Dart Westphal, board member of Friends of Van Cortlandt Park; who sat for a Q&A panel session in the second half of the event. NYLCVEF President Marcia Bystryn moderated the panel.

In their presentations, the speakers addressed several topics including:

• Questions of balancing active and passive parkland spaces
• Means of coexistence with wildlife
• The role of the community in neighborhood parks
• Ensuring that parks are accessible to all
• Creative methods of funding city parks, including the role of private/public partnerships and non-profit managers such as conservancies  

Rose Harvey and others highlighted the new Saw Mill River Daylighting Park, and many spoke to the success of The High Line as a model for future park creation.

The audience of over 50 community members asked thoughtful questions that addressed local issues such as – How do we enjoy the waterfront if it’s covered in old industry? How do we prevent property prices around parks from skyrocketing? How often does the Parks Department mow?

So what IS an urban park, anyway? The symposium started with an image of Central Park, often thought of as the “ideal” urban park, but as the audience learned about parks throughout Westchester, New York City, and even Detroit, it was emphasized that parks are open spaces for community gathering-they can be “natural” as many of the parks in Westchester are, or be created around abandoned rail lines and covered up rivers, infrastructure like the Old Croton Aqueduct. Perhaps the most important key to Urban Parks is community involvement, which Yonkers residents showed through their attendance and engaging questions.

Thanks again to our co-hosts, Groundwork Hudson Valley and the Yonkers Committee for Smart Development, as well as to our panelists, for making a great event.