HUNTER — Riding high from their victory over the Ashokan pumped storage project, mountaintop officials joined forces again Saturday with state Sen. Michelle Hinchey.
Hinchey, D-46, met with Hunter Town Supervisor Daryl Legg and the Mountaintop Progressives on Saturday to take a hands-on approach to address littering in Kaaterskill Clove.
“She came up for Earth Day and we met at the parking lot for Kaaterskill Falls on Laurel House Road,” Legg said Monday. “We proceeded down through the trail to the observation platform picking up garbage along the way.”
Legg estimated that the group collected about two dozen bags of garbage, he said.
The supervisor was surprised how many people were already visiting the clove.
“We met kind of early in the morning,” he said. “The people were just piling in.”
The Mountaintop Progressives expressed their gratitude for the freshman senator’s dedication to the environment.
“Sen. Hinchey’s environmental advocacy was substantially displayed in this month’s New York state budget adoption reflecting any number of environmental additions and modifications negotiated by Hinchey,” according to a statement from the Mountaintop Progressives. “One of those was a budget line for the Catskill Forest preserve Park - the very first in New York State history. What better way to mark the year, as well as her environmental advocacy, than a visit to the crown jewel of Catskill Park, Kaaterskill Falls?”
Hinchey also supported the $300 billion Mother Nature Bond Act, the $500 million Clean Water Infrastructure Act, the allocation of $300 million for farmland protection in the Environmental Protection Fund, $90 million for parks and recreation and $40 million for solid waste programs.
“It was great to join Hunter Town Supervisor Daryl Legg and the Mountaintop Progressives for a cleanup at Kaaterskill Falls in honor of Earth Week,” Hinchey said in a statement, “The iconic Catskill Park is land we have a duty to protect, and I’m proud to defend it, whether that’s volunteering on the trails or through my work at the state level. Thank you to the incredible group of neighbors and volunteers who joined the community effort.”
Hinchey will be back on the mountaintop May 15 for a free paper shredding event at the Prattsville Firehouse from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event is being held in partnership with the Hudson Valley Credit Union, Legal Shred and the state Comptroller’s office.
“We’re excited to bring these services to the mountaintop in Greene County, because we know how important it is for our communities to ethically and safely dispose of their confidential documents, and for them to see whether or not they have unclaimed funds with the state,” according to a statement from Hinchey’s office. “Due to an expected high volume, this event is by appointment only to ensure we comply with COVID-19 guidelines and accommodate all times.”
To make an appointment, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeK7n-uzeoS-2Q4rl2aQJFHVsZ1Fj9AZ2PNiWY0TEvT23Rmgw/viewform
Johnson Newspapers 7.1