Man-Sized Beaver Visits NYS Capitol to Support Environmental Protection Fund

ALBANY, NY (04/06/2010)(readMedia)-- You may recall that in March, the State's mammal (beaver) held a joint press conference with the state bird (bluebird), fish (brook trout) and reptile (snapping turtle) to announce that state environmental budget cuts made them want to resign as the state's official representatives. Click here for details.

Tomorrow, the lead spokescritter for New York's official critters, Bucksaw (Bucky) T. Beaver, will make a personal appearance at the State Capitol to appeal directly to members of the NYS Assembly and Senate to avoid cuts in the already-beleaguered Environmental Protection Fund.

The NYS Senate has proposed an Environmental Protection Fund of $222 million (the same amount approved last April), the Governor proposed only $143 million and the Assembly $168 million. More than $500 million has been diverted out of the Fund since it was created and spent on items with no environmental benefit. The Fund is paid for largely through a dedicated tax on real estate sales. A $222-million Environmental Protection Fund would amount to less than 0.02 percent of the $133-billion NYS Budget.

WHO:

New York's beaver spokescritter represents the ongoing We Love New York Campaign to restore the State's Environmental Protection Fund.

We Love new York camapaign underwriters include:  The Adirondack Council, Audubon New York, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Environmental Advocates of New York, Environmental Defense Fund, Friends of Hudson River Park, Land Trust Alliance, Long Island Pine Barrens Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, New York League of Conservation Voters, North Shore Land Alliance, Open Space Institute, Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson, The Nature Conservancy-New York, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Visit www.KeepProtectingNY.org to learn more about We Love New York.
WHAT:

Tomorrow, a man-sized spokescritter, Bucksaw (Bucky) T. Beaver, will make a personal appearance at the State Capitol to appeal directly to members of the NYS Assembly and Senate to avoid cuts in the already-beleaguered Environmental Protection Fund.
WHEN: Wednesday April 07, 2010 at 03:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE: Outside the Assembly Chamber
Third Floor
New York State Capitol
Albany , New York 12204
NOTES:

For more information: John F. Sheehan, 518-432-1770 (w), 518-441-1340 (cell)