ESFPA E-News

End of Session Race

There are less than 3 weeks left in the Legislative Session.  This week we focus on Extended Producer Responsibility legislation, pesticides in wetlands and petroleum bulk storage changes. For EPR the Assembly has moved the Glick Bill (A 1749) to the Assembly Ways & Means Committee and last week Assembly member Glick conferenced the bill but fell short of the 75 votes she needs to pass the bill.  The Senate has moved the Harckham Bill (S 1464) to Senate Finance.  Senator Harckham claims he has the votes to pass his bill in the Senate. Alternative bills (A. 6191/S. 5062) continue to garner co-sponsors which puts any passage of EPR at risk. In both cases there is no signal from Governor Hochul that she will sign the bills.

The pesticides in wetlands bills (A. 6930/S. 5983-A) passed the Senate last week and is on the Assembly Environmental Conservation committee agenda tomorrow. This legislation has passed both houses and been vetoed by the Governor 3 times.  While some amendments have been made to limit the local government jurisdiction of this bill, it still does not address that Article 33 which vests exclusive regulation of pesticides with the DEC commissioner.  ESFPA remains opposed to this legislation.

Legislation (A. 6466/S. 1704) amending regulations requiring the painting of all petroleum bulk storage tanks has passed the Senate and is on the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee agenda tomorrow. ESFPA supports this legislation and expects it will pass the Assembly and be signed by the Governor.

There are many other bills we are monitoring as we look to close out the session.  The next few weeks will be very active.

ESFPA on 'From the Forest' Radio Show

On Wednesday May 7th, ESFPA Executive Director John Bartow joined the Catskill Forest Association’s ‘From the Forest’ radio show to speak about pressing policy issues impacting New York State's forests and forest products economy.

Click the link below to listen to the full podcast:

2025 Northern Hardwoods Conference

The 2025 Northern Hardwood Conference is being held this August 5-7 in Syracuse, NY. This year is the third biennial Northern Hardwood Conference, and presents an opportunity for forestry practitioners, researchers, students and industry professionals to share ideas, explore innovative management practices and cutting-edge technologies, and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing our northern hardwood forests. Click here to view the agenda and breakout session topics. 

Early bird registration closes June 30. Mark your calendar and register by June 30 to lock in discounted Early Bird rates. Plus, NHC-exclusive hotel discounts are available until July 4 at the Syracuse Marriott Downtown, a recently renovated historic gem in the heart of downtown Syracuse.

Abstracts for posters and presentations are due on June 2. Professionals, researchers and students from all disciplines working in northern hardwood forests are encouraged to present. Submit your abstract today to be a part of NHC 2025 here!

 FLA Online Learning Session: What the First 100 Days Mean for Private Forest Landowners

Congress & the Administration in the First 100 Days: What It Means for Private Forest Landowners

📅 Date: May 22 | 2:00 PM ET

Major shifts in both legislation and regulation are already underway—and private forest landowners need to be ready.

Join us for a free online session on Wednesday, May 22 at 2:00 PM ET, where FLA’s Government Affairs team will break down the policy and regulatory changes you need to know about.

Speakers:

• Craig Anderson, Vice President of Government Affairs, Forest Landowners Association
• Katie Moss, Director of Stewardship Initiatives and Regulatory Affairs, Forest Landowners Association

What You’ll Learn:

• What Congress is prioritizing—and how it affects you
• FLA’s top policy initiatives in the new political landscape
• Tax and disaster recovery outlook
• Market opportunities like sustainable aviation fuel and mass timber
• Regulatory shifts from the EPA, USDA, and Department of the Interior
• How to prepare for permitting and conservation program changes

This session is free and open to both FLA and non-FLA members—please share with fellow landowners, managers, and forestry professionals.

Click the link below to register for the webinar: