Albany County Office of Natural Resource Conservation - This
Office conducts specialized research and investigations regarding the planning,
management, and conservation of the County's natural resources; coordinates
and administers environmental regulatory compliance on behalf of the County
Legislature and other County agencies; makes recommendations on studies and
projects regarding environmental impact assessment; advises the Commissioner
of Public Works on management and maintenance needs of the County Nature and
Historic Preserve; fulfills the County's mandate under the Agricultural Protection
Act; coordinates local government assistance on matters involving environmental
regulatory compliance, natural resources inventory data, and land use and natural
resource planning.
Phone: (518) 447-5670
http://www.albanycounty.com/departments/edcp/
Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District -The Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District works with landowners, land managers, local government agencies and other local interests in addressing a broad range of resource concerns. Natural resource management activities performed by the ACSWCD include: streambank maintenance and protection guidance; pond management; agricultural environmental management; water supply protection; watershed management; erosion & sediment control and stormwater management; wildlife and fisheries habitat management; wetland protection; and forest management.
Technical assistance is available to agricultural producers, private landowners,
municipalities and businesses regarding issues such as soil drainage, erosion,
resource map interpretation, permit applications, and soil group worksheets
for agricultural tax assessment. Additionally, the District conducts an annual
conservation tree & shrub sale and a biannual sale of fish fingerlings for
pond stocking.
Phone: (518) 765-7923
http://www.albanycounty.com/departments/soilwaterconservation/
Audubon Society of New York State -
Capital District Regional Planning Commission - Promotes high
quality water resources in NYS by developing and encouraging partnerships and
implementing unified statewide programs that lead to comprehensive water resources
planning and management. The Commission works with Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer,
and Saratoga Counties. Recently, they have developed watershed studies for several
area reservoirs and are working with MS4 communities on stormwater management
programs.
Phone: (518) 453-0850
http://www.cdrpc.org
Citizens Campaign for the Environment-CCE is a 501-c-4 environmental
and public health advocacy organization working in New York, Connecticut, New
Jersey and Washington D.C. CCE works to build widespread citizen understanding
and advocacy for policies and actions designed to manage and protect the interdependent
land and water resources, wildlife and public health. CCE carries out this mission
through public education and outreach, research, lobbying and organizing.
Phone: (518) 434-8171
http://www.citizenscampaign.org
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Albany County - Cornell
Cooperative Extension (CCE) is a key outreach system of Cornell University whose
educational system enables people to improve their lives and communities through
partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work. Part of CCE’s
mission is to Improve the quality and sustainability of human environments and
natural resources by conserving and ensuring the quality of water supplies,
promoting environmental stewardship and sound decision making about the management
of natural resources, promoting community, agriculture and residential environmental
enhancement, preparing youth to make informed environmental choices, and enhancing
science education through the environment
Phone: (518) 765-3500
http://www.cce.cornell.edu/~Albany/
City of Albany Depatment of Water and Water Supply - The Department’s
mission is to protect and preserve the City’s water supply. This includes
watershed protection and improvement projects in the Alcove and Basic watersheds
as well as educating residents about their water supply and how to protect it.
Phone: (518) 434-5300
http://www.albanyny.org/government/departments/d_water.asp
City of Watervliet - It has been the mission of the City
of Watervliet to provide its residents with a safe and dependable water supply
since the early 1900's when the then administration had the foresight to purchase
land, build a dam, create a reservoir, and construct a 17 mile pipeline and
filtration plant. Since then the City of Watervliet has faced and addressed
the challenge of providing potable water that meets and exceeds ever stringent
guidelines. Additionally the City has, over the years, been diligent in examining
opportunities to improve its facilities. In the early 1980's the City constructed
a 1.2 megawatt hydroelectric plant which has reduced pumping costs and provided
additional revenues at its Guilderland site. Currently the city administration
has been actively evaluating expansion of the reservoir in order to increase
the safe yield and address water quality issues.
Phone: (518) 270-3800
http://www.watervliet.com
Hudson River Environmental Society -HRES was founded in 1970
as a not-for-profit membership organization to foster research on the Hudson
River, its watersheds and related coastal areas, to provide a forum for communication
and cooperation among researchers. We endeavor to make the results of research
in the physical, biological and social sciences, engineering, water resource
management available and accessible to concerned citizens and public officials.
Phone: (518) 861-8020
http://www.hres.org
League of Women Voters - The League of Women Voters is a multi-issue, non-partisan, grassroots organization of women and men organized in 60 local Leagues throughout the state, encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influenced public policy through education and advocacy at the local, state and national levels.
Nationally, the League supports water resource programs and policies that reflect
the interrelationship of water quality, water quantity, ground water, and surface
water, while simultaneously addressing the potential depletion or pollution
of water supplies. In New York State, the League recognizes a need for comprehensive
ecosystem management within each watershed and members support strong regulations
to reduce nonpoint source pollution.
http://www.crisny.org/not-for-profit/lwvac/
http://www.lwvny.org/
Natural Resource Conservation Service - NRCS works closely
with agricultural producers to protect and improve water quality. As producers
improve nutrient and pesticide management and reduce soil erosion, they reduce
pollutants that would otherwise end up in lakes and streams. One of the most
innovative water quality programs we help with is in the New York City watershed.
Our work there has a three-fold purpose: providing quality drinking water for
half the population of the state, eliminating the need to build a multi-billion-dollar
water filtration plant, and helping the agriculture community protect the farm
and forest soils of the watershed.
Phone: (518) 765-2326
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
Trout Unlimited Clearwater Chapter – This chapter covers
Albany, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties and portions of Washington and Schoharie
Counties. Chapter activities include youth programs, a tackle flea market, fly
tying and fly fishing classes, and fishing trips. Ongoing projects include monitoring
eight streams for flow and temperature, quarterly stream and highway clean-ups,
and other access and water quality improvement projects on local streams.
http://www.nysctu.org/region_4.html
United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency
- Provides Federal cost share programs addressing agricultural Non-point Source
(NPS) pollution, including funding for the installation of best land management
practices, such as riparian buffers and permanent vegetative cover.
Phone: (518) 765-2326
http:// www.fsa.usda.gov
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Water- The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation exists to:"conserve, improve, and protect the New York State's natural resources and environment, and control water, land and air pollution, in order to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state and their overall economic and social well being."
The Division of Water protects water quality in lakes, rivers, aquifers and coastal areas by regulating wastewater discharges, monitoring water quality and controlling surface runoff. Water programs ensure adequate water quantity for public water supply, fish and wildlife habitat, and other uses; and reduce impacts from flooding, dam failure, and beach erosion. The Division works with partners and communities to promote water stewardship and education.
New York State is authorized by the federal government to administer the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which regulates discharges to water resources. In addition, the Division of Water works to curb nonpoint sources of pollution and accomplish other clean water goals through its partnerships with other state agencies, educational and research institutions, and regional planning and watershed associations, committing several million dollars annually.
The Water program also administers the Water Quality Improvement Project funding
program that has committed a total of about $396 million to projects implemented
where they will do the most good wastewater treatment, stormwater management
program implementation, nonpoint source abatement, and aquatic habitat restoration.
The Dam Safety program also provides up to a total of $15 million in Clean Water/Clean
Air Bond Act grants to remediate unsafe dams.
Phone: (518) 402-8233
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dow/index.html
Town of Rensselaerville
Phone: (518) 797-3798
http://www.rensselaerville.com/
Village of Voorheesville
Phone: (518) 765-4512
http://www.voorheesville.net/