Governor Hochul and Attorney General James Announce Landmark Agreement to Expedite Permanent Protection of Natural Resources

Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a landmark agreement to modernize the process to secure and protect critical open spaces statewide. The Memorandum of Agreement identifies steps to streamline both agencies' processes for review of conservation projects, including the use of title insurance as an efficiency tool for many State fee and easement land conservation transactions.

"Land conservation is one of the primary tools we can use to protect our natural resources," Governor Hochul said. "At a time when Washington Republicans have launched a full-on assault on the environment, this agreement exemplifies my commitment, and that of Attorney General James and DEC, to advancing critical land acquisitions to ensure New Yorkers have increased and equitable public access to lands, forests and waterways, while still ensuring protective oversight. Together, we will continue to protect our natural resources and support our staff responsible for protecting State lands."

New York State Attorney General Letitia James said, "The Office of the Attorney General is proud to work with Governor Hochul and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to protect our state's natural resources and help New York meet its conservation goals long into the future. As the federal government continues to shrink from its responsibility to protect some of our most precious resources, it is critically important that New York secure the ecological balance needed to keep us prosperous and healthy for generations to come."

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) streamlines and clarifies the legal and administrative review procedures for fee and conservation easement acquisitions to facilitate and expedite open space projects that preserve water quality, protect wildlife habitat and diverse ecosystems, promote working lands and support rural economies, increase climate mitigation and resiliency, and expand recreation and public access opportunities across the state. At the direction of Governor Hochul, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Office of Attorney General (OAG) collaboratively developed the new procedures to help the State meet its conservation targets while still providing critical legal oversight.

One of the most important process improvements in the agreement involves the ability to increase the use of commercial title insurance in certain instances, a tool to safeguard taxpayer investment while avoiding the need to engage in the often lengthy and resource-heavy title review process for each acquisition project. This step brings New York in line with other states and helps not only DEC, but also the many land trusts and other open space acquisition partners working to verify a marketable title and reduce lengthy research delays that could jeopardize a significant fee or easement purchase.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, "Protecting our natural resources can help fight climate change, reduce risk from flooding, cool our communities, and ensure richness of our ecosystems for future generations. I applaud Governor Hochul and Attorney General James for their leadership in providing a new tool for DEC to more efficiently secure open spaces to enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers. The process changes outlined in the MOA will streamline the land acquisition process and will move projects quickly to help meet the State's conservation goals."

The agreement also better defines the roles and processes between the DEC and OAG on open space conservation projects in New York State to enhance and improve the working partnerships, roles, and relationships; establishes a process for early legal review of key, high priority projects; and establishes a process for coordination between OAG, DEC, and conservation partners.

State Senator Peter Harckham said, "This agreement announced by Governor Hochul and Attorney General James to streamline the process for land and natural resource conservation will allow the DEC to release state funding to break the backlog of acquisitions and further our 30x30 open space law, which will benefit New York residents for generations to come. I am thankful that our state's leaders are working cooperatively toward these protections."

State Senator Rachel May said, "I am deeply grateful to Governor Hochul and the leadership at OAG and DEC for the work they have done to reach this agreement on the use of title insurance in acquiring and conserving lands in our state. I am also grateful to Senate Leadership for its willingness to advance my legislation, S4403, that worked to advance the same goal. Land trusts play a critical role in protecting and preserving conservation lands, and they have struggled in recent years when transactions have dragged on unnecessarily. Having procedures in place to expedite land acquisition will help them maximize their resources and help New York get much closer to its '30 by 30' conservation goals. More than that, having a strong, structured working relationship between OAG and DEC on conservation matters can only be a good thing for the future of our state lands."

Assemblymember Deborah Glick said, "The time was well spent developing a process that will help the state and land trusts carry out land acquisitions more efficiently. While the budget is not typically the best venue for detailed policy discussions, this measure allows both the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Attorney General's Office to review various aspects of the land acquisition process, whether complex or straightforward. I want to thank Governor Hochul and Attorney General James for their hard work and commitment to improving this process."

Assemblymember Dana Levenberg said, "It is critically important that we make it easier for the state to acquire land so that we can add to our open space assets and protect our environment. I was proud to sponsor legislation to that end with my colleague, Senator Rachel May. While that legislation did not move forward, I am pleased that it raised the salience of this issue, leading Governor Hochul, the Office of the Attorney General, and Department of Environmental Conservation to come to this agreement. This memorandum is another important step forward into a greener future for New York."

The Nature Conservancy New York Executive Director Bill Uflelder said, "The Nature Conservancy applauds Governor Hochul and Attorney General James for establishing a groundbreaking memorandum of understanding among the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Environmental Conservation to increase the pace of land conservation in New York State through the responsible and strategic use of title insurance. This policy aligns New York's land conservation practices with other state policies and will enable faster land conservation at a critical time, as our state and world face a dual crisis of climate change and rapid habitat loss. With this new policy, New York can deploy critical conservation programs including the Environmental Protection Fund and 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act to conserve the lands and waters New Yorkers depend on."

The Conservation Fund Vice President and Northeast Representative Tom Duffus said, "The Conservation Fund applauds Governor Hochul, the Attorney General's Office, and the DEC for stepping up to help deliver faster results for the conservation of open space so important to the State's Climate goals, Open Space Plan and the will of the Voters who approved the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act in 2022. By finding efficiencies for transactions, the OAG and DEC have recognized the urgency and have now provided timeliness for more vital land to get protected before it is lost to the People of the State of New York."

Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan said, "We thank Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James for reaching this important accord, enabling the use of private title insurance in state land acquisitions. This reform will save years of delay and streamline countless transactions between the state and conservation partners-delivering faster, more efficient land protection for all New Yorkers. Private title insurance will make partnerships with conservation organizations across the state more affordable -- great news for taxpayers, communities, and the environment."

Trust for Public Land Associate Vice President and New York State Director Tamar Renaud said, "Trust for Public Land commends Governor Hochul, Attorney General James, and the Department of Environmental Conservation for significantly streamlining land acquisition processes so that land trusts and local governments across the state can effectively protect land, enabling more New Yorkers to spend time outdoors and in nature. Time spent in nature is good for our physical and mental health, and outdoor spaces provide opportunities for people of all ages to unplug from their phones and play."

New York's Commitment to Land Conservation
To date, DEC has preserved nearly five million acres of land through fee or conservation easements across all land management categories. Many of these acquisitions are guided by the New York State Open Space Conservation Plan and supported by the State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Among the many environmental achievements in the enacted 2025-26 State Budget, Governor Hochul increased the EPF to a historically high $425 million. The EPF supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, improves agricultural resources to promote sustainable agriculture, protects water sources, advances conservation efforts, and provides recreational opportunities for New Yorkers. The EPF also supports New York's 30x30 initiative, which commits to conserving 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.

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