What does the New York State budget mean for the environment?
Progress on clean water and environmental funding, with questions around climate protections and development
March 18, 2026
Jeremy Cherson
Associate Director of Government Affairs
jeremyc@riverkeeper.org
Key takeaways
- The New York State Senate and Assembly released their versions of the New York State budget
- The budgets include boosted funding for clean water infrastructure, habitat restoration, and drinking water source protection
- The state’s environmental review law remains a sticking point, with Riverkeeper advocating for changes that balance sustainable building with environmental protections
- We’re pushing the Senate and Assembly to reject any attempt to weaken New York’s keystone climate law
- The final budget is due on March 31, but negotiations often extend beyond the deadline
New York State budget negotiations between the Governor, Assembly, and Senate are now in full swing. Last week, the Senate and Assembly both released their budgets (known as “one-house” budgets), which serve as their counteroffer to the Governor’s proposal from January. The one-house budgets contain some significant environmental wins, showing how our advocacy — buoyed by the voices of our supporters — continues to move the needle.
Is there money in the New York State budget for clean water infrastructure?
Yes, both the Senate and Assembly proposed increasing state funding for clean water infrastructure, building on the Governor’s $550 million proposal and modifying a separate proposal from the Governor that would dedicate $200 million to water infrastructure needs related to housing development.
Investing in our wastewater and drinking system is critical to ensuring we keep the river clean and provide safe tap water to New Yorkers, so we commend the legislature for stepping up and building upon the Governor’s proposal.
Do the budgets include funding for drinking water protection and environmental restoration?
Also yes. Both houses of the legislature increased the Environmental Protection Fund from the Governor’s proposed $425 million to $500 million. With this, the Senate floated increasing funding for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary and Mohawk River Basin Programs to a record $8.5 million (compared to the Assembly’s $8 million and current fiscal year funding at $7.5 million.)
The Estuary Program is an essential driver of environmental progress along the river, supporting the work of nonprofits, universities, community groups, and local governments in all kinds of ways, including drinking water source protection, tree plantings, and streamside restoration. The program also powers Riverkeeper’s dam removal work, which ensures free-flowing creeks that can support the keystone fish species that call these waters home. Riverkeeper thanks Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Dana Levenberg for partnering with us and leading the charge for this funding.
What is the future of environmental review for development in New York?
In their version of the budget, the Senate included a proposal to modify New York’s keystone environmental review law — the State Environmental Quality Review Act, or SEQRA — with the intention of speeding up the construction of sustainable housing. The proposal is a rebuttal to the Governor’s budget, which eliminates SEQRA review for major housing projects without necessary protections and limitations.
The Senate’s proposal aims to expand exemptions for residential building requirements and focus growth in existing developed and urban areas. However, as currently drafted, the proposal is complex and raises a number of concerns that could lead to harmful, unintended consequences if additional safeguards and clarifications are not incorporated. Riverkeeper and our partners have raised these concerns with lawmakers and suggested improvements and edits that could be made to the proposal to ensure the law adequately protects sensitive wildlife habitat, residents, and clean water. The Assembly did not include any modifications to SEQRA in their budget proposals.
What’s going on with New York State’s climate change law?
The Governor threw a curveball into the budget process when she attempted to weaken New York’s landmark climate law behind closed doors. We thank many of the legislators in the Senate and Assembly that have come out vehemently against any attempt to weaken our environmental laws.
The attempted rollback is particularly egregious given the Trump Administration’s ongoing teardown of environmental protections such as dismantling wetlands protections, throwing out established limits on greenhouse gas emissions, and weakening protections for PFAS in drinking water. New York should be leading the way fighting climate change and advancing renewable energy goals, not parroting the fossil fuel industry’s talking points. As budget negotiations continue, we encourage the Senate and Assembly to reject any attempt to weaken our climate law.
What’s next for the New York State budget?
The next step for the budget is for the Senate, Assembly, and the Governor to negotiate and come to an agreement on a final version that will fund New York State for the next fiscal year. The final budget is technically due on March 31, though negotiations have in recent years extended long beyond the deadline.
Riverkeeper will continue to keep a close eye on the process, push for a budget that protects our waterways and communities, and call on supporters to move the needle for the good of the river and clean water.
About Jeremy
As part of the Advocacy, Policy, and Planning Program at Riverkeeper, Jeremy has more than a decade of experience advocating for clean water, halting harmful environmental rollbacks, and moving forward legislation that protects the Hudson River and the communities that depend on it. Jeremy has a M.S. in Environmental Policy from the Bard College Center for Environmental Policy.
Related campaigns
Water quality monitoring
Riverkeeper is the go-to source for information about the quality of the water along the Hudson River and its tributaries
Protecting and restoring habitats
The Hudson River watershed is home to a breathtaking diversity of life. Protecting and restoring our aquatic habitats is critical for their renewal and for a healthy future for all life in the watershed
Strengthening protections against a changing climate
Supporting nature-based solutions to adapt to the impacts of climate change
Related news
January 22, 2026
Riverkeeper analysis weighs progress and pitfalls in proposed 2026 New York State budget
Press release
March 5, 2026
Riverkeeper statement on rising energy costs and New York’s landmark climate law
Position statement