WURTSBORO – Local officials and community members gathered on Saturday, January 10 at the Mamakating Environmental Education Center to learn more about the proposed Hudson Valley Community Preservation (HVCP) Act, legislation under consideration in Albany that could provide towns with a new tool to protect environmentally significant lands while allowing residents to decide how preservation is implemented locally. 

Although the HVCP Act is already a New York State law, the pending legislation would need to be passed in order to allow Sullivan County towns to take part. 

Sullivan County Legislator Matt McPhillips and Orange County Land Trust Community Liaison Mike Sweeton spoke at the event, emphasizing that the HVCP Act is voluntary, flexible and rooted in local decision making. If passed, the legislation would allow individual towns to opt in and propose preservation initiatives tailored to their specific needs, which would then be voted on by residents through referendum.

McPhillips stressed that the act does not impose mandates on municipalities. “Each town will participate if they want, but it doesn’t force anyone to participate,” he explained. “It’s a collaboration, it gives people the power to choose.”

Under the HVCP Act, towns could prioritize preserving agricultural land, protecting aquifers, expanding parks and recreational areas, or safeguarding lakes, rivers and streams. The scope and scale of projects would be determined locally, allowing communities to shape programs that align with their values and long-term goals.

“It’s flexible,” McPhillips said. “They can make it as large or as successful as they want. It gives the people the opportunity to build the community they want to see.”

Sweeton echoed those sentiments, describing the legislation as a democratic process that empowers the residents and municipal leaders alike. “It’s a true democratic effort, and it gives power to the people and will shape the destiny of the community that they live in,” he said. 

He went on to explain that, “it’s not imposing anything on anyone, it’s giving residents the chance to vote on whether they want this in their town and how it would work for them and their future.”

Event organizer Cora Edwards pointed to the success of similar programs in neighboring counties. “The Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act has proven successful in Ulster and Orange counties,” Edwards said. “It is vital that Sullivan County also benefits from the HVCP Act to preserve our area’s natural beauty, agricultural conservation, parks and recreation and our towns, lakes, rivers and streams.”

Organizers encouraged residents to participate in the discussions so that their towns can determine whether and how it would work for their communities.