Albany, NY -- (06/18/19) All members of the Orange County Assembly delegation are proud to announce the Assembly overwhelmingly passed A.7699-A today, which would establish a county wide opt-in to utilize community preservation funds.

This legislation is the result of the Orange County Legislatures unanimous request to authorize Orange County’s inclusion in the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act.

This legislation has significant bi-partisan support from across the county and state including support from Preserve Chester, Preserve Blooming Grove, Orange County Land Trust, United Monroe, Town of Blooming Grove Town Board, Town of Warwick Town Board, Town of Chester Town Board, Orange County Legislature, The Nature Conservancy of New York, the American Farmland Trust, Environmental Advocates of New York and Scenic Hudson.

Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (D,W,I-Forestburgh) stated, “I am proud to be the sponsor of this legislation to include Orange County in the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act and work with the entire Orange County Delegation and the rest of my Assembly colleagues to pass this bill. We have all come together to get this legislation that was at the unanimous request of the County Legislature successfully passed in the Assembly on behalf of all residents of Orange County.”

Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R,C,I-Deerpark) stated, “I was pleased to co-sponsor this legislation with Assemblywoman Gunther, Assemblyman Schmitt, Assemblyman Jacobson and Assemblyman Miller for Orange County and to work with my Assembly colleagues in both parties to get it passed. This legislation is critical to give local municipalities the option to establish community preservation funds which have proven to successfully protect our open spaces and farmlands in Warwick and should be open for all towns in Orange County if they should so choose. I hope the Senate joins our bipartisan efforts and passes this bill before the end of this year’s legislative session.”

Assemblyman Brian Miller (R,I,C,Ref-New Hartford) stated, “I am thrilled that we have passed this legislation in the Assembly today to help preserve Orange County’s natural beauty and open space. Working together with all Assembly members that represent Orange County we were able to get this bill passed, and now it is time for the State Senate to join with us in doing the same.”

Assemblyman Jonathon Jacobson (D-Newburgh) stated, “I wish to congratulate the sponsor of this bill, Aileen Gunther, and the other co-sponsors of this bill. This bill will allow municipalities in Orange County to raise money for community preservation and will provide parks, nature preserves, recreation areas, and preservation of open space, aquifer recharge areas, historic sites among other purposes. I was glad to see this pass in a bi-partisan basis.”

Assemblyman Colin Schmitt (R, C, I, Ref-New Windsor) stated, “The Orange County Community Preservation Act has overwhelmingly passed the State Assembly. I am so proud to work in bipartisan fashion with all members of the Orange County Assembly Delegation to get this bill passed. There is widespread support within the county and across the state for this bill. It is beyond time for Orange County to be included in the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act. It is my hope that the State Senate will pass this bill to give Orange County full access to all the available tools to protect our open space, natural resources and environment.”

The bill awaits action in the State Senate before session ends this week.