top of page

Albany County Republican & Conservative Conference Agenda 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Albany County Republican and Conservative Conference recently highlighted achievements and proposals to responsibly conserve nature and grow Albany County. The latest installment in the “Sensible Solutions” Agenda for 2023 comes during Earth Month, with a distinct focus on our natural resources, and how these environmental issues tie into local economic development.

 

“Albany County is home to some of the finest natural features and assets that New York state has to offer. I proudly represent the Helderberg region; whose cliffs, lakes, parks and forests are enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Our natural assets are also rich with history, and it is our duty as legislators to responsibly conserve and protect these assets. Safeguarding these environmental treasures isn’t just good ‘green’ policy, it’s good economic policy.” -County Legislator Jeff Perlee (R-C, Altamont)

 

“Thacher Park, Pine Bush, Five Rivers Center – these are just a few amazing outdoor resources Albany County has to offer. Representing the most rural District in our Legislature has taught me how environmentally rich our County is. It is up to us as lawmakers to follow the Conservative legacy of New Yorkers like Teddy Roosevelt, and I am proud to be in a Conference that responsibly fights for smart conservation and economic development efforts.” -County Legislator Chris Smith (C-R, East Berne)

 

CONSERVING & GROWING ALBANY COUNTY

The Republican and Conservative Conference strongly believes that much of Albany County’s wealth is in its natural landscapes, forests and the environment as a whole – not only because of its intrinsic value, but because locations such as Thacher Park, the Pine Bush, and the Five Rivers Center are important economic draws for our County.

 

Care must be taken to preserve our natural assets, and our Conference has put forward and supported several bipartisan initiatives to accomplish this, including:

  • A local law creating an Albany County Nature and Historic Preserve System focused on the preservation of wetlands, forests, animal habitats, and scenic views;

  • An initiative which required the Albany County Planning Board to consider viewshed impact on the Helderberg Escarpment in its normal course of business; and

  • Resolutions that provide for the construction of new, energy-efficient highway garages in Knox and Coeymans.

 

Our Conference strongly believes that economic development must be a priority for Albany County, and that doing it in ways that conserve our County’s natural treasures are preferred when possible. That is why our members:

  • Continue to support local job-creators like Plug Power and other leaders in the global market of green energy; and

  • Will continue to fight for the preservation of our parks, waterfront access points, and other recreation areas essential to the local economy – as well as critical bridge and culvert infrastructure investments for roads throughout our County.

 

In addition to the policies our Conference has supported, our members have also “walked the walk” when it comes to sensible conservation strategies:

  • In 2017, our Conference adopted a paperless workplace, replacing thousands of pages of legislative agendas for each member with electronic tablets. This leadership action paved for the way for other County efforts to improve our overall environmental impact; and

  • Our Conference supported an initiative by the Legislature as a whole to go paperless in 2018, and voted in 2018 and 2020 to incorporate more energy efficiency in County facilities.

 

To learn more about the Conference’s ‘Sensible Solutions’ Agenda for 2023, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

bottom of page