New Year, No Fees: Governor Hochul Invites New Yorkers to Start New Year with Free First Day Hikes

Governor Hochul Waives Parking Fees at All State Parks on January 1 to Increase Access to Outdoors; Admission Fees to State Park Grounds Always Free

First Day Hiking Events at Nearly 100 State Parks, Historic Sites, DEC Natural Areas and Environmental Education Centers, Canal Trails, and Other Public Lands on New Year's Day

For More Information or to Register for Events, Visit State Parks,  DEC, and Canals Online

Governor Kathy Hochul encouraged New Yorkers to spend time outdoors this holiday season and celebrate the New Year at State Parks, historic sites, natural areas, environmental education centers, canal trails, and public lands across the Empire State on January 1, 2025. The 14th annual First Day Hikes program is offering varied hike options for people at nearly 100 locations across the state to enjoy. Governor Hochul waived parking fees at all State Parks to increase access to these events on New Year’s Day. Admission to State Park grounds is always free.

“There's no better way to kick off the New Year than with family and friends at a First Day Hike to experience and enjoy the winter beauty of New York’s amazing scenic landscapes,” Governor Hochul said. “This year, I’m waiving parking fees at every State Park and Historic Site to encourage all New Yorkers to join in on this fantastic tradition.”

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Canal Corporation are partnering to host the many walks and hikes taking place throughout the state as part of the 14th Annual First Day Hikes program.

Most walks and hikes are family-friendly, and typically range from one to five miles depending on the location and conditions. More than 120 individual hikes are being offered at state parks, historic sites, canal trails, and DEC natural areas and environmental education centers.

Noteworthy for 2025 is a historic landscape and winter wildlife hike along Lake Champlain at Crown Point State Historic Site; a scenic hike up the Appalachian Trail at Bear Mountain State Park; a hike along the old tow paths of the Erie Canal at Schoharie Crossing; and a hike along the Lake Erie shoreline at Evangola State Park. The Catskill Mountain Club will be leading a hike up the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower qualifying for DEC’s annual Catskills Fire Tower Challenge. There will also be a hike up Mt. Van Hoevenberg from the Olympic Complex along one of the newer trails in the High Peaks region.

A list of New York State First Day Hikes, location details, format, pre-registration requirements and additional information can be found online for Parks,  DEC, and Canals. Interested participants are encouraged to check the details of their preferred host site and register where required.

Starting in Massachusetts in 1992, First Day Hikes are now a national event taking place in all 50 states. While the following locations are offering organized activities, most of New York’s public lands are accessible on this day and throughout the winter season.

List of First Day Hikes by region:

Western New York

Allegany State Park – Red House Area, Salamanca; 716.379.6941

Brockport Welcome Center, Brockport;

Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area (DEC), North Collins; 716.379.6389

DeVeaux Woods State Park, Niagara Falls; 716.282.5154 register here

Evangola State Park, Irving; 716.282.5154 register here

Fort Niagara State Park, Youngstown; 716.282.5154 register here (2 hikes)

Genesee Valley Greenway, Avon; 585.493.3614

Genesee Valley Greenway, Cuba; 716.378.1923

Genesee Valley Greenway, Fillmore; RevupHume@gmail.com

Genesee Valley Greenway, Hinsdale; 585.493.3614

Genesee Valley Greenway, Mt. Morris; 585.493.3614

Genesee Valley Greenway, Nunda; 585.493.3614

Genesee Valley Greenway, Rochester; register here

Genesee Valley Greenway, Scottsville; 585.493.3614

Genesee Valley Greenway, York; 585.493.3614

Hamlin Beach State Park, Hamlin; 716.638.7179 (2 hikes)

Knox Farm State Park, East Aurora; 716.282.5154 register here

Lakeside Beach State Park, Waterport; 716.638.7179

Letchworth State Park Humphrey Nature Center, Castile; 585.493.3688 (3 hikes)

Letchworth State Park Highbanks Picnic Shelter, Mt. Morris; 585.493.3688 (2 hikes)

Macedon Canal Park, Macedon;

Niagara Falls State Park, Niagara Falls; 716.282.5154 register here (2 hikes)

Phillips Creek State Forest (DEC), West Almond; 607.382.9770 (4 hikes)

Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (DEC), Depew; 716.683.5959

Whirlpool State Park, Niagara Falls; 716.282.5154 register here

Wilson Tuscarora State Park, Wilson; 716.282.5154 register here

Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area (DEC) – Ross Pond, Gowanda; 440.983.0023

Finger Lakes and Central New York

Bowman Lake State Park / DEC’s McDonough State Forest, Oxford; 607.334.2718

Catharine Valley Trail, Watkins Glen; 607.329.2982

Cayuga-Seneca Trail / Lock CS-4, Waterloo

Chenango Valley State Park, Chenango Forks; 607.648.5251 (2 hikes)

Clark Reservation State Park, Jamesville; 315.559.7341

Delta Lake State Park, Rome; 315.337.4670

Fort Ontario State Historic Site, Oswego; 315.832.8285

Gilbert Lake State Park, Laurens; 607.432.2114

Glimmerglass State Park, Cooperstown; 607.547.8662

Green Lakes State Park, Fayetteville; 315.637.6111

Hemlock-Canadice State Forest (DEC), Canadice; 585.374.8366 (2 hikes)

Herkimer Home State Historic Site, Herkimer; 315.823.0398

Lorenzo State Historic Site, Cazenovia; 315.655.3200

Montezuma Audubon Center, Savannah; 315.539.5089; register here

Newtown Battlefield State Park, Elmira; 607.379.7645

Rogers Environmental Education Center, DEC’s Friends Support Group, Sherburne; 607.674.4733 (3 hikes)

Selkirk Shores State Park, Pulaski; 315.298.5737

Seneca Lake State Park, Geneva; 315.789.2331

Taughannock Falls State Park, Trumansburg; 607.795.6631

Two Rivers State Park, Waverly; 607.379.7645

North Country/Adirondacks

Cat Mountain, DEC’s Lake George Wild Forest, Bolton Landing; 518.338.8173

Crown Point State Historic Site, Crown Point; 518.597.4666

Jabe Pond Trail (DEC), Hague; 518.897.1242

John Brown Farm State Historic Site, Lake Placid; 518.527.0191

Lost Pond (DEC), Ticonderoga; 518.681.2232

Mt. Van Hoevenberg via the MVHE Trail, Lake Placid; 518.897.1283

Northwest Bay Trail, DEC’s Lake George Wild Forest, Bolton Landing; james.white2@dec.ny.gov

Paul Smith's Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC), Paul Smiths; 315.832.2695

Point Au Roche State Park, Plattsburgh; 518.563.0369

Robert G. Wehle State Park, Henderson; 315.938.5302

Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site, Sackets Harbor; 315.646.2321

Silver Lake Mountain (DEC), Black Brook; adkliam24@gmail.com

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry – Adirondack Interpretive Center, Goodnow Mountain, Newcomb; 518.582.2000; register here

Wellesley Island State Park/ Minna Anthony Common Nature Center, Fineview; 315.482.2479 (2 hikes)

Winona State Forest (DEC), Lorraine; 315.376.3521 (taking place on 12/31/2024)

Greater Capital District

Adirondack Ultra Cycling, 160 Broad St., Schuylerville; 518.583.3708

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (DEC), Delmar; 518.475.0291 (3 hikes)

Grafton Lakes State Park, Grafton; 518.279.1155 (3 hikes)

Moreau Lake State Park, Gansevoort; 518.793.0511

Mine Kill State Park, North Blenheim; 518.593.4393

Peebles Island State Park, Cohoes;  register here (2 hikes)

Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs; 518.810.6906

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, Fort Hunter; SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov

Thacher State Park, Voorheesville; 518.872.0800 (4 hikes)

Hudson Valley/Catskills

Bear Mountain State Park, Bear Mountain; ryan.gerbehy@parks.ny.gov

Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park, Yorktown; 914.245.4434

Huckleberry Point Trail (DEC), Elka Park; 845.688.3369

Little Stony Point/Hudson Highlands State Park, Cold Spring; 917.658.4526

Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Peter's Kill, Kerhonkson; 845.255.0752

Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Sam's Point, Cragsmoor; 845.647.7989

North-South Lake, DEC’s Kaaterskill Wild Forest, Haines Falls; 518.303.6050

Nyack Beach State Park, Upper Nyack; register here

Croton Gorge Park, Cortlandt; 646.303.1448; register here

Rockwood Hall, Sleepy Hollow; 914.370.9352; register here

Staatsburgh State Historic Site/Mills Norrie State Park, Staatsburg; register here

Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center, DEC’s Friends Support Group, Wappingers Falls; 845.831.3800; register here

Taconic State Park - Copake Falls, Copake Falls; 518.912.7387

Tremper Mountain Fire Tower from Willow Trailhead (DEC), Phoenicia; Peter@catskillmountainclub.org

Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, Poughkeepsie; 845.392.7800

New York City and Long Island

Bethpage State Park, Farmingdale; 631.962.0217

Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, W. Babylon; 631.481.3514

Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve, Staten Island; 631.601.4127, register here

Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Oakdale; 516.563.2769, register here

Gantry Plaza State Park, Long Island City; register here

Hallock State Park Preserve, Jamesport; 631.315.5475

Heckscher State Park, North Babylon; 631.481.3513, register here

Hempstead Lake State Park, West Hempstead; 516.766.1029

Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center, Wantagh; 516.548.7809

Mt. Loretto Unique Area (DEC), Staten Island; 718.877.1513

Ridge Conservation Area (DEC), Ridge; 631.444.0350

Robert Moses State Park, Babylon; 631.481.3516, register here

Shirley Chisholm State Park, Brooklyn, register here

St. Francis Woodlands (DEC), Staten Island; R2ed@dec.ny.gov

Sunken Meadow State Park, Kings Park; 516.330.4438, register here

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in 2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit  parks.ny.gov, download the free  NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Join us in celebrating our Centennial throughout 2024, and connect with us on  Facebook,  Instagram,  Twitter, and the  OPRHP Blog.

DEC manages more than five million acres of public lands, including three million acres in the Adirondack and Catskill forest preserves, 55 campgrounds and day-use areas, more than 5,000 miles of formal trails, and hundreds of trailheads, boat launches, and fishing piers. Many sites and trails are accessible to people with disabilities. Find recreation options by visiting Love Our NY Lands - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation or visit DECinfo Locator - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. The State’s Love Our New York Lands campaign encourages visitors to be respectful of other visitors in these shared spaces. Visitors are asked to share trails, treat people with kindness, and leave things as they found for others to enjoy. Visitors are encouraged to think of themselves as responsible for helping protect these irreplaceable destinations for future generations. DEC's Adventure NY initiative connects more New York families and visitors to the great outdoors. Plan your next outdoor adventure and connect with DEC on Facebook, X, Flickr and Instagram.

 

State Senator Gustavo Rivera And Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon On Governor Hochul's Veto of Their Local Input For Community Healthcare (LICH) Act

 

State Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon released a statement after Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed their Local Input for Community Healthcare (LICH) Act (S.8843A/A.1633B) last Friday, December 13. This bill passed both the State Senate and State Assembly with strong bipartisan support for the first time ever this past legislative session.

The now vetoed bill would have addressed existing gaps in the state’s review of proposed hospital and critical unit closures, and require adequate advance notice to local officials and the public, a community forum held 150 days in advance of the proposed closure date to allow public comment on the hospital’s closure plan, a final closure plan that addresses concerns raised at the community forum, and public disclosure of all submitted plans by the Department of Health.

“I’m bitterly disappointed by Governor Hochul's decision to veto our bill, the Local Input for Community Healthcare Act (LICH) Act. Healthcare facilities all across the State are closing without any real input from the communities they serve, leaving already vulnerable communities without essential care. It is now imperative that the State Department of Health follows the Governor’s directive and make the necessary changes to ensure that transparency and public engagement are at the core of the hospital closure process, and we will not stop there. I plan to work with Assemblymember Simon to reintroduce this legislation and continue our push for meaningful community engagement in the hospital closure process. I want to express my gratitude to my Senate and Assembly colleagues, especially to longtime bill sponsor Assemblymember JoAnn Simon, patients, healthcare workers and advocates across the state who have fought for this bill for years,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Chair of the Senate Health Committee. “In New York State, we should be creating more avenues to improve our communities’ access to healthcare, not limit it. As Senate Health Chair, I’m committed to continue to push for reforms that will give our communities the power to protect their healthcare services. We must fix what’s irredeemably broken and we must do it now.” 

Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, "I am deeply disappointed by Governor Hochul's veto of the LICH Act, which would have ensured better state oversight and meaningful community engagement when a hospital closure is planned. Past hospital closures have left communities struggling with reduced access to healthcare and longer emergency response times. These decisions should not happen behind closed doors where there is no chance of saving the hospital or unit, or even planning for the community’s future access to healthcare. When a hospital closes, it’s more than a building shutting down—it’s cutting off a lifeline.” She continued, “Since its introduction, this bill has only gained increasing support. Senator Rivera and I remain steadfast in our efforts and will reintroduce this bill in the upcoming session.”

According to the Governor’s veto memo, the bill did not strike the right balance between its intended purposes and the “financial reality that struggling hospitals face and changes in healthcare service delivery” but that the Governor is directing the New York State Department of Health to develop and propose reforms to the hospital closure process. However, the bill sponsors note that the bill does not prevent hospital closures, but outlines a reformed process for closures, and already has provisions to allow DOH to fast-track a closure process in many circumstances including financial crisis.

In the last two decades, more than 40 hospitals have closed across New York, 10 hospitals have closed essential maternity services, and several psychiatric beds that were closed early in the Covid-19 pandemic have not been restored. A study by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform found that there are 27 rural hospitals in the state at risk of closing, amounting to 53% of New York’s rural hospitals. There is also concern about the potential closures of Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan and SUNY Downstate’s University Hospital in Brooklyn, and attempts to close services in the Capital District (childbirth in Troy, and in-patient services in Schenectady), and in the Catskill region in Sullivan County (transfer of key hospital services into another county altogether).

This bill has the support of a strong coalition of labor leaders, patient advocates and community activists. Their response to the veto can be found here.

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH DOCTORS COUNCIL SEIU TO DELIVER RAISES FOR 500 CITY-EMPLOYED PHYSICIANS, INCLUDING MEDICAL EXAMINERS

 

Agreement Provides Wage Increases and Bonuses to Members, Secures Fair Deal for NYC Taxpayers, Improves Recruitment and Retention

Administration Has Now Settled Contracts with Unions Representing Over 97 Percent of Municipal Employees

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Office of Labor Relations (OLR) Commissioner Renee Campion today announced a tentative five-year contract agreement with the Doctors Council Service Employees International Union (SEIU). This agreement will cover approximately 500 city employees, including NYC Health + Hospitals and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene physicians and medical examiners in the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). 

The tentative agreement is retroactive — beginning on June 28, 2021 — and expires on December 27, 2026.  It conforms to the pattern established by dozens of other unions over the last 22 months. The agreement includes wage increases of 3 percent for each of the first four years of the contract and 3.25 percent in the fifth year. The agreement also includes a lump sum ratification bonus of $3,000 for employees who are in active payroll status and in a title covered by the agreement. It also includes enhancements to the City Medical Examiner Teaching Differential — increased to $20,876 — and improvements to salary increase schedules for medical examiners.

“Our doctors and medical examiners are the unsung heroes of our city, providing New Yorkers with the care they need and the answers they deserve in their most difficult times, and through this agreement, we are ensuring they receive the fair pay they deserve,” said Mayor Adams. “This agreement will also help our public hospitals and OCME recruit and retain talent, so that we can provide quality service to New Yorkers and protect public health. From doctors to teachers to probation officers, our administration will always invest in the working-class people of New York City, and we are proud to have achieved these crucial labor agreements in record-time.”

“I am proud to have reached an agreement that provides fair and reasonable wage increases for the physicians that serve our most vulnerable city residents,” said OLR Commissioner Campion. “I would like to thank Doctors Council President Frances Quee and Executive Director Trevor Bolden for their collaboration that allowed us to reach this agreement.”

Members will receive the following compounded wage increases:

• June 28, 2021: 3.00 percent
• June 28, 2022: 3.00 percent
• November 28, 2023: 3.00 percent
• June 28, 2024: 3.00 percent
• June 28, 2025: 3.25 percent

The Adams administration’s efforts to reach this agreement builds on its success in reaching agreements to provide fair wage increases for city employees since coming into office. In the last 22 months, Mayor Adams has successfully negotiated contracts with unions representing nearly 97 percent of the city's workforce. These agreements with District Council 37, the Communications Workers of America Local 1180, the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association, the Uniformed Sanitation Workers' Union Local 831, the United Federation of Teachers, the Police Benevolent Association, the Uniformed Officers Coalition, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Teamsters Local 237, the United Probation Officers’ Association, and dozens of other unions have all included wage increases, including retroactive wage increases for employees that had not received a raise in years. Additionally, many of these contracts included dedicated funding to address retention and recruitment challenges and other important benefits.

Brooklyn Man Convicted of Threatening to Shoot and Kill Employees of the New York State Department of Labor

 

Defendant: “Somebody Might Get Shot Today Coming Out of the Department of Labor”

A federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Quadri Garnes of transmission of threats to injure. The verdict followed a five-day trial before United States District Judge Nina R. Morrison.  When sentenced, Garnes faces up to five years in prison.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Daniel B. Brubaker, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the verdict.

“The defendant used threats of violence as a weapon to terrorize government employees because he couldn’t get what he wanted and today, the jury’s verdict spoke loudly that such conduct will not be tolerated,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “My Office is committed to protecting civil servants who are subjected to work-related threats, and we will do so by vigorously prosecuting offenders like the defendant and demonstrating that there are consequences for such conduct.”

“This guilty verdict should signal to anyone who makes threats of violence against federal employees, or through creating an environment of fear, attempts to impede or obstruct the services these employees provide to the American people, that your actions will absolutely not be tolerated on any level. Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, will bring anyone who attempts or threatens to harm these dedicated employees to justice,” stated USPIS Inspector in Charge Brubaker.

As proven at trial, Garnes was employed as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service (USPS) at the Homecrest post office in Brooklyn from March 26, 2022 to May 29, 2022. After crashing his postal truck into two vehicles, Garnes was terminated on May 31, 2022. Garnes subsequently applied for unemployment benefits but was denied because he had worked for the USPS for fewer than 60 days and was thus ineligible to receive benefits.  On the morning of September 29, 2022, Garnes called the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) and was advised that he had worked for the USPS for too short a period to be eligible to receive benefits. In response, he threatened to shoot and kill employees of the USPS and DOL. During the 45-minute recorded call with two DOL employees, Garnes’s statements included:

• If I go back to the post office, I’m gonna shoot somebody.
• Y’all gonna make me go to jail for killing somebody.
• Do the city want me to kill five or six different people?
• I got 18 and a half years in jail. It don’t bother me to be in jail. I made myself, meaning like I’m made, as long as I’m in the New York City jail, I’m good.
• You might see this s--t on TV. Just remember my name. You might see it on TV tonight. You, just remember my name!
• Somebody might get shot today coming out of Department of Labor.
• Believe me, I’ll be at the New York State Department of Labor down on Schermerhorn or Livingston Street and I will make a big f----ng deal out of it.
  
  
  Garnes’s threats triggered an immediate response by the DOL, the New York State Police and by Postal Inspectors, who took precautions against Garnes’s return to the postal facility where he had briefly worked and the DOL office he named.  Garnes was arrested approximately two weeks after making his threats.

Assistant United States Attorneys Antoinette N. Rangel and Alexander Mindlin are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Rebecca Roth.

Attorney General James Announces 111 Guns Turned in at Bohemia Gun Buyback

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that 111 firearms were turned in at a community gun buyback event in Bohemia hosted by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), the New York State Police, and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. This event was part of Attorney General James’ ongoing effort to combat gun violence and keep New Yorkers safe. To date, Attorney General James has removed more than 8,400 guns from New York state since taking office in 2019.

“Gun buyback events empower local community members to be a part of the solution against gun violence and turn in unwanted firearms with no questions asked,” said Attorney General James. “Every one of the guns collected is an effort to keep New Yorkers safe from the scourge of gun violence facing our communities. I thank the New York State Police, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, and my partners in local government for their commitment to protecting New York families. Together, we will continue to work towards a safer community for everyone, especially our children.”

This buyback event in Bohemia resulted in 111 guns being turned in, including 11 assault weapons, 51 handguns, and 39 long guns. Following today’s gun buyback event, Attorney General James has helped remove more than 8,400 guns out of New York communities.

Third Former NYCHA Superintendent Convicted Of Bribery And Extortion Offenses At Trial

 

In the Third Trial Following a 70-Person Takedown in February 2024, Corey Gilmore, a Former New York City Housing Authority Superintendent, was Convicted of Bribery and Extortion for Accepting Cash from NYCHA Contractors in Exchange for Awarding Contracts

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Corey Gilmore, a former NYCHA superintendent, was convicted of bribery and extortion under color of official right for taking thousands of dollars from contractors in exchange for awarding those contractors no-bid contracts or approving payment on previously awarded contracts at NYCHA developments for approximately six years. The verdict followed a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Corruption is an insidious crime—difficult to detect, corrosive in its effect on government agencies, and damaging to the public’s trust in government institutions.  As a NYCHA Superintendent, Corey Gilmore abused his position of public trust by demanding thousands of dollars of bribes from contractors, betraying his duty to NYCHA residents, the City of New York, and taxpayers.  The jury’s unanimous verdict sends a clear message that those who use their public offices for personal gain will be held accountable.” 

According to the evidence presented in court during the trial:

NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in the country, providing housing to New Yorkers across the City and receiving over $1.5 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) every year.  When repairs or construction work at NYCHA housing require the use of outside contractors, services must typically be purchased via a bidding process.  However, when the value of a contract was under a certain threshold, designated staff at NYCHA developments, including superintendents, could hire a contractor of their choosing without soliciting multiple bids.  With either type of contract, a NYCHA employee needed to certify that the work was satisfactorily completed in order for the contractor to receive payment from NYCHA.

GILMORE, a superintendent at three NYCHA developments in the Bronx between 2016 and 2023—Bronx River Houses, Eastchester Gardens, and Forest Houses—demanded and received cash in exchange for NYCHA contracts. GILMORE typically demanded $1,000 for each contract he awarded. In total, GILMORE demanded and received tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in NYCHA contracts.

Of the 70 individual NYCHA employees charged with bribery and extortion offenses in February 2024, 59 have pled guilty, and three have been convicted after trial.

If you believe you have information related to bribery, extortion, or any other illegal conduct by NYCHA employees, please contact OIGNYCHA@doi.nyc.gov or (212) 306-3356. If you were involved in such conduct, please consider self-disclosing through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at USANYS.WBP@usdoj.gov.

GILMORE, 46, of Garnerville, New York, was convicted of one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, and one count of extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Department of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the HUD Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, which work together collaboratively as part of the HSI Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, as well as the special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Statement From Governor Kathy Hochul Re; Drone Sightings

“In response to my calls for additional resources, our federal partners are deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system to New York State. This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations. We are grateful to the Biden Administration for their support, but ultimately we need further assistance from Congress. Passing the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act will give New York and our peers the authority and resources required to respond to circumstances like we face today.”

 

Office Of Environmental Remediation Announces 165 Acres Of Cleaned Land Resulting In 28,000 New Housing Units

 

Rendering of 1169 River Avenue, an affordable housing project resulting in remediation efforts from the Office of Environmental Remediation - via via NYC Housing Connect

The New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) recently announced that it has successfully cleaned 165 acres of contaminated land across the city since the start of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. The remediated land has been redeveloped into various new uses, including 28,000 units of housing (12,000 of which are affordable), 16 new schools, 2.9 million square feet of community space, and 6.1 million square feet of commercial space.

Established in 2008 as part of New York City’s PlaNYC sustainability plan, OER designs and operates municipal programs to promote the cleanup and redevelopment of vacant contaminated land. Nearly 70 percent of OER’s projects are located in environmental justice areas. Upon completion of the cleanups, projects are eligible for a Green Property Plaque, indicating that the site’s successful cleanup protects public health and the environment, and the building is safe for occupancy.

Rendering of Mount Hope Walton Apartments At 1761 Walton Avenue, an affordable housing project resulting in remediation efforts from the Office of Environmental Remediation – via via NYC Housing Connect

Notable recent projects include the Mt. Hope Walton Apartments in The Bronx, a 14-story building with 103 affordable units and a 9,900-square-foot community gymnasium; the Rheingold Affordable Senior Residences in Williamsburg, an eight-story, 93-unit supportive housing development for seniors; the Tommie L. Agee Educational Campus in East Elmhurst, a 646-seat school serving students from grades six through eight; and 1169 River Avenue in The Bronx, one of the city’s largest supportive housing developments with 245 affordable units for formerly homeless individuals and families.

“Kudos to the Office of Environmental Remediation on the monumental achievement of completing their 1000th cleanup project,” said Ezgi Karayel, president, NYC Brownfield Partnership. “As a steadfast partner to the NYC Brownfield Partnership, the OER team has been instrumental in advocating for the cleanup and revitalization of our city. The Clean Soil Bank, as the only municipally operated program of its kind, is a testament to OER’s innovative approach to supporting sustainable development. On behalf of the NYC Brownfield Partnership, we thank you for your dedication to building a more resilient New York City.”