Hudson River Estuary Program

Helping People Conserve, Restore, and Enjoy the Hudson River

The Hudson River Estuary Program helps people conserve, restore, and enjoy the Hudson River and its valley. The program focuses on the tidal Hudson and adjacent watershed from the federal dam at Troy to the Verrazano Narrows in New York City, including upper New York-New Jersey Harbor (see map of Hudson River Estuary Program Boundary (PDF)). The program works with many groups to develop knowledgeable and effective stewards of the estuary, using an understanding of the river's ecology as a foundation for its work.

With projects that help manage and restore key species like striped bass and bald eagles, estuary grants have allowed counties, towns and villages in the Hudson River Valley to take ownership of their resources and define the future of their communities while contributing to the overall health and beauty of the region. Cooperation with partners such as the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve is key to the Hudson River Estuary Program's success. Read the 2020 State of the Hudson for more information on progress to restore the Hudson River Estuary.

• Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2021 - 2025
• 2023 Hudson River Estuary Coordinator's Report (PDF)
• 2022 Hudson River Estuary Coordinator's Report (PDF)
• 2020 State of the Hudson Report 

Action Agenda

The program is guided by an Action Agenda, a conservation and restoration blueprint developed with significant community input. The Hudson River Estuary Program collaborates with many partners including nonprofit organizations, academic and scientific institutions, businesses, local governments, state and federal agencies, and interested citizens. The Estuary Program offers a variety of programs to support our partners, including:

• Education and training
• Technical assistance and grants
• Research, monitoring, and mapping

HRECOS

The Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System (HRECOS) is a network of near-real-time water quality and weather monitoring stations in the Hudson River Watershed. Stations record water quality and weather conditions every 15 minutes and transmit data in near real-time to the HRECOS website.

Hudson River Estuary Management Advisory Committee

Statutory language: The Hudson River Estuary Management Advisory Committee was established in 1987 under Section 11-0306 of the Environmental Conservation Law.

Public Contact

NYSDEC Region 3
21 S Putt Corners Rd
New Paltz, NY 12561
845-256-3016
[email protected]

Purpose

The Hudson River Estuary Management Advisory Committee steers the Hudson River Estuary program, which is built on sound science and principles of ecosystem-based management. The committee meets three times per year and provides a forum where the views and opinions of committee members can be shared with state resource managers. The committee serves to advise DEC on regulatory, policy, and other matters affecting the management, protection, and use of the Hudson River estuary, its tributaries and shorelands.

Advisory Committee Membership

The committee's volunteer members are appointed by the DEC Commissioner and represent interests directly involved in the Hudson River estuarine district and include representatives of commercial fishing, sportsmen and women, research conservation, local government, marine trades, and recreation.

Vacancies, Expired Terms, Terms Expiring Within One Year

Not applicable

Process for Filling Vacancies

When committee vacancies occur or when DEC determines additional committee members are necessary to fulfill the requirements of the Hudson River Estuary Management Program, DEC will publicly announce that there are openings for new members of HREMAC. This announcement will be coordinated with DEC's Division of Communication, Education, and Engagement and provided through RiverNet, at HREMAC meetings, via the DEC's social media platforms, and through active recruiting by the Hudson River Estuary Coordinator, and is to include an invitation to prospective members to attend upcoming HREMAC meetings. The announcement will invite people to submit applications containing their resume and a letter that explains how they "represent interests directly involved in the Hudson River estuarine district" and details their involvement in "commercial fishing, sportsmen, research, conservation, [and/or] recreation." Applicants may also elect to include letters of recommendation with their application. Applicants will submit letters and resumes to the DEC Appointments Office, 14th Floor, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY, 12233, by a certain deadline.

Once applications are received, DEC will review, categorize, and prioritize submissions, and then collaborate with the Estuary Coordinator to prepare a package of nominees that meet the Committee's need for representation as required by statute as well as the Department's need for geographic representation, diversity representation, subject matter representation.

The DEC Commissioner will review nominations and make appointments of those individuals who are deemed most qualified.

Member Compensation

Not addressed in the enabling legislation

Meeting Minutes and Agendas

The committee meets three times per year. View the minutes from each meeting below:

• June 6, 2024 Minutes (PDF)
• March 7, 2024 Minutes (PDF)
• November 2, 2023 Minutes (PDF)