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Lawmakers outline environment, agriculture and housing budget priorities as negotiations begin
Summary
Members of the joint conference committee detailed competing Assembly and Senate funding proposals for clean water, parks, agriculture supports and housing as the 2026–27 budget talks opened, setting the stage for negotiations over program allocations, energy policy and affordability measures.
Albany — Lawmakers on the joint conference committee on environment, agriculture and housing opened formal budget negotiations on March 17, laying out differing Assembly and Senate priorities for the 2026–27 enacted budget.
The committee’s Assembly cochair, Assemblymember Deborah Glick, told colleagues the Assembly would push substantial increases for clean water and environmental programs and named dozens of agencies at the table, including the Adirondack Park Agency, the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Markets. "We move that (clean water infrastructure) from 500 to 800,000,000," she said, and she cited line items such as $5,000,000 for Cornell AgTech and $3,250,000 for the Center for Sustainable Materials Management.
On the Senate side, committee members described their one-house highlights, including a $138,000,000 increase for clean water infrastructure, a $75,000,000 boost to the Environmental Protection Fund and new capital for parks and energy-affordability programs. A Senate speaker described proposals for a $1 billion sustainable-futures initiative that would include $250,000,000 to revive the New York Sun program.
Members repeatedly emphasized that proposed dollars are oversubscribed and intended to reach projects statewide. The hearing also surfaced clear differences: Assembly members highlighted larger, targeted increases for housing vouchers, Mitchell-Lama preservation and homeowner protection, while Senate speakers emphasized capital restorations for parks and a major energy affordability fund.
Committee members said the meeting would alternate opening comments between chambers and that each member at the table would have two minutes to speak. No formal votes or motions were taken at the opening meeting; lawmakers framed their remarks as initial positions ahead of continued negotiations.
The committee is expected to continue negotiations in the weeks ahead as members reconcile one-house budgets and program allocations.
