Press Release
December 15, 2021
Linda Cooper, Regional Director
Taconic Region – 9 Old Post Road/ PO Box 308, Staatsburg, NY 12580
Draft Master Plan Completed for James Baird State Park
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) has completed a Draft Master Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for James Baird State Park, located in the Town of LaGrange, Dutchess County, NY. A public meeting on the Draft Master Plan and DEIS will be hosted online Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 2:30pm. The meeting will be recorded and made publicly available.
During the meeting, OPRHP staff will make a presentation about the Plan and DEIS and be available to receive verbal comments after the presentation. Free registration in advance of the online meeting will be required in order to attend. To register, please e-mail: JamesBaird.plan@parks.ny.gov no later than Tuesday, January 4th at 12:00pm.
OPRHP encourages the public to participate in the online public meeting and welcomes all comments on the draft documents. An online version of the draft Master Plan and DEIS is available at the following publicly accessible website: https://parks.ny.gov/inside-our-agency/master-plans.aspx. Non-digital copies of the documents can be obtained from the Agency Contact listed below. The documents are also available at the Taconic Regional Office located at 9 Old Post Rd, Staatsburg, NY. Persons may provide comments by email or in writing no later than the end of the public comment period – Friday, January 21, 2022. See details below.
The Draft MP and DEIS includes proposals for resource protection and recreational use, including continued rehabilitation and maintenance of the park's existing facilities as well as construction of new park facilities. Rehabilitation or improvements are proposed for park infrastructure, including the day use area, maintenance center, buildings, sports and recreation facilities, circulation, and entry areas, as well as upgrading of the park's electric and water systems. Upgrades will be made to vehicular and pedestrian infrastructure. New infrastructure will include internet connectivity, new recreational amenities, and improved access to park amenities and programs for people of all abilities. The DEIS describes potential environmental impacts and mitigation of those that may be adverse. Resources evaluated with respect to impacts include land, water, air, biological/ecology, cultural and archeological, scenic, open space and recreation, traffic/access, public health and safety, and energy, noise, odor, and light.
Written comments on the Draft Master Plan and DEIS will be accepted until close of business on Friday, January 21, 2022. Comments may be submitted to: JamesBaird.plan@parks.ny.gov or mailed to: Tana Bigelow, Park Planner, Division of Environmental Stewardship and Planning, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12207 (518) 474-0409. If you have any questions, please call Linda Cooper, Regional Director, Taconic Region at 845 889-3811, or email JamesBaird.Plan@parks.ny.gov.
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails, and boat launches, which were visited by a record 78 million people in 2020. A recent university study found that spending by State Parks and its visitors supports $5 billion in output and sales, 54,000 private-sector jobs and more than $2.8 billion in additional state GDP. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit www.parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer mobile app or call 518.474.0456. Also, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.