Canal Recreationway Commission
Canal Recreationway Commission | Canal Recreationway Plan
The New York State Canal Recreationway Commission was created by the New York State Legislature in 1992 under Article XIII-A, Section 138-a of the Canal Law, to advise the Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation on canal-related activities.
Commission Membership
The Commission is comprised of 24 members. There are 14 voting members including ten individuals involved in canal use, development, preservation, enhancement, and local governments from counties adjacent to or intersected by the Canal System. These members are appointed by the Governor, with three appointed at the recommendation of the President Pro Tem and Majority Leader of the Senate, and three appointed at the recommendation of the Speaker of the Assembly. The remaining voting membership consists of representatives from four state agencies: the Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
There are ten non-voting members of the Commission, comprised of two state agencies (Department of State and Empire State Development) and eight regional planning boards whose regions are intersected by the Canal System: Lake George-Lake Champlain Regional Planning Board, Capital District Regional Planning Commission, Herkimer-Oneida Counties Comprehensive Planning Program, Central New York Regional Planning Board, Southern Tier East Regional Planning Board, Southern Tier Central Regional Planning Board, Genesee-Finger Lakes Regional Planning Board, and Erie & Niagara Counties Regional Planning Board.
Commission Duties
In addition to maintaining and periodically revising the Canal Recreationway Plan, the primary responsibility of the Commission is to make recommendations concerning the future of the Canal System. Embodied in the Commission’s vision are three fundamental goals:
- Preserving the best of the past.
- Enhancing recreational opportunities.
- Fostering appropriate and sustainable economic development.
For more information,
Canal Recreationway CommissionNew York State Canal Corporation
30 South Pearl St.
Albany NY 12207
(518) 449-6008
Legislation
NYS Canal Law § 138-a. Canal recreationway commission
- There is hereby established a canal recreationway commission (hereinafter referred to as the “commission”) consisting of the following members:
- a. the chairman of the authority, the commissioner of transportation, the commissioner of the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation and the commissioner of environmental conservation, or their representatives;
- b. ten individuals involved in canal use, development, preservation or enhancement and local governments from counties adjacent to or intersected by the canal system appointed by the governor of whom three shall be appointed at the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate and three shall be appointed at the recommendation of the speaker of the assembly. In appointing such members, the governor shall ensure geographic representation from each of the canal sections encompassing the canal system, including at least one representative from counties in which the Erie, Champlain, Cayuga-Seneca, and Oswego canals are located. In addition, individuals appointed to the commission shall be broadly representative of the following areas of interest: preservation of the environment, the operation of tour boats on the canal, the operation of marinas on the canal, recreational trail users, hunting and fishing, tourism promotion agencies as defined in section one hundred sixty-two of the economic development law, historic preservation, the commercial farming industry and the commercial shipping industry, provided that with respect to appointment of an individual representative of the commercial farming industry or commercial shipping industry, such an individual may reside outside of a county adjacent to or intersected by the canal system if such person holds an ownership interest or senior managerial position in a commercial farming firm or commercial shipping firm, respectively, which regularly uses the canal system in furtherance of its business; and
- c. the commissioner of economic development and the secretary of state, or their representatives, and a member from each of the regional planning boards, as established by articles five-G and twelve-B of the general municipal law, whose region is intersected by the canal shall be ex-officio, non-voting members of the commission and shall provide technical expertise and advice to the commission as necessary.
- The chairperson of the commission shall be the chairman of the authority. The members of the commission may elect a secretary and other necessary officers to serve for such a period as the members shall decide.
- Members of the commission, except commissioners of a state agency, chairs of public authorities, the secretary of state, and representatives of regional planning boards shall serve for a term of four years and may be reappointed; however, of those members appointed initially, three such members, one appointed by the governor, one appointed by the temporary president of the senate and one appointed by the speaker of the assembly shall be appointed for terms of two years, and three such members, one appointed by the governor, one appointed by the temporary president of the senate and one appointed by the speaker of the assembly shall be appointed for terms of three years.
- Any member, except a member who is a state official, after notice and an opportunity to be heard, may be removed by the governor for neglect of duty or misfeasance in office. Any member, except a member who is a state official, who fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the commission, unless excused by formal vote of the commission, shall be deemed to have vacated his or her position.
- Any vacancy in the commission shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.
- A majority of the voting members of the commission then in office, at least five of whom are not appointed pursuant to paragraph a of subdivision one of this section, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power or function of the commission. An act, determination or decision of the majority of the members present and entitled to vote during the presence of a quorum shall be held to be the act, determination or decision of the commission.
- The commission shall meet at least quarterly. Special meetings may be called by its chairperson and shall be called by the chairperson at the request of a majority of the members of the commission then in office.
- Members of the commission shall not receive compensation for their services as members, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.