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correspondence 3 pages

1 Van Wyck Street, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 Dear Bryan, Aquatic invasive species are plants or animals not native to our ecosystems and can threaten the ecology of our waterways, economy, or human health. These species are a huge threat to New York’s waterways that can cost millions of dollars annually if ignored. Watercraft Inspection Steward Programs are becoming more popular nationwide, and have been very successful at limiting aquatic invasive species spread via hitchhikers on boats. Teatown Lake Reservation’s Watercraft Inspection Steward Program (WISP) for the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM), has been operating since 2015, when the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation provided funding to various organizations to implement the program at launches throughout New York State. These programs provide free, voluntary boat inspections to recreational boaters and fisherman, and remove any animal or plant material that is found on the boat. Watercraft inspections help to minimize the amount of potentially invasive aquatic species from spreading into our waterways. Teatown and the Lower Hudson PRISM would like to place one steward at the Croton Echo boat launch during the 2022 season. The steward would be located there for between 4 and 8 hours per day for 2-3 days/week (Thursday-Monday), from May to October. The stewards will be trained to do voluntary boat inspections before the boats enter and after they exit the water. The steward would also be there to teach basic plant identification and to answer any questions that boaters might have about aquatic invasive species. Our primary goal is to educate boaters, anglers, and all recreational users about aquatic invasive species and how clean boating practices can minimize their spread. This directly reflects the mission of Teatown to inspire our community to engage in environmental stewardship. Since its inception, the Lower Hudson PRISM’s Watercraft Inspection Steward Program has inspected over 15,000 boats and educated close to 20,000 community members about aquatic invasive species and spread prevention measures. The program has been met with substantial praise, with nearly 90% participation over the past seasons. This year, each of our five stewards will be sponsored by the Trail Conference Conservation Corps AmeriCorps program, adding a level of prestige and professionalism to our program. I hope that the Town of Esopus can see how this program will be beneficial, and I would appreciate your permission and support to have our stewards there. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at ddigiacopo@teatown.org or call me at (551) 579-0532. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. All the best, Devin DiGiacopo Aquatic Invasive Species Program Coordinator for the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management Teatown Lake Reservation Letter of Permission This letter gives Teatown Lake Reservation permission to place a Watercraft Inspection Steward at the Croton Echo boat launch for between 4 and 8 hours per day for 2-3 days/week (Thursday-Monday), from May to October, 2022. Stewards will respect the boundaries of boaters and will not harass boaters or anglers. Their only task at this launch it to provide free, voluntary boat inspections, answer any questions about aquatic invasive species, and provide educational materials to boaters who would like more information. X X (Print Name) X (Date)