The Governor's office recently announced [1] that Governor Eliot Spitzer [2] signed an Executive Order [3] creating a Smart Growth Cabinet charged with reviewing state agency spending policies and devising optimal strategies to discourage urban sprawl and promote appropriate land use practices. Chaired jointly by the Governor's Deputy Secretary for the Environment Judith Enck [4] and the Deptuty Secretary for Economic Development and Infrastructure Timothy Gilchrist [5], the Cabinet also includes high-level policymakers from an array of state agencies well versed in the principles of sustainable development.

In order to fully address land use policies across the state, Governor Spitzer launched three region-specific programs, which uniquely balance each area's economic and environmental concerns: the Lower Hudson Smart Growth Grant Initiative, the Adirondack Smart Growth Initiative, and the Central Catskills Program. The creation of the Cabinet moves New York to the forefront of smart growth initiatives. As Marcia Bystryn, Executive Director of the New York League of Conservation Voters, notes, "Governor Spitzer's cutting-edge policy ... will help create a stronger, more sustainable economy that protects our natural resources and quality of life."