The session in Albany is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. today (Dec. 4)at the Omni Crowne Plaza. The meeting in Poughkeepsie will be heldon Tuesday, Dec. 5 at the Poughkeepsie Sheraton at 6:30 p.m. and onThursday, Dec. 7, a hearing will be staged at the Tarrytown Hiltonbeginning at 6:30 p.m.

In his State of the State message in January 2000, GovernorGeorge Pataki proposed developing a Rivers and Estuaries Instituteon the Hudson River. Since then, the governor has established aState Task Force and Advisory Committee to study the siting,funding and strategic planning of the proposed institute. GovernorPataki has said that the institute should be patterned after theWoods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts. Since January,local officials in municipalities up and down the Hudson River havelobbied New York State to locate the institute in theircommunities. To date, no site location has been released, and thetask force, chaired by New York State Department of EnvironmentalConservation Commissioner John Cahill, is expected to release itsfindings in the spring of 2001.

"Our vision for a new Rivers and Estuaries Institute locatedalong the banks of the majestic Hudson River will bring bothnational and global prominence to the Hudson Valley through itswork to protect and preserve rivers throughout the world," saysPataki. "The opinions and suggestions of local leaders on theplanning and development of the institute are critical to ensurethe success of this exciting and ambitious endeavor."