The drama over the waning Environmental Protection Fund appears to be over. I say "appears" because the State Legislature hasn't passed the budget yet, so something could still change.

A press release sent out by the governor's office earlier today says that the state is appropriating $222 million for the EPF. Environmental Advocates of New York reports that the fund will be replenished through its traditional source, real-estate transfer tax proceeds.

After Albany lawmakers raided the EPF to balance this year's budget, a lot of folks in the environmental community started worrying about the fund, which bankrolls things like wilderness and open space protection, as well as water- quality improvement projects. It was a real concern in Rochester because the fund is a likely source of money for a pending state purchase of the city-owned Canadice and Hemlock Lakes land.