ALBANY — State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced Thursday the release of a draft commissioner policy to improve access to the outdoors for people with mobility disabilities.

The proposed policy guides the use of Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices on DEC-managed lands by consolidating and streamlining several existing DEC policies and procedures and establishes a framework to identify new opportunities for the use of OPDMDs by people with mobility disabilities.

“DEC manages nearly 5 million acres of land to conserve natural resources while providing diverse outdoor recreational opportunities, from hiking and bicycling to camping and hunting,” Lefton said in a press release. “Forests and natural areas provide physical and mental health benefits to millions of New Yorkers, and this proposed policy would improve transparency and help ensure those benefits are available to people of all abilities.”

The new policy is part of DEC’s ongoing efforts to making reasonable modifications to the state’s general policies, practices and procedures to ensure that people with disabilities are afforded equitable access without taking any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs, services or activities.

OPDMDs are battery or fuel-powered devices, other than wheelchairs, used for locomotion, including golf carts, scooters, e-bikes and other personal mobility devices. DEC currently administers an accommodation program for people with mobility disabilities.

The new draft policy is intended to replace Commissioner Policy 3 (Motorized Access Program for People with Disabilities), continuing the permitted opportunities identified under that policy for cars, trucks and ATVs, while also expanding opportunities for a wider range of devices.

The proposal provides clear information about public recreation opportunities that allow OPDMD uses in select locations and guidance for evaluating additional device uses over time. The proposal also identifies areas of DEC-managed lands where certain categories of OPDMDs would not be allowed due to public safety issues, risks to natural resources or other concerns.

Written comments on the draft policy will be accepted through March 9. DEC will host a virtual public meeting Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. for those interested in learning more. To register for the public meeting or to access the draft policy and provide comments, visit tinyurl.com/3ef8f5pk.

For information about DEC’s accessible recreation destinations and to explore the range of wheelchair-accessible opportunities statewide, including an interactive online map to identify accessible features on DEC lands, visit dec.ny.gov/places-to-go/accessible-recreation.