Open Mic: Environmental Advocates

This recently out of New York:

Debate is continuing over the new budget deal reached late last night in Albany, but environmental and conservation groups are praising the inclusion of $200 million in New York’s new budget for water and sewer infrastructure projects.

Yeah, environmental and conservation lobbyists pushing for the hard stuff. $200 million for a three year program.

Then, the next paragraph has this:

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation estimates the need for wastewater infrastructure repairs over the next two decades across the state totals $36 billion.  The Department of Health says the need for drinking water infrastructure repairs is nearly $39 billion. Communities have not had a funding mechanism to help close that $75 billion dollars in need.

Some basic math for those of you who don't like numbers. $200 million over three years is $67 million per year. Whittling down $79 billion in needs at $67 million per year will take 1,185 years. 

Here's the question for Open Mic: Have environmental and conservation advocates become comfortably co-opted within this nation's corridors of power to the point where they have become an obstacle to real reform?