Participants at the First Statewide Legislative Symposium on Rural Development discussed environmental, land use, and natural resource problems and opportunities in rural areas of New York state. Identified as major assets were scenic beauty, diversified land use and economy, abundance and high quality of water, soil base for agriculture and forestry, forest covering 60% of the state, resilience of ecosystems, stabilization of fish and wildlife resources, and heightened public desire for environmental quality. Weaknesses included toxic and hazardous waste disposal, potential for rural areas to be used as dumping grounds undirected rural growth, urban orientation in state planning, undermanaged forest resources, and an insufficient resource management information base. Major goals suggested were to protect ground, air, soil, and water from waste disposal contamination; to develop energy sources in an environmentally and economically sound manner; and to enhance and protect the land resource base. Key public policy questions included how state and local governments will achieve sound management of environmental, land, and natural resources as the state develops; how public and private cooperation in these efforts will be enhanced; and how to ensure that local governments have the technical base to manage their resources. Supporting graphs and maps are appended. (NEC)