John Degnan's ethics disclosure form listed his second source of income as the "Institute for Environmental Science." No such organization exists. Perhaps he listed the organization’s name incorrectly; after all there is an "Institute for Environmental Stewardship Inc." that he and his wife established in 2005 under his wife's maiden name.  This non-profit charitable organization was created under the guise of "Creating curriculum" to "Reach out to the community and teach people of all ages about critical environmental issues," according to one of its founders.  Curiously, the establishment of such an organization was recommended by "The Master Plan" penned by Degnan's sister.

Shortly after its founding, the so-called Institute (founded by the Degnans) entered into a partnership with the Village of Brewster, a partnership established by resolution of the Village Board on which John Degnan was a trustee. Although Degnan recused himself from the vote, the village board called "a not-for-profit organization qualified to assist the Village creating an educational outreach program" and was appointed as "the official representative of the government of the village of Brewster." The method by which the Village Board reached its assessment of the Institute’s qualification is unclear since the Institute was newly founded and had no prior history or track record in creating any educational outreach of any kind. Indeed, after 3 years, it still has no track record.

After its inception, Southeast Town Clerk Ruth Mazzei asked if “this Institute of Environmental Stewardship is another word for Degnan?” These words were prescient. The so-called Institute (the one “qualified to assist” the Village in educational outreach) has to date given but one presentation.

The institute's former “Executive Director,” who removed all traces of his affiliation with the institute from his biography, told Mazzei at the time that the institute was "not an actual school", but that "it is premature to announce any but the alliance formed with the Village of Brewster."

He went on to state in 2005 that "classrooms will be selected at appropriate venues as the classes are scheduled. For example, Wednesday night's storm water presentation will be held at the Garden Street School. Stay tuned, because over the next few weeks, we hope to be making some exciting announcements about Brewster's Institute for Environmental Stewardship."

No announcements followed over the next few weeks, or new few years. Yet, according to John Degnan’s ethics disclosure form he is, in 2008, still collecting income from this non-profit he founded, though he can’t name it correctly on his own ethics filing.  One wonders, since the Institute has made but one presentation, where the non profit receives the funds to pay John Degnan and how John Degnan can be said in any sense to have earned anything at all since 2005. The institute's website, which existed from February of 2005 till June of 2008, was abruptly taken offline shortly after Degnan the launch of this website.