Here’s what we’re reading this week:
2022 State Policy Agenda Highlights
The state legislative session has officially commenced! Our elected state representatives have the opportunity to get bold legislation passed that will protect generations of New Yorkers from adverse public health impacts and climate change. With bold legislation must come even bolder plans for adequate funding. Investing public dollars into our environment is essential to proactively fight the climate crisis and protect all New Yorkers from already existing flooding and extreme weather.We will be advocating for our top priorities, released earlier this month in our New York State Policy Agenda.
NYLCV Partners with Clean Energy & Environmental Groups to Push for Direct Sales of Electric Vehicles
NYLCV has partnered with the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) and several other stakeholders to push for the Governor to include legislation that allows for the direct sales of electric vehicles in her 30-day budget amendments. Direct sales is a policy that unites environmental and consumer interests and is shown to be an instrumental policy for increasing EV sales at no cost to the taxpayer. In April 2021, New York State announced the goal of having 2 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2030. We have only achieved 4.5% so far. Florida – a state without incentives and no direct sales cap – saw 60% higher EV sales than New York in 2020. Read more in this Op/Ed in the Buffalo News from Anne Reynolds, Executive Director of ACE.
NYLCV President Julie Tighe was featured in CityLimits this week, penning an Op/Ed: How Eric Adams’ Administration Can Prioritize Climate Change and Protect NYC.
Recent extreme climate events in New York City have made it clear that our city is at risk. Extreme flooding, intense heat, and devastating storms are unfortunately the new normal, and we must act urgently to make sure that New York City can withstand the threats of climate change. The Adams administration can set the tone in its first 100 days and “Get Stuff Done” to create a greener, more resilient future for our city. Mayor Adams can make New York City a global leader in the fight against climate change and transition to a green economy. His administration must advance environmental priorities that will make our city more sustainable, resilient, and equitable for future generations.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has made extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging a priority for her first term by including a provision in her executive budget and calling for the program to start as early as 2026. Her first State of the State report last week called the effort a "landmark proposal" that would help raise recycling rates and divert material from landfills. Hochul also called for eliminating PFAS in food packaging by Dec. 31, 2022, and other packaging by Dec. 31, 2024, in amounts exceeding 100 parts per million by weight.
Suffolk County will connect about 1,900 South Shore homes to the Forge River Watershed Sewer Project in Mastic and Shirley with the groundbreaking Thursday of a $224 million wastewater treatment plant. The state and county announced the $409 million Suffolk County Coastal Resiliency Initiative last fall. The project, which received funding from the Environmental Protection Fund and Clean Water Infrastructure Act, includes three different sewer lines following Superstorm Sandy to connect nearly 6,000 homes in Babylon and Mastic, by replacing septic tanks and cesspools and eliminating nitrogen polluting the bays and marshlands. Projects like these are critical and underscores the importance of the upcoming Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act this November.
(Newsday)
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