The New York League of Conservation Voters, which is being eschewed by some Democratic elected officials [1] due to its pledge to target congestion pricing opponents this fall, has named Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi "Environmentalist of the Year" and will fete him at its 13th annual spring gala [1] later this month.

[2]

Suozzi spoke favorably [3] about Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan back when it was first proposed last April.

He also got into a bit of hot water [4] during the 2006 gubernatorial primary when he suggested a rush hour "user fee" might be one way to reduce congestion on the Long Island Expressway.

NYLCV spokesman Dan Hendrick said Suozzi administrations dating back to his days as mayor of Glen Cove have been "a model for local sustainability efforts," pointing to (among other things) the county's investment in open space perservation and the executive's leading of a national pledge by county leaders to reduce global warming emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

Given the fact that Suozzi has been speculated to be eyeing another gubernatorial run in 2010 (despite his insistence to the contrary [5]), I asked Hendrick about that race.

"It's so early out of the gate," he replied. "(Gov. David Paterson) has done some tremendous things for the environment...A lot of the folks who are rumored to be running have great green credentials."