The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) has released its 2024 New York State Environmental Scorecard, an annual evaluation of State Legislators based on their support – or lack of support – for environmental legislation. Voters have come to rely on the scorecard as an easy-to-understand ledger on state environmental policies and an effective tool for evaluating and holding their elected officials accountable.
“With the November election just two months away – and with candidates up and down the ballot having widely divergent views on climate change and the solutions needed to fight it – this scorecard comes at a critical moment,” said NYLCV President Julie Tighe. “While the environmental sirens are blaring in the form of scorching summers, shorter winters, and devastating floods, our scorecard cuts through the noise and talking points so voters can clearly see how lawmakers performed, and vote accordingly.”
The scorecard can be viewed here.
Highlights from this year’s scorecard include the following environmental scores for legislators:
- 31 State Senators and 43 Assemblymembers earned a perfect score of 100%;
- An additional 9 State Senators and 39 Assemblymembers received an 80% or higher score;
- The average score for State Senators was highest in Westchester (100%) and New York City (97%) and lowest in the North Country (38%);
- The average score for Assemblymembers was highest in Westchester (97%) and lowest in the North Country (38%); and
- The Assemblymember scores in New York City’s five boroughs had a wide range: Manhattan, 92%; Bronx, 92%; Queens, 83%; Brooklyn, 74%; and Staten Island, 31%.
This year’s scorecard examined 13 bills in both the State Senate and the Assembly from the 2024 legislative session that were NYLCV priorities and of significant importance to the environment and conservation efforts in New York State.
The climate crisis demands immediate and decisive action, yet in 2024 we saw mixed results at best, and a major step backward on one of the most important climate laws in the last decade when Governor Kathy Hochul placed an indefinite pause on congestion pricing, throwing the final days of session into chaos and diverting much-needed attention from new and necessary climate action.
Despite this setback, there were some important legislative successes in 2024, including passage of bills to expand the Food Donation and Scraps Program and the Electric Vehicle Charging in Public Lots bill, the NY Wildlife Crossing Act, the Suffolk County Water Restoration Act, and the NYC Green Roof Tax Abatement – the latter two of which have already been signed into law.
We were also pleased that legislators continued to fund the Clean Water Infrastructure Act with $500 million, and that funds for the Environmental Protection Fund were not diverted to pay for staff. We urge our state legislators to increase these investments in the coming years to address flood mitigation, replace lead service lines, tackle emerging contaminants like PFAS, and remove lead from school drinking water, with special investment in disadvantaged communities.
Special Recognition
The League’s scorecard highlights Senator Lea Webb and Assemblymember Tony Simone as this year’s Rising Stars for not only earning perfect 100 percent scores, but also for their knowledge about and unwavering commitment to environmental issues and their willingness to champion important policies in the face of adversity.
Senator Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Fred Thiele are the League’s 2024 Environmental Champions for earning 100 percent scores and for their continued and staunch support for the climate issues before us.
The League also offers a Special Thanks to Assemblymember Pat Fahy – who is vacating her seat to run for State Senate – for her tremendous leadership in moving our clean energy initiatives forward throughout her time in the Assembly.
The following legislators received perfect scores:
STATE SENATE
Joseph Addabbo
Jamaal Bailey
Neil Breslin
Samra Brouk
Iwen Chu
Cordell Cleare
Leroy Comrie
Jeremy Cooney
Nathalia Fernandez
Michael Gianaris
Kristen Gonzalez
Andrew Gounardes
Peter Harckham
Michelle Hinchey
Robert Jackson
Brian Kavanagh
John Liu
John Mannion
Shelley Mayer
Zellnor Myrie
Kevin Parker
Roxanne J. Persaud
Jessica Ramos
J. Gustavo Rivera
James Sanders, Jr.
Luis Sepúlveda
Jose M. Serrano
Brad Hoylman-Sigal
Toby Ann Stavisky
Kevin Thomas
Lea Webb
ASSEMBLY
Khaleel Anderson
Juan Ardila
Harry Bronson
Chris Burdick
Kenneth Burgos
Robert C. Carroll
Sarah Clark
William Colton
Brian A. Cunningham
Jeffery Dinowitz
Harvey Epstein
Patricia Fahy
Phara Souffrant Forrest
Eddie Gibbs
Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
Andrew Hevesi
Jonathan Jacobson
Chantel Jackson
Ron Kim
Charles Lavine
Dana Levenberg
Jennifer Lunsford
Demond Meeks |
Amy Paulin
J. Gary Pretlow
Steven Raga
Karines Reyes
Linda Rosenthal
Jenifer Rajkumar
Manny De Los Santos
Nader Sayegh
Rebecca Seawright
Maryjane Shimsky
Gina Sillitti
Jo Anne Simon
Tony Simone
Phil Steck
Steve Stern
Al Stirpe
Yudelka Tapia
Alfred Taylor
Fred Thiele
Latrice Walker
David Weprin
About the State Legislative Environmental Scorecard
This annual State Legislative Environmental Scorecard is NYLCV’s method for holding representatives accountable. In consultation with our partners from environmental, environmental justice, public health, and transportation groups, we identify for inclusion in our Scorecard the priority bills that have passed the legislature and those which we believe have a chance of becoming law. We then score each senator and assembly member based on their support of these bills.