Latest State Wides: State Wide

The Great American Outdoors Act has passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate by a vote of 73-25. The GAOA combines two major conservation bills: S.500 (the Restore Our Parks Act), which seeks to address the maintenance backlog on public lands, and S.1081, which permanently allocates $900 million a year to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). More than 60 members co-sponsored the legislation including New York Senators Schumer and Gillibrand.

The Environmental Bond Act would allocate $200 million for wastewater infrastructure projects and $100 million for municipal stormwater projects in New York.

The state’s proposed $3 Billion Environmental Bond Act includes $700 million in funding for climate change mitigation projects, including green and energy-efficient buildings, carbon sequestration and emissions mitigation, climate adaptation and mitigation, urban forestry, and air and water pollution reduction.

The $3 billion Environmental Bond Actwill provide $550 million for open space land conservation and recreation projects if approved by voters this fall.

The Environmental Bond Act, officially known as the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act, will be on the ballot November 8 (with early voting starting Oct. 29), giving New Yorkers the opportunity to pass the state’s first environmental bond initiative this century.

Green infrastructure includes projects that mimic the natural environment to manage stormwater runoff, improve air quality, and cool temperatures throughout the city to mitigate the urban heat island effect. 

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has a relatively new “stretch” energy code called the NYStretch Energy Code 2020, or NYStretch. Its goal is to promote higher energy efficiency standards during construction of both new and renovated buildings.

During the General Election in November, New Yorkers will be able to vote to approve the Bond Act, which would be hugely advantageous for sustainability and resiliency efforts in New York.