As summer starts to give way to autumn, we are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign three pieces of environmental legislation.
The bills, passed by the New York State Senate and Assembly in the 2023-24 legislative session, are rather straightforward. Two deal directly with our collective efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as we fight climate change and strive to meet our state goals of reducing emissions from 1990 levels 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050.
We urge Gov. Hochul to sign a bill (S1535A/A4871) that would require the state to install and maintain EV charging stations in all New York state owned and operated parking facilities, including all lots and garages. This would include the 58 park-and-ride lots it operates across the state, many along major highways.
Recently, major car manufacturers have announced that they are cutting back on EV manufacturing, as sales have declined. A common consumer fear is that there are not enough EV charging stations to make long-distance travel convenient, or even possible. This needs to change – and change quickly – and having the governor sign this bill is a significant step in the right direction as we push to reduce our carbon emissions. Vehicle transportation in the state accounts for almost a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, the second highest sector. In order to meet our climate goals, this needs to be reduced.
The League is also urging Gov. Hochul to sign legislation that would expand the Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Program (S5331A/A5906A), to increase participation and decrease the amount of food waste going to landfills. Currently, food scraps make up 17 percent of the state’s solid waste, where it usually ends up in landfills and during its decomposition process, it releases methane gas, a greenhouse gas with more than 25 times the heat-trapping ability than carbon dioxide. [Sign our letter of support.]
This expansion is more than a policy change – it’s a commitment to a more sustainable future, where food waste is minimized, methane emissions are reduced, and food insecurity is tackled head-on.
Also awaiting the Governor’s signature is the New York Wildlife Crossing Act (A4243/S4198), which would direct the state Department of Transportation to identify sites along highways, thruways and parkways in the state where wildlife crossings are most needed to increase public safety and improve animal safety and habitat connectivity.
“By constructing pathways for wildlife to safely travel between major thoroughfares we will help to reduce the number of collisions while simultaneously helping to connect wildlife to their habitat.”
We applaud Gov. Hochul for already signing Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, which empowers local residents to tackle a decades-long water crisis by way of ballot measure in the general election.
The governor also signed legislation that reauthorizes New York City to allow tax credits for green roofs and also removes some barriers to participating in the program. Green roofs are vegetation that typically covers at least 50 percent of a building’s roof, providing several environmental benefits, including absorbing rainwater, reducing the burden on sewers; reducing the urban heat island effect; and helping to purify polluted air in urban areas. We encourage building owners to participate in this program.
We urge our members and all New Yorkers who care about the environment to contact Gov. Hochul’s office to encourage her to sign this legislation.
Peter Aronson, a volunteer writer at the New York League of Conservation Voters since September 2022, is a former journalist and retired attorney. He is the author of Mandalay Hawk’s Dilemma: The United States of Anthropocene, a novel for middle-grade readers about kids fighting global warming. Kirkus Reviews, in a starred review, wrote: “A scathing work and an essential blueprint for youth battling climate change.” To read more about Peter, visit his website www.peteraronsonbooks.com or to purchase his book, click here.