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There has been a lot of exciting offshore wind news in recent months, including the completed installation of the first

Gov. Hochul introduced the program as part of her 2023 State of the State address and on December 20, the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority and the Department of Environmental Conservation announced the next big step by releasing a pre-proposal outline and Climate Affordability Study.

The New York League of Conservation Voters and NYLCV Education Fund released their 2024 State Policy Agenda today. “After the hottest year on record and a summer of apocalyptic orange hazy skies, the urgency of the climate crisis has never been more clear,” said NYLCV President Julie Tighe. “From cap-and-invest to a clean fuel standard and from decarbonizing buildings to bolstering large-scale renewable energy projects, it is time to move from planning to delivering tangible results and NYLCV’s State Policy Agenda is a roadmap to help lawmakers accomplish exactly that.” 

This commonsense law is a foundational step towards transparency and action. By mandating that data regarding lead pipe locations be made accessible to the public online, New Yorkers will be empowered with the knowledge of potential risks in their area and the ability to protect themselves and their families.

A coalition of farmers, health professionals, and environmental groups are celebrating today after Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Birds and Bees Protection Act (S1856-A/A7640). The bill will limit the use of neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics), and, when fully implemented, would eliminate up to 80-90% of the neonics entering New York’s environment annually by prohibiting only unneeded neonic coatings on corn, soybean, and wheat seeds and non-agricultural lawn and garden uses.

The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) is pleased to present the 2023 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. Legislative gains were made on geothermal energy development and safer and cleaner drinking water in the state. NYLCV applauds the State Senate for passing a clean fuel standard and the NY HEAT Act, calls on the full legislature to pass in 2024.

Governor Hochul took a major step to get the lead out of New York’s drinking water by signing the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act (A.6115/S.5112). Sponsored by Assemblymember Amy Paulin and Senator Gustavo Rivera, the bill will make it easier for New Yorkers to find out if they have a lead pipe contaminating the drinking water in their home. It also gives policymakers more information about the scale of the threat to public health across the state. This greater transparency will help direct resources more effectively towards the replacement of all of New York’s lead pipes.

If the city is serious about reducing air pollution and tackling the climate crisis, then we need to do more to get people out of their cars and onto bicycles and other clean transportation modes, and we can only do that by creating a safe and robust network of protected bike lanes across the city.