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This week Governor Hochul announced that the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) started their implementation of the Utility Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Act, a priority bill for NYLCV which will aid the effort to decarbonize our buildings. 

Earlier this month Governor Hochul announced $16.6 Million in awards for five long duration energy storage projects. These funds have been made available through NYSERDA’s Renewable Optimization and Energy Storage Innovation Program, with the goal of advancing renewable energy implementation and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Battery and energy storage technologies will be vital to helping us move forward with renewable energy generation and make sure our grid is resilient and reliable. 

On August 10th, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), New York City and New York State Departments of Transportation, and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released the long-awaited environmental assessment (EA) for congestion pricing in Manhattan’s central business district (CBD). Congestion pricing, which will reduce traffic, reduce the air and climate pollution caused by traffic, and raise at least $1 billion per year in dedicated funding for the MTA, was first authorized by the State legislature in 2019.

On August 11 the New York City Coalition to End Lead Poisoning (NYCCELP) gathered on the steps of New York City Hall to unveil their “2022 Lead Agenda.” At its core, the coalition seeks to eliminate all sources of lead poisoning in the city because, as health experts tell us, no level of lead exposure is safe as small amounts can cause neurological damage and other health problems especially in children.

Having passed the halfway point of 2022, we at NYLCV plan to continue pursuing our goals for creating a sustainable New York with continued focus. This article will highlight our legislative priorities for the rest of 2022; in other words, it will briefly note and summarize key bills currently working through the City Council that we want to see passed.

Recently, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin came to a surprise agreement on legislation known as the “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.”  With $369 billion in climate spending proposed in this bill, it is the single biggest climate investment in the history of the federal government. According to Senator Schumer, ““By a wide margin, this legislation will be the greatest pro-climate legislation that has ever been passed by Congress.