Latest News: Federal

Recently, a delegation from NYLCV joined members of 29 other state LCVs across the country as part of the largest Capitol Hill lobby day in the history of the conservation voter movement.

In December 2018, most of the Transportation and Climate Initiative states committed to developing a clean transportation policy by the end of 2019. But New York was not part of that commitment. NYLCV joined other advocacy groups in Our Transportation Future to press for New York to act and advocate for the best approach to address emissions from the transportation sector.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that it will make $85 million available in grants through the Low or No (Low-no) Emission Vehicle Program.

To the outrage of groups across the country, the Trump Administration recently released its Fiscal Year 2020 budget proposal which slashes funding for important environmental programs and agencies. So what does this mean for New Yorkers?

Late last month, Congress permanently reauthorized the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the largest public lands bill in a decade, representing a major win for environmentalists and recreatalionists nationwide.

The ongoing federal government shutdown has brought several consequences to our environment and public health. Many local projects, such as air quality monitoring and Superfund site cleanups including the Gowanus Canal in New York City, are suspended.

Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt may continue former Secretary Zinke’s anti-environmental legacy of rolling back federal lands protections and stopping progress on climate change.

Late last month, the Trump Administration approved a plan to allow oil companies to conduct seismic testing along the Eastern Atlantic, seen as the first step toward the administration leasing federal waters for oil drilling. Oil and gas exploration not only severely disrupts marine wildlife, but it would also worsen the fight against climate change.