By Peter Aronson
Each year, NYLCV and the NYLCV Education Fund work to identify the most pressing issues on the environment, public health, quality of life, and equity for the people of New York. While much of this work is focused on the state and local level, these issues demand action
from the federal government as well. New York’s congressional delegation includes leaders on both sides of the aisle who can play an important role in their respective caucuses in ensuring that New York does not get short-changed. Our 2024 Federal Agenda comprises issues that significantly impact New York where we believe our representatives can make a difference. We see space for achieving a bipartisan conservation agenda and look forward to advancing the dialogue to reach agreement on bold solutions.
Our top federal priorities fall into four categories: Clean energy, clean water, food and farms and sustainable transportation.
Regarding clean energy, New York has made tremendous progress reducing air pollution that harms human health and contributes to climate change, and it is vitally important that we do not roll back the laws and regulations that have allowed us to reach this point. NYLCV strongly supports investing in clean energy, including offshore wind, that will both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create jobs in a globally competitive field. In 2022, we saw the largest climate bill in the history of the United States pass in the form of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). NYLCV advocates that the IRA funds be properly and quickly allocated so that the U.S. can transition to a clean energy economy.
Clean water is essential for every single person in this state. NYLCV supports increasing funding and maintaining current funding formulas for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which provide financing that leverages state and private money for a wide variety of water projects, including wastewater treatment, green infrastructure, pipe replacement, and source water protection. In 2021, we saw the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), pass, which provides $2.6 billion in funds to improve water infrastructure and replace lead pipes in New York.
The Farm Bill is up for renewal every five years, and due to a continuing resolution, will be approved by Congress in 2024. NYLCV strongly urges maintenance or increases in funding for conservation programs, including the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, and Conservation Reserve Program. The Farm Bill presents an opportunity to combat the climate crisis through climate-smart agriculture.
With the pause in congestion pricing, investment in mass transportation in New York City has never been more important. Investment in this area across the state is equally as important. As we have said many times, a robust, on-time, well-maintained, environmentally-friendly (ie, electric busses) mass transportation system pays dividends for both the environment and the economy. Expanded federal funding for projects, including the Gateway Tunnel, an additional train tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan, are vital to the economy of the entire NY-metro region. Specifically, the federal budget must continue to support New Starts, Small Starts, and TIGER grants through the Department of Transportation, as well as adequate funding for public transportation through both operating and capital aid.
As we enter the summer, we already are getting an unfortunate reminder of what climate change is bringing our way. A category 5 hurricane, the strongest July hurricane ever recorded, is causing extensive damage and taking lives in the Caribbean. And record temperatures already have been felt in the U.S. and across the world.
We look forward to working with our Congressional delegation on all of our environmental priorities and we look forward to continued success.
To read our full 2024 Federal Agenda, click here.