NYLCV Releases City Council Scorecard
Eight Scorecard Bills Passed in 2021
New York, N.Y. – The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) today released its latest NYC Council Environmental Scorecard, in which Council Members are evaluated based on their support of environmental issues in the previous year. The citywide average score this year was 84%, essentially the same as last year’s 85%, with 30 Council members scoring 80% or above and Manhattan and Queens standing out with borough average scores of 90% and 88% respectively. The full scorecard is available here.
Each Council Member’s score is calculated based on voting and sponsorship records on 13 key environmental bills identified in this year’s scorecard. As the only organization that provides a New York City Council environmental scorecard, NYLCV’s assessment of the Council’s record is important for determining which Council Members are working to protect New York City’s environment and which are not.
NYLCV’s top priorities from its recent New York City Policy Agenda included encouraging sustainable transportation, reducing emissions and promoting waste reduction. The Scorecard is the League’s primary tool for holding Council Members accountable for progress on these goals.
Among this year’s scorecard included bills that both passed – a commitment to an 100% electric school bus fleet by 2035 and the building electrification requirement – and failed, like skip the stuff and the Core Act.
NYLCV President Julie Tighe said, “As so many Council Members left office this year, the 2021 Scorecard provides a benchmark for what we have achieved and guides our advocacy focus for this year. We are excited that so many Council Members supported the environment, but much more needs to get done under this new administration to meet the moment and take steps to reverse the impacts of climate change. The scorecard has been essential to hold elected officials’ accountable on important environmental issues, and their votes speak for themselves.”
Highlights include:
- The citywide average score this year was 84%, almost the same as last years 85%.
- Manhattan and Queens were standout performers, receiving a borough average score of 90% and 88% respectively.
- 30 Council Members, scored 80% or above.
- Although it normally scores the lowest, Staten Island continues to improve, increasing from a 53 to a 62.
- Only 8 Council Members received a failing score (under 65%).
Scores of key committee chairs:
- Resiliency and Waterfronts: Justin Brannan, 92%
- Environmental Protection: Jim Gennaro, 100%
- Parks: Peter Koo, 100%
- Health: Mark Levine, 100%
- Sanitation & Solid Waste: Antonio Reynoso, 92%
- Transportation: Ydanis Rodriguez, 100%
Scores of New Council Leadership in 2022
- 2022 Speaker: Adrienne Adams, 100%
- 2022 Majority Leader, Keith Powers, 100%
- 2022 Deputy Speaker, Diana Ayala, 100%
- 2022 Transportation Committee Chair, Selvena Brooks-Powers, 90%
Perfect Scores of 100
- Bronx – Eric Dinowitz, Kevin Riley, Vanessa Gibson
- Brooklyn – Carlos Menchaca, Farah Louis
- Manhattan – Carlina Rivera, Keith Powers, Ben Kallos, Mark Levine, Diana Ayala, Ydanis Rodriguez
- Queens – Peter Koo, Jim Gennaro, Daniel Dromm, Jimmy Van Bramer, Adrienne Adams
*No longer in the City Council
NYLCV also conducted extensive consultation with partner organizations in the transportation, environmental justice, public health, conservation, parks, and clean energy communities to select bills for inclusion in the scorecard. Relying heavily on their input, NYLCV drafted an initial list of more than three-dozen bills. The final list was pared down to 12 to indicate the highest collective priorities.
Council Members earned points by casting pro-environment votes or by co-sponsoring bills. Negative votes count against the final score. Votes missed due to medical or other excused absences were not factored into the score. Bills that passed during 2021 were graded on whether or not each legislator took the pro-environment vote. Bills that did not reach a vote during 2021 were graded on co-sponsorship. As in NYLCV’s tradition, Council Speaker Corey Johnson was not graded. However, the citywide average and the bills which come to the floor for a vote, which the Speaker has substantial influence over, are a reflection of his commitment to the environment.
The New York League of Conservation Voters is the only non-partisan, statewide environmental organization in New York that takes a pragmatic approach to fight for clean water, healthy air, renewable energy, and open space. For more information, visit www.nylcv.org.
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