Green group pleased by session
Advocates’ scorecard lauds Climate Act, ban on plastic bags, funding
A leading environmental group is lauding the new Legislature’s first fully Democratic majority in years for passing a landmark climate change law last session. And they are taking aim at a Capital Region Senate Republican with their annual “Oil Slick ” Award.
The annual Environmental Scorecard from Environmental Advocates of New York goes out to lawmakers they say have done the most for cleaning up the state’s land, air and water.
EA had a lot to cheer about during the 2019 session when lawmakers passed the longsought Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which sets ambitious goals for greenhouse gas reduction in the state’s energ y grid, industrial sector, transportation system and other parts of the economy.
“The CLCPA not only codifies New York ’s strong climate and clean energ y goals — it also establishes a blueprint for doing so equitably across all sectors of the economy,” reads part of the award presentation.
Environmental Advocates also noted that the 2019 session ended with no bills that carried their “smokestack rating,” which would have degraded the environment. In other words, it was a year of wins rather than losses.
Other environmental victories, they said, included $500 million in new funding for clean water infrastructure projects, an upcoming ban on plastic
bags, as well as a phaseout of the pesticide chlorpyrifos.
Democratic majority leaders in both houses, Majority Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-cousins, were cited for shepherding the environmental bills through the process. Also noted were Long Island Democratic Sen. Todd Kaminsky and Democratic Assemblyman Steve Englebright, who both helmed their environment committees.
The group’s “Oil Slick ” award was given to GOP Sen. George Amedore, whose 46th district runs from Amsterdam through Schenectady and into Ulster County.
Republicans for the first time in a decade were in the Senate minority this year, and the vote against the CLCPA was largely on party lines, Amedore included.
GOP Senate spokesman Scott Reif said the awards were “Politics – pure and simple,” and he noted that Amedore and other Republicans supported spending on clean water projects and the state Environmental Protection Fund.
EA in past years has given the Oil Slick to Republicans who were in contested districts in the Senate, which had been closely divided between Democrats and Republicans. Former Saratoga-area Sen. Kathy Marchione, for example was targeted one year as was Jeff Klein, the former Democratic senator who started the Independent Democratic Conference, which for years enabled the GOP to control the Senate.
The 46th District, which Amedore represents, has long been closely divided. In September, Michelle Hinchey, the daughter of former Congressman Maurice Hinchey announced her plans for a challenge to Amedore.
Senate Democrats also have taken some stances contrary to at least some environmental groups. A coalition of six Democratic senators from Long Island, including Kaminsky, has recently called for approval of a new gas pipeline to their region, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo and some environmental groups have opposed. The utility there, National Grid, has argued the new line is needed to meet demand.