Early In Legislative Session, NYS Assembly Steps Up to Protect Air, Water & Land

Environmental Advocates of New York Thanks Assembly Leaders for Acting to Protect State Waters from Wasteful Withdrawals & Cut Climate Pollution

ALBANY, NY (05/03/2011)(readMedia)-- In response to the State Assembly's action yesterday to pass two of the environmental community's priority "Super Bills," Environmental Advocates of New York praised lawmakers for acting responsibly to protect our air, land, and water. Yesterday also marked the 21st annual Earth Day Lobby Day celebration for many environmental groups.

"Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Silver and Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Sweeney, the Assembly passed a package of environmentally beneficial bills, including two Super Bills designed to safeguard New York's waters and reduce the pollution that is changing our climate," said David Gahl, Policy Director, Environmental Advocates of New York. "The Super Bills are super for a reason. These bills enjoy widespread support and, if enacted, will address the state's most pressing environmental challenges."

The Super Bills passed by the Assembly on May 2nd are:

  • The Global Warming Pollution Cap (A.5346 / S.2742) would require that climate-altering pollution from all sources is cut by 80 percent by the year 2050. These are the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say will help us avert the worst impacts of climate change.
  • The Water Withdrawal Permitting Program (A.5318-A / S.3798) would protect all New York's waters from wasteful withdrawals by requiring anyone with the capacity to withdraw more than 100,000 gallons of water per day to first obtain a permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation. This bill passed unanimously.

Legislation to close a loophole in state law that allows the gas industry to circumvent requirements for the disposal of hazardous fracking waste (A.7013 / S.4616) was passed today by the Assembly's Environmental Conservation Committee. This bill would update state law so that all waste resulting from oil and gas drilling that meets the definition of hazardous waste is subject to all regulations related to its generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal.

"Hazardous waste is hazardous waste, no matter the source," said Gahl. "The oil and gas industry should not have a special exemption from laws governing the safe treatment and disposal of hazardous waste."

Also part of the Assembly's Earth Day-related actions, the house passed legislation that would require the collection of Mercury thermostats, prohibit recyclables in landfills, protect wetlands, require environmental impact reports, establish an environmental justice advisory group, increase penalties for wetland violations, ban Deca flame retardants, require healthy green procurement for state agencies, ban mercury-added consumer products, and provide for private well testing.

Environmental Advocates of New York is calling on the State Senate to act upon these Super Bills before the end of the Legislative Session.

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Environmental Advocates of New York's mission is to protect our air, land, water and wildlife and the health of all New Yorkers. Based in Albany, we monitor state government, evaluate proposed laws, and champion policies and practices that will ensure the responsible stewardship of our shared environment. We work to support and strengthen the efforts of New York's environmental community and to make our state a national leader. Visit www.eany.org to learn more.