Green Watchdog Applauds New York Assembly for Voting to Protect State's Natural Resources

ALBANY, NY (07/22/2009)(readMedia)-- Environmental Advocates of New York, the state's government watchdog, today released the names of the 77 members of the State Assembly who supported all five of the environmental community's priority "Super Bills" for 2009.

"I am proud to congratulate the members of the State Assembly who voted to protect New York's precious natural resources during the 2009 Legislative Session," said Robert Moore, Executive Director of Environmental Advocates of New York. "Seventy seven members of the Assembly voted for every one of the environmental community's priority Super Bills, including legislation to cap global warming pollution, protect our wetlands and drinking water, recycle toxic E-waste, and restore New Yorkers' right to enforce environmental review laws. Thanks in part to the leadership of Environmental Conservation Committee Chair, Bob Sweeney (D-Lindenhurst), these bills passed the Assembly by wide margins."

The 2009 Super Bills include:

• The Global Warming Pollution Cap would reduce New York State's climate change pollution from all sources until total greenhouse gas emissions are reduced 80 percent by the year 2050;
• Electronic Waste (E-waste) Recycling would remove tons of toxic e-waste from landfills by requiring manufacturers to collect and recycle their products;
• The Environmental Access to Justice Act would restore New Yorkers' right to enforce environmental review laws; and
• Wetlands Protection would close a loophole in New York law and give the state authority to protect wetlands less than 12.4 acres in size.
• An expansion of the state's bottle deposit law to include bottled waters was passed in this year's budget agreement. However, the bottle bill update is delayed by a federal court case.

With the exception of the 32 senators who supported the State Budget updating the Bigger Better Bottle Bill, the State Senate has not voted on any of the 2009 Super Bills during the Legislative Session. The environmental community's priority bills are selected annually by the Green Panel, which is made up of representatives from more than a dozen of New York's environmental organizations.

Assembly Super Bill Heroes for 2009

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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. The tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization is also the New York affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation