Groups Call on Gov. Paterson to Repeal Executive Order 25, Put Public Interest Before Special Interests

Representatives from Communications Workers of America, Environmental Advocates of New York, Fiscal Policy Institute, New York Public Interest Group, and Sierra Club-Atlantic Chapter will call on Governor Paterson to put protecting the public interest before special interests.

The Governor released Executive Order 25 last Friday. The Order sets up a new Regulatory Review and Reform Program will likely put an added burden on already over-stretched state agencies, many of which will be forced to re-open regulations that have previously gone through multiple rounds of public review as required by law. To date, the Governor's Office has not provided any comprehensive analysis indicating that there is a need for the Order, which identifies its first-round regulatory targets at the following state agencies: departments of Agriculture and Markets, Environmental Conservation, Health, Labor, State, and Taxation and Finance, and the State Liquor Authority. A draft version of the Executive Order was brought to light last year.