Groups Call on New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer to Sign Clean Air Legislation

ALBANY, NY (08/08/2007)(readMedia)-- A coalition of public health organizations, environmental & community groups and the agricultural community called on New York Governor Eliot Spitzer to sign into law A.7909 (sponsored by Assemblyman Robert Sweeney) / S.5451 (sponsored by Senator Carl Marcellino). This law will extend two tax credits for owners of apartment buildings, coops and homes. The first tax credit is for consumers who use biodiesel as a home heating fuel (bioheat). The use of biodiesel drastically reduces the pollutants produced and will provide direct health benefits. The second tax credit is for the purchase of energy-efficient home heating systems. This legislation passed the state legislature during the regular 2007 legislative session and is currently on the Governor’s desk.

“Governor Spitzer has put forward a number of clean energy proposals that focus on energy efficiency and improved air quality. Allowing these tax credits to permanently sunset would be a step backwards and we would lose a valuable opportunity to make significant gains in the reduction of air pollutants that adversely impact public health,” said Michael Seilback, Senior Director of Public Policy & Advocacy of the American Lung Association of New York State.

Mr. Seilback pointed to the Governor’s ‘15 by 15’ initiative, the energy efficiency portfolio standard and the establishment of the Office of Climate Change in the Department of Environmental Conservation as examples of the Governor’s commitment to clean energy and efficiency. The Governor’s ‘15 by 15’ initiative focuses on improving energy efficiency and conservation measures as a means of reducing energy demand by 15 percent by 2015.

“We applaud the New York State Legislature for acting to renew these tax credits and urge the Governor to sign this legislation on behalf of all New Yorkers,” said Paul Hartman, Director of Advocacy for the American Heart Association. “These pollutants are associated with increased hospitalization and mortality due to cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses. Providing an incentive for the use of biodiesel as a home heating fuel will help reduce the health burden on New Yorkers who suffer from heart disease, asthma and other respiratory illnesses,” continued Hartman.

Home heating oil is essentially the same as diesel fuel, except there are virtually no limits to the level of sulfur it can contain. Since it has such a high level of sulfur, combustion of home heating oil makes it the second largest source of sulfur dioxide emissions in the state – only the power sector emits more. In fact, burning this fuel causes nearly 42,000 tons of sulfur dioxide to be emitted each year.

Compounding the problem is the rate at which New York State consumes home heating oil. With 2.6 million households, New York leads the nation in the amount of homes heated by oil. Most disturbingly, over 79% of this consumption occurs in the New York Metropolitan region.

“Sulfur-laden home heating oil contributes significantly to air pollution in New York State, particularly the high concentrations of ozone and fine particles in the New York Metro area. Simply put, these tax credits will help New Yorkers breathe cleaner air,” said David Gahl, Air & Energy Program Director for Environmental Advocates of New York.

Sulfur dioxide has been listed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a human carcinogen, shown to trigger asthma attacks, and associated with ambient levels of both ozone and fine particles. Statewide, at least 89 percent of the population lives in a county where air quality does not attain federal health standards. Millions of New Yorkers are at risk.

The tax credit for bioheat will also help stimulate a market for clean home heating fuel. On average, bioheat is .20 more per gallon than home heating fuel. The state tax credit would make the price of bioheat competitive with the traditional fuel.

"Gov. Spitzer has an incredible opportunity to once again prove his commitment to clean air and energy by signing this critically important legislation," said Carol E. Murphy, Executive Director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York. "Clean energy companies are looking to locate where there are markets for their products, like the biofuels covered in this bill. Biofuel companies can expand here and buy key ingredients to produce biodiesel from New York's farmers."

“Farmers view the increased use of biodiesel as a means of boosting the agricultural industry and spurring the upstate economy, said Jeff Williams, Deputy Director of Public Policy for the New York Farm Bureau. “Since soybean oil is most often used to produce bio-diesel, the tax credit will help New York’s agricultural community expand this sector of the industry. Not only will the tax credit provide an incentive to use biodiesel, but it will also help continue to establish a viable market for farm production.”

“The bioheat tax credit helps New Yorkers choose a cleaner and greener option for their home heating system by lowering their cost," said Jason K. Babbie, Senior Environmental Policy Analyst for the New York Public Interest Research Group. "The tax credit is a great example of how the state can help consumers transform a market, by building demand for a product that has less of an environmental impact and protects our future.”

Alliance for Clean Energy New York

American Cancer Society

American Heart Association

American Lung Association of New York State

Environmental Advocates of New York

Environmental Defense

New York Farm Bureau

New York Public Interest Research Group

WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Inc.

Posted Wednesday August 08, 2007 at 10:52 am by Malkin & Ross