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Assembly Address Critical Environmental Issues For Earth Day Assemblyman Alan Maisel (D-59 th AD) announced that in recognition of Earth Day, the Assembly passed several pieces of important legislation designed to better protect New York's environment. "Protecting and preserving our environment is critical to our health and well-being, as well as for future generations of New Yorkers," Assemblyman Maisel said. "Each year the Assembly celebrates Earth Day by putting forth legislation that will help preserve the environment and help us all make smarter choices when it comes to making New York a healthy state to live and work in." Many studies suggest that the continual emission of greenhouse gases will increase the Earth's temperature, leading to rising sea levels and other ecological changes that will dramatically and negatively affect the Earth's natural resources. The Earth Day legislation package includes: •authorizing the DEC, after a public hearing, to establish rules and regulations by May 1, 2009, requiring annual greenhouse gas emission reporting (A.10303); •requiring greenhouse gas emissions to be decreased to no greater than 1990 levels and decreased by 2.3 percent per year, beginning in 2015; resulting in a reduction of 80 percent of the current limit by 2050 (A.10303); •establishing the Climate Change Solutions Program and Fund to direct money from the auction of emissions allowances associated with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative toward increasing energy efficiency, encouraging the development of clean, renewable sources of energy and advancing other air quality goals; and •urging Congress to enact legislation to cap greenhouse gas emissions and reduce them by 80 percent by the year 2050. The Assembly's Earth Day package also requires manufacturers of certain electronic equipment (computers, televisions, etc) to develop recycling programs; prohibits waste haulers from delivering recyclable materials to landfills or incinerators; establishes the New York State Healthy and Green Procurement Act, to require state agency purchases to meet certain standards for recycled content, waste reduction, energy efficiency and green buildings; requires retail stores over 10,000 square feet (50,000 sq. feet in a mall) to have easily accessible, clearly identified recycling bins and accept clean bags for return/recycling and requires cities with a population of one million or more to develop a plan for the placement of trash and recycling receptacles in commercial zones and recreational areas. This year's Earth Day legislation continues to preserve the quality of New York's natural resources and keeps New Yorkers safe from harmful contamination by giving the DEC more power to protect New York's wetlands; requiring testing of drinking water from private wells upon the transfer of property, and urging Congress to provide funding for wastewater infrastructure. A constant re-evaluation of environmental laws and regulations to make them more effective is important to the Assembly. This year, more protection from environmental hazards is ensured by requiring state infrastructure funding to be consistent with smart growth principles, with priority given to funding projects with existing infrastructure that is consistent with local governments' plans for smart growth development - instead of new, expansive, and expensive infrastructure that harms the environment and is costly to taxpayers and expanding individuals' rights to take legal action in regard to violations of the State Environmental Quality Review Act. "The health of our environment depends on what we do now," Assemblyman Alan Maisel said. "We need to take deliberate measures to ensure that our air, water and land are protected. I urge the Senate and Governor Paterson to join the Assembly and pass legislation that will help protect our environment and improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers."
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