Assembly Earth Day Package Protects Environment, Improves New Yorkers' Health
Assembly legislation aims to preserve wetlands and
reduce environmental hazards
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Robert Sweeney announced the passage of a legislative package to honor Earth Day. The package includes measures to ban the use of dangerous chemicals; expand recycling and disposal of hazardous materials; protect New York's wetlands; and implement policies that promote environmental justice for disadvantaged New Yorkers.
"This legislative package builds on the Assembly's commitment to improving the health and well-being of New Yorkers and protecting our state's natural resources," said Silver (D-Manhattan). "The bills included in this package will help enhance our environment. I'm proud of my colleagues in the Assembly for being proactive on these vital issues."
"Earth Day is an opportunity for us to focus on the health of New Yorkers and our environment. This package of bills does just that," said Sweeney (D-Lindenhurst). "These measures will help preserve our natural resources and create cleaner, healthier communities."
The Assembly's Earth Day package includes two bills that would help safeguard New York's invaluable wetlands. Those bills would provide the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) with authority over wetlands that are one acre or more (A.3374/Sweeney) and require violators to repair damaged areas adjacent to wetlands (A.5638/Sweeney).
Two other measures would improve recycling policies and procedures throughout the state by establishing clearer requirements concerning the disposal of recyclable materials (A.1241/Colton) and encourage using recycled materials when making "packing peanuts" (A.6145/Sweeney).
The package also includes bills that help ensure New York has clean and safe water by authorizing the department of health to promulgate rules and regulations to establish standards for the testing of drinking water from privately owned wells (A.667/Jaffee) and requiring permits for large water withdrawals (A.5318-A/Sweeney). These bills do not address issues associated with hyrofracking, which will be the subject of further consideration later in this session.
Other bills in the package would:- Authorize the use of cool roofs on new or substantially renovated state-owned buildings (A.96/Hevesi);
- Require the commissioner of environmental conservation to publish a list of high local environmental impact zones (A.611/Peoples-Stokes);
- Prohibit the sale of mercury-added consumer products (A.668/Jaffee);
- Create a permanent environmental justice advisory group (A.947/Peoples-Stokes);
- Prohibit the use of Styrofoam food-serving products by contractors and lessees who contract with the state or with municipalities (A.2097-A/Kavanagh);
- Establish a take-back program for the collection of mercury-containing thermostats (A.3485/Sweeney); and
- Require the DEC to establish rules for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to minimize global warming (A.5346/Sweeney).
In addition, the Assembly passed the New York State Healthy and Green Procurement Act, which would establish a procurement preference for the purchase of products, technologies and services by the state that minimize adverse affects on public health and the environment (A.6366-A/Sweeney).
"New York should serve as a leader for practices that will create and maintain a healthy environment and improve the well-being of its citizens," Sweeney said. "These measures will help give New York a brighter, healthier and more prosperous future."
"My colleagues in the Assembly and I will continue working to protect New Yorkers and our environment from harmful toxins, greenhouse gases and hazardous waste," Silver said. "These measures will help ensure that future generations of New Yorkers can enjoy a vibrant, safe and healthy environment."