'We need a climate Action Plan that declares a climate emergency. It needs to stop the use of Fossil Fuels including gas, halting of new Fossil Fuel infrastructure and gas hookups, raise tens of billions to invest in climate transition, starting with investments in environmental justice communities and a just transition" Messaging to keep sending to Hochul throughout her campaign for election in 2022
THE GOVERNORS OFFICE HAS A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES ON THE CAC (committee implementing the plan for the CLCPA) Her office can vote in largely whatever they want. Call Hochul's office at 518 474 8390 or tweet at @KathyHochul or @GovKathyHochul
Or the Climate Action Council itself 518 402 8448 or Co Chair Basil Segos @BasiclSeggos
BAD NEWS: December 2021- Governor Hochul vetos; S355 Bill Title: Prohibits the use of drilling fluids, brine and flowback water from wells, pools or fields on any highway for any purpose including but not limited to de-icing or dust suppression. A vetoed bill is returned to the chamber that first passed it. Included with the veto is a statement from the Governor explaining his or her rejection of the bill. A veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority from both legislative houses. This means:
100 = Assembly votes needed to overturn
42 = Senate votes needed to overturn
MOSTLY GOOD NEWS: Hochul signed the following bills: (#7 is questionable...) 1. Elimination of: tiny plastic containers of shampoo and body lotion found in many hotel rooms; the bill restricts the use of the bottles. It is among a package of environmental bills that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed this week. 2.A bill establishing a list of emerging contaminants, which will be updated every three years. These are unregulated chemicals that, based on federal law, have to be considered for a new list of regulated substances that the EPA updates every five years. By establishing a list, the state will be better positioned to regulate these chemicals if they show up in drinking water supplies. 3.The Soil Health and Climate Resiliency Act directs the Department of Agriculture and Markets, in cooperation with the State Soil and Water Conservation Committee- to adopt policies to maximize soil health and hopefully cut down on the chemicals used in agriculture. 4.The Lead-Free Water in Schools bill reduces from 0.015 milligrams per liter to 0.005 milligrams per liter that level at which action must be taken for lead in school water supplies. Part of this should be paid for by the state's Clean Water Infrastructure Act and the new federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act. 5. .For summer camps, a new law prohibits pesticides on playgrounds or athletic fields on summer camps .6. Another bill directs the state Health Department to conduct a study on the incidences of asthma in cities and towns having a population of more than 90,000. 7.A bio-heating bill establishes minimum levels of bio-diesel used for heating. By July 2022 heating oil must contain 5 percent bio-diesel with the rate going to 10 percent by July 2025. Switching to bio-heating fuel reduces the emissions of multiple pollutants and greenhouse gasses. 8.One bill, which the governor didn’t publicize but was also signed, was a measure setting up a framework for cement-makers to look at ways of lowering their carbon footprint during the manufacturing process. While drawing support of many environmentalists, some activists fear it could eventually facilitate waste incineration at cement plants.
STATE Of the STATE; Jan 5, Governor Hochul's Climate statements: Mark Dunlea: GELF and PAUSE Albany goals that are new, expanded or prioritized:
Many important climate actions are missing, from public power to a clear halt to all new fossil fuel infrastructure and any proposals related to how to raise the funding needed for it. Nor is a Green New Deal mentioned. Hochul fails to address the growing threat of the crypto-mining industry in New York.
the goal of providing funding to disadvantaged communities is mentioned / highlighted several times, particularly related to buildings, the overall EJ funding picture is missing as well as details and actual funding level. (NO discussion about how to achieve the 35% target for EJ funding.)
She fails to address the fact that President Biden has officially called for a much faster timeline on greenhouse gas emission reductions than NY (50% by 2030 rather than 40%) and wants electricity to be carbon-free by 2035 (NY by 2040). Industrial and wealthy blue states like NY must be faster than the national average if such goals are to be met.
There is a major promotion of green hydrogen which many climate activists have raised concerns about as a worthwhile investment. New York will put forward a set of proposals to secure one of four Federal Infrastructure Green Hydrogen Hubs worth billions in federal funding, including but not limited to a Hub proposal that brings together multiple New York Regional Hubs, targeted to include New York City, Long Island, Buffalo, Central New York, Northern New York, Albany, and Auburn into one overall proposal. The proposal will demonstrate a minimum of $1 billion in private and public non-federal funding
The Governor did mention that she was directing state agencies to decarbonize the state’s $40 billion in its own investments to a net-zero investment by 2040 (presumably carbon-free). However, Cuomo had announced this back in 2019 so this seems to me to be a major delay.
support for many of the proposals from the draft climate plan related to the construction of new buildings to be all-electric, no gas by 2027, though NYC advocates noted that the timeline to stop new gas hookups should be in a year. Similar to the recently passed NYC law.
Electrification of homes is a major target. (there are about 6 million plus existing homes) “To accelerate green buildings in New York, Governor Hochul is setting an unprecedented commitment of a minimum 1 million electrified homes and up to 1 million electrification-ready homes by 2030, and ensuring that more than 800,000 of these homes will be low- to moderate-income households”. (Missing: cost estimates, how to fund, level of subsidies) Also not mentioned is that there is usually no major funding in the state budget for climate programs, renewable energy, heat pumps, etc. Instead, the limited funds raised come from utility surcharges on customers, which is a regressive way to fund programs. And the amount of customer surcharges to pay to the subsidies for 3 upstate nuclear plants is a little bigger than the amount raised for renewable energy. And the rebates for air heat pumps vary widely between utilities.
On some of the announcements, it is not always clear whether this is new money or goals, or incorporates existing commitments (e.g., does the $500 million for offshore wind ports include the $400 million already announced for Albany and Sunset Park).
there will be a new offshore wind solicitation in 2022.,which is expected to result in at least 2 gigawatts of new projects — enough to power 1.5 million homes.
She will update New York State’s Energy Storage Roadmap to double deployment, reaching at least 6 gigawatts of energy storage by 2030
Through investment of “Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act” funding, the enhanced Clean Green Schools initiative will serve more than 1,000 public schools, benefitting nearly 1 million students.”
investments in charging stations and fulfilling new state law that all new cars be zero emissions by 2035 (Schumer is pushing 2030 nationally). On mass transit, targets for disadvantaged communities: Up to 10 areas will receive a $7-10 million grand prize to implement their clean transportation solution.
by 2027, all new school bus purchases will be zero emissions, and by 2035, all school buses on the road will be zero-emissions.
Peaker plants - develop a blueprint to guide the retirement and redevelopment of New York’s oldest and most-polluting fossil fuel facilities and their sites by 2030