Assemblyman Stirpe: Our Actions Now Will Create a More Sustainable Tomorrow for CNY
Fresh air, clean drinking water and a healthful environment are all everyday necessities that we often take for granted. But as the threat of climate change grows more severe, we must recognize the many ways our planet takes care of us and make changes that ensure we return the favor. In the Assembly, I helped set ambitious goals to reduce our carbon footprint and safeguard our natural resources. I’m hopeful that, by working together, we can achieve these milestones and create a greener future for everyone here in Central New York and across the state.
In 2019, I helped pass one of the strongest climate laws in the country – the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) – making New York State a leader in the fight against climate change. Since then, I’ve been fighting to help our communities meet these standards. I helped pass a law setting zero-emissions goals for the transportation industry, including that all in-state sales of cars and trucks be zero-emissions by 2035, followed by medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045 (Ch. 423 of 2021). To help more New Yorkers access electric vehicles, I helped pass legislation to create a more flexible billing system for electric vehicle charging stations (A.3876), which now awaits the governor’s signature.
I also helped pass legislation to better protect our families, wildlife and environment. Some municipalities have used the wastewater from fracking to melt ice on our highways, causing runoff that can contaminate groundwater and harm our families as well as nearby animals and plants. To prevent the continued use of these dangerous chemicals, I passed a bill to ban the use of fracking wastewater on highways for any purpose (A.903).
This year, I helped pass a state budget that supports essential conservation efforts, including providing $300 million for the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). This fund invests in numerous causes, such as farmland protection, Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquaria (ZBGA), park maintenance and municipal electric vehicle fast chargers. Further, I helped secure $500 million in the budget to support clean water infrastructure because healthy drinking water should be accessible to all.
To build on this progress and further help us meet the goals outlined in the CLCPA, Governor Hochul recently announced a $9.5 million program to decarbonize multi-family homes and larger commercial buildings.[1] Buildings are one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in New York State, using a tremendous amount of energy for heating, cooling and lighting.[2] The new Empire Technology Prize program will incentivize businesses to achieve carbon-neutrality and go a long way to advance our sustainability efforts.
We only have one planet, and it’s up to us to protect it. I’ll continue fighting to preserve and protect our environment for our families now and the generations to come. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at 315-452-1115 or StirpeA@nyassembly.gov.