May 27, 2008

Welcome to Environmental Advocates of New York’s online newsletter from the State Capital, your source for environmental news. We’ll update you every other week with tidbits and observations carefully gleaned from the halls of the Capitol.

The Skinny on the Super Bills

As we begin the headlong rush to the close of this year’s Legislative Session, here's our status report on the 2008 Super Bills.

In the Assembly, two of these high-profile measures have passed, but one is winding its way through the committee process. And in the State Senate, all three are still under consideration of the Environmental Conservation Committee.

But the session’s not over until it’s over, and in Albany, everything can change in an instant.

The Wetlands Protection Act
The Wetlands Protection Act was one of several environmentally beneficial measures that were passed by the New York State Assembly as part of the House’s Earth Day agenda.

The bill is designed to close a loophole in current state law that leaves wetlands smaller than 12 acres unprotected and unmonitored—seriously endangering the health of our drinking water. Click here for details.

The bill has gotten little traction in the Senate, as in years prior. Some Albany insiders say this is only due to the close relationship between the Senate Majority Leader, Joe Bruno, and development interests, who are no fans of this bill. Some say otherwise.

Regardless of the reason why, click here to ask your State Senator to call on Senator Bruno personally and ask him to get the Wetlands Protection Act on an agenda, stat—the health of our waterways depend on it.

The Global Warming Pollution Cap
The Cap would reduce New York’s climate change pollution from all sources—cars, trucks, homes, factories, you name it—to 80 percent below 1990 emissions levels by 2050. These are the kind of big emissions cuts that scientists say will help us prevent the most serious impacts of global warming.

The Cap was passed by the Assembly back on Earth Day, too. A few potential sponsors have been discussed in the Senate Majority, but so far no takers.

The Bigger Better Bottle Bill
The Bigger Better Bottle Bill has also seen better days. After enjoying the spotlight in the Governor's Budget, and then again in Governor Paterson's remarks on Earth Day, the Bottle Bill has lost momentum. 

The measure that would expand and update New York’s bottle deposit law to include bottles for drinks like water and iced tea—and direct unclaimed deposits to the state’s Environmental Protection Fund, rather than big business bottlers—hasn’t passed the Assembly (yet) this year, although it was included in the House's budget proposal.

It's likely the Assembly will be discussing this measure behind closed doors this week. While this bill has enjoyed strong support from Assembly members in the past, the bottlers will once again be trying to block the Bigger Better Bottle Bill.

We'll keep you posted.

Greenwashing Exposed  

Greenwashing, the practice of sometimes not-so-green companies using an environmentally friendly award or investment to cover up their dirty deeds has become increasingly common. 

Hundreds of stories have been written about the green faces painted on some pretty dirty practices. But a recent incident in the Capital Region takes the cake.

The LaFarge Cement Plant in Ravena, New York, recently sent out a press release to let area reporters know that its Deer Mountain Nature Preserve had received an award from the Wildlife Conservation Council. But according to his recent story in the Times Union, two things stuck out to at least one local journalist, Brian Nearing:

1. The award was actually announced last fall (before a coalition of environmental groups, including Environmental Advocates of New York, renewed their call to clean up the Plant’s mercury pollution).

2. LaFarge’s VP for Environment & Public Relations sits on the Council’s Board of Directors.

For the record, the feds have identified the LaFarge Cement Plant as New York State’s #1 emitter of toxic mercury. Now that’s something to celebrate, right?

Click here to read Nearing's story in the Times Union.

Bills on the Move

Every week during the Legislative Session, Environmental Advocates of New York looks at the measures the will impact the environment for good or ill. Here are this week's Bills on the Move:

One tree for the Climate Change Task Force. Although a better bill would require binding caps on greenhouse gas emissions, this bill would create an inter agency Climate Change Task Force that would develop recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as other measures that would mitigate the impact of climate change on New York. The measure would incorporate these recommendations into a formally approved climate change action plan.

One tree for Energy Efficient Appliances. This bill would provide a sales tax exemption for certain energy efficient appliances through April 1, 2013. To be eligible for the exemption, an appliance would have to meet the Energy Star criteria established by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy. This bill would exempt the following appliances from sales tax if they have received the Energy Star designation: washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, room air conditioners, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, freezers, programmable thermostats and ventilating fans.

One tree for New York City Solar Credit. This bill would create a real property tax abatement for solar power systems installed in cities with populations of one million or more. Class one, two, and four buildings in New York City would be eligible for an annual tax credit of 8.75 percent of the cost of the purchase and installation of the system if owners install before January 1, 2011, or five percent if installed before January 1, 2013. For either timeline, the tax credit would be capped at $62,500. The program would sunset in 2013.

Click here to learn more about these measures.

More Wa$ted Green 

Environmental Advocates will soon release a follow-up to our recent report on state spending gone wrong, Wa$ted Green.

Keep an eye out for stories in the newspapers near you.