October 2, 2003
2003 Environmental Voters’ Guide Released
Annual Review of Legislature and Governor Includes Scorecard, Awards

Available on the Web at: www.eany.org/capitolwatch/votersguide/vg2003/vg2003.html.

(Albany, NY) – Despite a gloomy start to the political year in Albany, the 2003 legislative session was nothing like the disaster many had feared for the environment. In fact, with passage of landmark Superfund/brownfields legislation, the creation of a new state waste tire cleanup program, a fully-funded Environmental Protection Fund and progress on renewable energy, it was a surprisingly successful year.

“Thanks to the hard work of the environmental community and some key legislative leaders, we are able to report that surprising progress was made in 2003,” said EPL/Environmental Advocates Executive Director Val Washington.

Topping the list, Washington said, was passage of the Superfund/brownfields bill. “For the better part of a decade, policy-makers and advocates have worked to craft a bill that would allow for the cleanup of the state’s contaminated lands. The bill has passed the Assembly and the Senate and we expect the Governor to sign it into law next week,” Washington said. “The state Superfund program has been saved and New York can now move forward on a new round of ambitious cleanups targeted to the state’s older urban areas.” According to Washington, the bill will make a significant contribution to protecting public health, revitalizing cities and controlling sprawl.

Washington praised the chairs of the Legislature’s two environmental conservation committees for their efforts to craft and pass the bill. Referring to Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli and Senator Carl Marcellino, Washington said, “We are very fortunate right now to have Environmental Conservation Committee chairs in both houses who are fighters.” Washington announced that the organization’s 2003 Legislator of the Year award has been given to Marcellino, calling his successful stewardship of the legislation through the Senate, “his most remarkable victory.” The Senator has chaired the committee since 1996. (DiNapoli received the award in 2000.)

Washington also complimented Gov. George Pataki for the work of his Superfund/brownfields task force, which saw the need to raise fees on businesses to replenish the Superfund and of creating new tax incentives for brownfields redevelopment. And she praised Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno and Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver for understanding the importance of the legislation and committing to its passage.

The University at Buffalo, and its Green Energy Team, was recognized with the 2003 Environmentalist of the Year award for bringing wind energy to the Western New York campus. “The University at Buffalo has been working hard to implement Gov. Pataki’s Executive Order 111, which encourages state agencies, authorities and the state university to become more energy efficient,” noted EANY Energy Program Associate Christine Vanderlan. “In fact, the University at Buffalo is now the largest purchaser of wind energy in New York.” Under the Governor’s executive order, issued in 2001, state agencies are expected to meet 10 percent of their electrical needs with power generated from renewable sources like wind and solar by 2005 and 20 percent by 2010. Next year, UB intends to increase its reliance on wind by purchasing the output of three 1.5 megawatt wind turbines. “That will equal 6 percent of UB’s consumption,” Vanderlan said. “These purchases put the university well on its way to meeting the Governor’s 10 percent target by 2005.”

EPL/Environmental Advocates also awarded an Oil Slick to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative national industry front group that markets draft bills to lawmakers in all 50 states. According to EANY Solid Waste Project Director David Higby, ALEC, since its founding in 1973 “has adopted as a primary goal, the subverting of state legislation and regulatory activity meant to protect the environment.” One ALEC bill that put in an appearance in Albany this year was the Ecological Terrorism Act (A.4884/S.2996). The bill claims to protect corporate entities engaged in medical, biological or environmental research, but is so broadly written that it could make felons of supporters of environmental groups.

The Scores
Scores in the Voters’ Guide reflect the percentage of the time a lawmaker cast his or her vote to protect the environment. They are based on Senate and Assembly floor votes on bills that were rated by Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY). In 2003, 108 bills were rated, making this the nation’s most comprehensive environmental scorecard. Of those bills, 22 reached the Senate floor and 53 were voted on in the Assembly. Thirteen bills reached the Governor’s desk for his signature. Of those, EANY supported nine and opposed four.

Two members of the Assembly, Deborah Glick and Helene Weinstein, had perfect scores in 2003.

In the Senate, the average score was 69. The average score for Senate Democrats was 76. For Senate Republicans it was 64. Senator Suzi Oppenheimer had the highest score, a 96.

In the Assembly, the average score was 87. The average score for Assembly Democrats was 92. For Assembly Republicans it was 78. Glick and Weinstein had perfect scores, as well as being present for every vote that was taken. Rep. Daniel L. Hooker had the lowest score, a 62.