Testimony Overview
In our testimony, Environmental Advocates NY covers the following calls to action:
- Support for $425 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, with no staff offloads and investments in the Climate Resilient Farming Grant Program, Farmland Protection Programs, and Food Scraps Recycling.
- Enact a five year moratorium on sewage sludge spreading across New York State, with expanded PFAS testing and a support fund for farmers (S.5759B/A.6192C).
- Support $750 million for clean water, with a call to amend the governor’s proposal so that the $250 million in new funding is divided as $200 million to the Clean Water Infrastructure Act and $50 million to rural housing preservation with guardrails for affordability and sustainability.
- Add at least $1 Billion for the Sustainable Future Fund.
- Amend revisions to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to balance the need for affordable housing with solid environmental protections.
- Increase in at least 45 FTEs for DEC staffing, with more necessary to staff agencies for successful program implementation.
- Support $10 million in the 30% Initiative Farm to School program, with smart policy changes to improve program access.
- Strengthen the GreenJobs – Green New York program, with an opportunity for further improvements.
- Governor Hochul: advance the overdue Clean Air Initiative.
- Defend the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and resist any attempts to rewrite the law.
