The following was submitted by Environmental Advocates of New York.
On January 20, 2017,
the United States will become one of the few countries in the world led
by someone who denies climate change, and the responsibility for
protecting our communities
falls to state officials like Governor Andrew Cuomo. Today, residents and a coalition of 100 organizations
rallied for Governor Cuomo to turn his rhetoric – “anyone who feels that they are under attack….
the state of New York is their refuge”
– into action by making the state a true climate leader with his 2017 Executive Budget proposal. This means incorporating the
New York State Climate and Community Protection Act,
the most aggressive climate legislation in the country, into his broader
economic development, public health, and environmental agenda.
The
state Budget is the most significant work that the Executive and
Legislature complete annually. It is Governor Cuomo’s best opportunity
to prove he will take on President-elect Trump, who
has called global warming science a “Chinese hoax,”
and has threatened to renege on the Paris Climate Agreement.
Trump has also told supporters he intends to abolish life-saving clean air protections,
further harming frontline communities bearing the brunt of climate change.
Lorraine Pierre-Destine, Resident Nurse (Lincoln Hospital) and member of the New York State Nurses Association
said, “Just imagine
a 6-year-old girl wheezing so loudly there’s no need for a stethoscope.
Donald Trump refuses to believe in climate science and its detrimental
impacts. I would like to invite Mr. Trump to join me at work one day so
that he can see firsthand the impacts that
dirty air has on the children and families who live here. Air that
isn’t safe to breathe makes kids feel like they are being suffocated.
Air filled with toxic pathogens causing a lifetime of chronic illness
and premature death. Governor Cuomo can be a hero
for the families I help to take care of. Trump may have won the White
House, but Governor Cuomo can win the fight against climate change.”
Reverend Lennox Yearwood, Jr., President of the Hip Hop Caucus
said, “We cannot afford further damage to our health or our planet. The
climate movement is defining what climate leadership is by raising the
bar for our politicians. They are not fragile children in need of
constant reassurance. They are decision-makers who, by and large, are
failing to move fast enough when it comes to doing
what’s necessary to leave fossil fuels in the ground and facilitate a
justice-based transition to 100 percent clean energy. Governor Cuomo can
seize this opportunity and send a message to the millions concerned
about the future of our climate and air that
he is ready to be the leader we need.”
Eddie Bautista, Executive Director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance
said, “Our
coalition puts equity at the center of climate policy, because to fight
climate change we need transformative ideas that address environmental
justice and create new jobs. One hundred organizations
are committed to the NY Renews vision – and we are building on our
collective advocacy and powerful partnerships to push New York State to
be a national leader when we need it most.”
By incorporating the
New York State Climate and Community Protection Act into the SFY2017-18 Budget, Governor Cuomo will:
Solidify his
climate and clean energy goals by placing the State Energy Plan into
law, creating the pathway to a future powered 100% by clean, renewable
energy.
Prioritize
frontline, environmental justice, and Disadvantaged Communities
statewide, by dedicating at least 40% of revenue generated by the Clean
Energy Fund and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
(RGGI) to projects and programs that benefit these communities.
Create
community-driven Just Transition processes for workers and whole
communities as they transition away from a fossil fuel-based economy,
ensuring avenues to good-paying jobs with fair labor standards.
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