Thursday, August 9, 2018

The 2018 New York State Environmental Scorecard


Albany — EPL/Environmental Advocates, the accountability arm of Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY), today released the 2018 Environmental Scorecard, and Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R-Northport) earned the dubious Oil Slick Award for a long history of environmental neglect and lack of leadership on the environment.

Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of EPL/Environmental Advocates said, “It’s clear that the current State Senate leadership is failing New Yorkers. We face a rapidly changing climate, pollution threatening our air and water, as well as the most anti-environmental federal government in history. However, time after time, Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan chooses to stand with the Trump administration, big oil, polluters, and against the health and well-being of New Yorkers. He has been enabled by a Senate Majority who have also failed to push for bold policies to protect New York. We need the Senate Majority Leader to also be a leader on the environment. Today, sadly, that is not the case.”

Along with the Oil Slick Award, every State Senator and Assemblymember was graded on their environmental votes. Highlights include:
This is the third consecutive year that the Assembly did not advance a bill that was rated as a negative for our environment. 
 
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Environmental Conservation Committee Chair, Steve Englebright both received perfect scores (100). 
 
The entire Senate majority caucus got a failing grade (under 70).
“The contrast between the Assembly and Senate majorities couldn’t be more pronounced,” Iwanowicz said. “The Assembly has consistently made passing impactful environmental policy a top priority— while the Senate has consistently turned their back. Their inaction also provides an excuse for Governor Cuomo to shun the hard work needed to protect our environment. Something isn’t working in Albany, and it’s now up to the people of New York to fix it.”
 
Click here for a full list of state legislators and their scores.

The EPL/Environmental Advocates 2018 Environmental Scorecard exists as a means to draw attention to State Legislators’ records on the environment and hold them responsible for their actions or inaction. It is the first and only record of New York State lawmakers’ votes on legislation that will impact the environment. For the complete Scorecard, visit www.eplscorecard.org.
EPL/Environmental Advocates was founded in 1969 as one of the first organizations in the nation to advocate for the future of a state’s environment and the health of its citizens. It is the sister organization of Environmental Advocates of New York. 
Source: EANY

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