February 6, 2020
Re: Protecting Vulnerable Communities From Climate Change as Required by Law and Funding a $1 Billion Climate and Community Investment Fund
Dear Representative,
We are NY Renews, a coalition of over 190 environmental, justice, faith, labor and community groups across New York State. Our aim is for New York to lead the nation on tackling both the climate crisis and systemic inequality by executing a just, clean energy transition now.
Thank you for passing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) last legislative session! Because of your actions, New York has shown global leadership on reducing greenhouse gases - and climate change adaptation.
We are writing because, despite this achievement, Governor Cuomo’s 2020-2021 Executive Budget Proposal does not contain the vision or funding needed to implement the State’s new climate law. In particular, the Governor’s budget comes up short on protecting vulnerable communities from the climate crisis.
We need your leadership! Please lend your support for a $1 billion Climate and Community Investment Fund in this year’s budget! We also ask that you keep the administration accountable by providing legislative oversight on energy budgets and implementation of the new climate law.
As you may already know, the Governor’s budget makes big promises on climate, claiming to provide $33 billion in climate action funding over five years. In truth, other than a proposed conservation bond act, the vast majority of that sum reflects previously committed funds and not new dollars. The Governor’s budget also effectively robs Peter to pay Paul by moving Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative clean energy funds to bolster, but not expand, the Environmental Protection Fund. Importantly, the Governor’s proposal substantively ignores the CLCPA’s requirement and goal that disadvantaged communities receive at least 40% of the benefits of clean energy and other spending.
In other words, you passed a law designed to protect communities, and the Governor’s budget does not include the funding necessary to do so. The Governor’s status quo climate budget ignores disadvantaged communities as if the CLCPA was never signed into law. If this is allowed to stand, New York will remain focused on yesterday’s vision of climate leadership- namely, a vision that neglects to protect communities from the impacts of the climate crisis.
This is dangerous, irresponsible and puts New Yorkers at risk. How? As we have seen this year both at home and around the world, the climate crisis has arrived. The Governor’s budget leaves New Yorkers exposed and unprepared to respond to known climate crisis impacts. These include but are not limited to the extreme heat, flooding, severe storms and other disasters that are already happening throughout the State and will continue with increasing severity. The State, however, does not currently have an investment vehicle or master plan to protect communities from climate crisis.
To address this need, NY Renews asks that the 2020-2021 budget direct an initial $1 billion towards a Climate and Community Investment Fund. This fund is needed to begin implementing the CLCPA, and will work to promote renewable energy adoption and community resilience. This includes key investments in the workforce development and job creation that we need now and for the clean energy economy we will build for tomorrow. Further, the fund will help maintain the State’s existing programs and build upon them in a streamlined way. More information on the NY Renews proposal, as previously sent to the Governor, can be found attached hereto.
In addition to abandoning community protection, the Governor’s inaction on funding the CLCPA while claiming to have a $33 billion climate action plan highlights the lack of transparency in the State’s energy and climate programs. In fact, the State hasn’t had an updated State Energy Plan since 2015 and further delay is expected. In the meantime, there is no functioning system in place to ensure that the State as a whole performs optimally on its energy spending.
How, then, can New Yorkers expect that the State will effectively leverage these large sums, especially in light of its new goals under the CLCPA? To answer this question, NY Renews respectfully requests that the legislature plan ongoing budget oversight hearings as soon as possible. The relevant State agencies should be directed to conduct audits this year of their spending in light of the CLCPA, including plans to direct funds to disadvantaged communities.
New York can achieve a just, clean energy transition that creates a healthy environment for all while addressing inequalities and promoting economic opportunity in an equitable way. The CLCPA you passed last year provides a framework, but we must fund and implement it with an urgency that matches the threat of the climate crisis. Let’s plug the holes in the State’s climate policy and make sure that the Governor’s budget both funds community protection and spends that money wisely. Thank you again for your support and your leadership!
Regards,
The NYRenews Steering Committee:
32BJ SEIU
ALIGN - Alliance for a Greater New York
Catskill Mountainkeeper
Center For Working Families
Citizen Action of New York
Communications Workers of America District 1
Demos
Environmental Advocates of NY
GreenFaith
Long Island Progressive Coalition
NYC Environmental Justice Alliance
Our Climate
People's Climate Movement NY
PUSH Buffalo
Sierra Club
UPROSE