Statement on Governor Cuomo’s Climate Agenda from NY Renews

For Immediate Release: January 12, 2017

Dan Sherrell (NY Renews): 732-589-2412

Travis Proulx (Environmental Advocates): 518-462-5526 x238

We’re just eight days from having a federal government controlled by climate deniers. Governor Cuomo must stand up to Trump by being bold and visionary in our response to climate change.

In his State of the State addresses, Governor Cuomo advanced important efforts to make New York’s electricity grid cleaner, healthier, and more reliable, particularly with his commitment to offshore wind energy. But he knows that power plants represent just 20% of New York’s greenhouse gas emissions. We heard nothing about the other major economic sectors driving climate change, like transportation and buildings.

Governor Cuomo also highlighted that New York will undertake a study on creating a path to 100% clean renewable energy, something the state already did – in 2010.

However, plans alone are not enough. Visions need to be made enforceable with laws that hold our government accountable if concrete targets are not met.

In the era of Trump, the health and safety of New Yorkers depends on Governor Cuomo going further. Governor Cuomo needs to rise to the occasion and be a national leader on climate, equity and creation of good jobs. And he needs to ensure that his words are more than empty promises.

How? Start by including the Climate and Community Protection Act (CCPA) in his written budget proposal. The CCPA sets specific greenhouse gas reduction targets and provides a means to hold government accountable for meeting those targets. The CCPA passed the state Assembly last year and has strong support in both houses of the Legislature this year.

The CCPA tackles climate pollution in all sectors, while getting frontline communities the resources they need to weather the climate storm, and instituting key labor protections that will ensure good, family-supporting jobs in the renewable energy economy.

We need legislation that puts New York on an enforceable path to 100% clean energy in all sectors, not just electricity generation. We call on Governor Cuomo to be the climate leader our nation desperately needs at this time by enacting the CCPA in 2017.”