Nearly 200 Faith Leaders Sign Letter in Support of Climate and Community Protection Act
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***: June 15, 2019
Contact: Arielle Swernoff | (646) 450-5461 | arielle@nyrenews.org
Web: @NYRenews | www.nyrenews.org
Nearly 200 Faith Leaders Sign Letter in Support of Climate and Community Protection Act
Faith leaders across the state support moving off of fossil fuels while investing in frontline communities
Albany, New York -- 185 faith leaders sent a letter to Governor Cuomo and the NY State legislature in support of immediate action on the Climate and Community Protection Act (S2992/A3876). In the letter, leaders from 24 religious traditions wrote:
“We are writing to you as faith leaders deeply concerned about the climate crisis to urge you to pass the Climate and Community Protection Act (CCPA, S2992/A3876) during this legislative session. This bill represents a state response to climate change in a manner that is consistent with our moral values of compassion, equity and justice. It is the right bill at a critically important time and it has our wholehearted support.”
Rev Ken Scott, GreenFaith Capital Region Organizer, said, “At GreenFaith, we believe that protecting the Earth is a sacred act, and that environmental stewardship is a moral responsibility. As we care for our planet, we must address issues of social and racial inequity that are caused or worsened by environmental degradation. This is what the CCPA does: protects the planet while investing in communities most impacted by the climate crisis. The legislature must pass, and the Governor must sign, the Climate and Community Protection Act before the end of the legislative session this year.”
The Reverend Peter Cook, Executive Director of the New York State Council of Churches, said, “If humanity has any hope of providing our children with a livable home, we must do all it can to transition from fossil fuel to sustainable energy as fast as possible, and to do it with justice and equity. We are urging the legislature to pass the CCPA as soon as possible, and care for our state, our planet, our communities.”
About the Climate and Community Protection Act:
The Climate and Community Protection Act (S2992/A3876) establishes aggressive mandates to ensure New York achieves a 100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the next 30 years. Under the CCPA, 40% of state energy and climate funds used to propel the transition must be invested in low-income communities and communities of color. In addition, the CCPA would attach fair labor standards, including prevailing wage standards, to green projects receiving state funding.
The CCPA has passed the New York State Assembly in the past three legislative sessions, and is currently sponsored by a majority of State Senators. This year, both Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins have pointed to CCPA as the way forward for climate policy in NY.
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