New York Finally Has a Climate Plan. Now Comes the Hard Part.
By Colin Kinniburgh, NY Focus
EXACTLY THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS after New York passed “the most comprehensive and aggressive climate change legislation in the nation,” the state issued a plan for implementing it.
On Monday, the Climate Action Council approved its final scoping plan, a blueprint for the state to deliver on the mandate of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. All but three of the council’s 22 members voted to approve the plan, with representatives from the fossil fuel, utility, and power industries casting the dissenting votes.
“Today, we’re making history,” said environmental commissioner Basil Seggos shortly after the vote. “The final scoping plan is big, it’s bold, and it’s visionary. It’s the most comprehensive document for any state, as it charts a path forward on addressing the climate crisis.”