NY Renews Requests Urgent Meeting with Assembly to Fund Climate Justice in NY

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***: July 7, 2021

Contact: Arielle Swernoff | (646) 450-5461 | arielle@nyrenews.org 

Web: @NYRenews | www.nyrenews.org

NY Renews Requests Urgent Meeting with Assembly to Fund Climate Justice in NY

Coalition thanks Assembly for their public commitment to work with advocates on climate justice legislation; is eager to fund climate mandates in CLCPA

Albany, NY — NY Renews, the grassroots coalition of over 280 climate, community, environmental justice, faith, and labor organizations sent the following letter to the NYS Assembly in response to Speaker Heastie’s July 2nd statement on climate. In the letter, the coalition thanked the Speaker for his commitment to working with climate and justice advocates to fund the CLCPA and requested an urgent meeting to discuss policy options for building a just transition in New York State. 

The full text of the letter is below: 

Dear Speaker Heastie: 

Thank you for your statement of July 2nd that reiterates the Assembly Majority’s resolve to fight the climate crisis and your commitment to working with key stakeholders to ensure that there are dedicated financial resources for us to succeed.

The more than 280 member organizations of NYRenews were disheartened that legislation did not pass this session, but, as we were for the years leading up to enactment of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), we are resolute in our fight for climate justice. We know what we can achieve when we work together on solutions. To that end, we request an urgent meeting this summer with Assembly staff and leadership to discuss policy avenues for fully and justly funding the implementation of the CLCPA in the 2022 legislative session. 

This climate crisis has real, human consequences. Every year more people suffer asthma attacks and die prematurely because the air is too polluted, and more seniors suffer from heat stroke during punishing summer days. The enormous cost of climate pollution (the Department of Environmental Conservation suggests it is $27.5 billion annually) should be sobering for all New Yorkers.

As the state emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic knowing that exposure to air pollution increased the death rate in communities of color already suffering from high levels of pollution, now is the time for the next steps. We cannot continue to consign frontline communities, particularly by Black and brown New Yorkers, to another year of inadequate support for necessary climate justice investments.

The current moment highlights the urgency of climate action now. The Pacific Northwest recently experienced an unprecedented heat wave, killing hundreds. In the Gulf of Mexico, the ocean is literally on fire because of fossil fuel negligence. Eight million residents of New York City experienced blackout warnings just last week. New York State can’t wait to fulfill the bold promises made in the CLCPA by making sure climate investments are fully and justly funded.

 We are grateful that you are ready to work together on the investments needed for true climate solutions and the good job opportunities envisioned in the CLCPA and we look forward to working together on the necessary legislation. Funding to implement this law is the critical next step to achieve our mutually desired goal of just transition as the state completely transitions our economy to clean, renewable energy.

The best time to pass real climate justice investments was yesterday, and the second best time is now. The NY Renews coalition is ready to work with you to pass climate investments in the 2022 legislative session. 

Thank you again for your climate leadership and recognizing that so much more needs to be done. We look forward to hearing from you so that we can get to work on these critically important issues that are impacting the most vulnerable New Yorkers.

Sincerely,

The NY Renews 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, Environmental Advocates NY, GreenFaith, Long Island Progressive Coalition, NYC Environmental Justice Alliance, NY State Nurses Association, Our Climate, People's Climate Movement NY, PUSH Buffalo, Sierra Club, THE POINT CDC, UPROSE

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