S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2512
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 17, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing  a  chief
   sustainability officer
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new  section  94-e
 to read as follows:
   § 94-E. CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER.  1. PURPOSE. THE CHIEF SUSTAINA-
 BILITY  OFFICER  SHALL  COORDINATE EFFORTS ACROSS ALL AGENCIES AND OTHER
 STATE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES  TO  ADDRESS  CLIMATE  CHANGE  MITIGATION  AND
 CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS IN NEW YORK STATE.
   2. DEFINITIONS.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A)  "OFFICER"  SHALL  MEAN THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER APPOINTED
 PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   (B) "STATE AGENCY" OR "STATE AGENCIES" SHALL MEAN  ANY  STATE  DEPART-
 MENT,  BOARD, BUREAU, DIVISION, COMMISSION, COMMITTEE, PUBLIC AUTHORITY,
 PUBLIC  CORPORATION,  COUNCIL,  OFFICE  OR  OTHER  GOVERNMENTAL   ENTITY
 PERFORMING  A  GOVERNMENTAL OR PROPRIETARY FUNCTION OF THE STATE, EXCEPT
 THE JUDICIARY OR THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
   3.  THE GOVERNOR SHALL APPOINT A CHIEF  SUSTAINABILITY  OFFICER.  SUCH
 CHIEF  SUSTAINABILITY  OFFICER  SHALL ACCOMPLISH THE DUTIES SET FORTH IN
 THIS SECTION IN AN EFFORT TO ADVISE AND  ASSIST  STATE  AGENCIES  IN  AN
 ONGOING  COORDINATED  RESPONSE  TO  ADDRESS  CLIMATE  CHANGE. SUCH CHIEF
 SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL RECEIVE A SALARY, TO BE FIXED BY THE GOVER-
 NOR WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR.
   4. THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL:
   (A) REVIEW RULES AND REGULATIONS OF STATE AGENCIES AND SUBMIT PROPOSED
 AMENDMENTS AND/OR ADDITIONS OF SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS TO SUCH  AGEN-
 CIES FOR CONSIDERATION THAT THE OFFICER SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE OR NECES-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04322-01-5
 A. 2512                             2
              

 
 SARY  TO  HELP  MITIGATE  NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROMOTE
 CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY;
   (B) COORDINATE POLICY TO PROMOTE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABIL-
 ITY  ACROSS STATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF GENERAL
 SERVICES, THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT  AUTHORITY,
 THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVATION,  AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
 STATE;
   (C) WORK WITH STATE  AGENCIES  AND  DEPARTMENTS  TO  ENSURE  EFFECTIVE
 IMPLEMENTATION AND ACHIEVEMENT OF STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND STATE GOALS
 RELATED TO ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION;
   (D)  COORDINATE  IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE
 STATE FACILITY AND VEHICLE FLEET  EFFICIENCY  AND  PROMOTE  ADOPTION  OF
 ENERGY  EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES AND THE MODERNIZATION OF STATE FACILITIES
 AND OPERATIONS;
   (E) DESIGN AND SHARE WITH STATE AGENCIES  AND  DEPARTMENTS  STRATEGIES
 THAT  CAN BE USED TO LEVERAGE STATE FACILITIES AND ASSETS TO ADVANCE THE
 CONSERVATION OF NATURAL  RESOURCES  AND  HIGHLIGHT  BEST  ENVIRONMENTAL,
 TECHNOLOGICAL  AND  POLICY  STRATEGIES TO REACH THE HIGHEST ENERGY EFFI-
 CIENCY STANDARDS REASONABLY POSSIBLE;
   (F) DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES TO PLAN FOR AND MITIGATE  ENTERPRISE
 RISKS  WHILE REDUCING WASTE AND TO HELP STRENGTHEN COMMERCIAL, CULTURAL,
 AND POLITICAL COOPERATION AND ENGAGEMENT;
   (G) ADVISE STATE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS IN BEST PRACTICES FOR  ENVI-
 RONMENTAL  REGULATORY  COMPLIANCE, REPORTING, PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTREACH,
 AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATION;
   (H) ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE IN  REDUCING  ITS  USE  OF  NATURAL
 RESOURCES  THROUGH  IMPROVING ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, AND PROVIDING
 DATA AND TOOLS THAT PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT'S PERSON-
 NEL AND EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES;
   (I) PARTNER WITH PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UNIVER-
 SITIES, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL  SUSTAINABILITY
 ACROSS THE STATE;
   (J)  PARTICIPATE  IN INTER-AGENCY WORKING GROUPS THAT DEVELOP ENVIRON-
 MENTAL REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDANCE FOR STATE AGENCIES;
   (K) ACT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF NEW YORK STATE  AT  THE  UNITED  STATES
 CLIMATE  ALLIANCE  AND  OTHER  NATIONAL  AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
 FOCUSED ON CLIMATE SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH  AND  GOALS  THAT
 THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE;
   (L)  INFORM  THE  GOVERNOR, SECRETARY, LEGISLATURE, AND STATE AGENCIES
 AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES OF THE LATEST RESEARCH AND  DEVELOPMENTS
 IN THE FIELD OF CLIMATE SCIENCE;
   (M) ADVISE AND ASSIST THE NEW YORK STATE CLIMATE ACTION COUNCIL ESTAB-
 LISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 75-0103 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW
 IN  SUCH  DUTIES  OF  SUCH COUNCIL THAT THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER
 SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE; AND
   (N) BE THE STATE'S COORDINATOR FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF  THE  CLIMATE
 LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT.
   5.  ALL  STATE  AGENCIES SHALL COOPERATE WITH THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY
 OFFICER TO ENSURE THAT THE  CHIEF  SUSTAINABILITY  OFFICER  IS  ABLE  TO
 FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THIS SECTION.
   §  2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.