Serrano Passes "earth Hour" Resolution In NYS Senate

Albany, NY - March 26, 2008 - A resolution introduced by Senator Jose M. Serrano (D-Manhattan/Bronx) to commemorate "Earth Hour" passed the New York State Senate today. The resolution requests that Governor David Paterson adopt 8 p.m., Saturday, March 29, 2008 as Earth Hour in an effort to encourage energy conservation.

New York State residents would join 24 cities around the world in voluntarily turning off their lights for one hour. In Sydney, Australia, which celebrated the first ever Earth Hour in 2007, over 2.2 million residents and over 2,100 businesses switched off, leading to a 10.2% energy reduction across the city.

"Here in New York State we are home to some of the most beloved landmarks in the world. From Niagara Falls to the Statue of Liberty, the effect of our 'turning off the lights' for an hour would be a momentous strike against global climate change," said the Senator in his testimony.

The Senator, who represents parts of the South Bronx and East Harlem, said: "In my district, we have some of the highest asthma rates in the country. This will only get worse as temperatures rise, leading to increased smog in urban areas."

"Let us join our friends in Tel Aviv and Chicago and Sydney, this Saturday, March 29th at 8pm, in fighting this threat to our planet. It is my hope that we will continue to come together to ensure New York State remains on the cutting edge in combating climate change."