Krueger Among Senators Receiving High Scores From Environmental Advocates; Calls on Republican-Controlled Senate to Stop "Blocking Progress"

New York—Today, New York State Senator Liz Krueger was pleased to congratulate Upper East Side colleague, State Senator Jose Serrano, for receiving the highest score from one of New York State's leading environmental policy agencies. Krueger, a staunch environmentalist in her own right, is tied for the 2nd highest score out of 62 senators.

She recognized that despite being "very proud of our efforts, most environmentally-responsible bills continue to get blocked in the Republican-controlled Senate."

The EPL/Environmental Advocates 2006 Voters' Guide analyzed New York's proposed environmental policies, including four Super Bills, and how every member of the State Senate and Assembly voted. The four Super Bills were the Community Preservation Act, the Wetland Protection Act, the Bigger Better Bottle Bill and the EPF Enhancement Act.

Environmental Advocates noted that while the Environmental Protection Fund has increased, "the State Senate made certain little else was accomplished," including not allowing a floor vote on a single Super Bill.

"The Republican-controlled Senate has acted as a road-block to common sense, environmentally responsible legislation every step of the way," Krueger said. "We have the Assembly passing these smart bills, only to then have Senator Joe Bruno and the Republican-controlled Senate block progress."

Senate Republicans had a average score of 56 compared to 81 for the Senate Democrats.

Krueger also pointed to the 2006 Adirondack Council State of the Park Report, in which she is recognized for forcing debate over environmental laws on the floor of the Senate. Krueger "carried out a vigorous debate over the merits of a bill sponsored by Senator [Betty] Little that would have stripped the Adirondack Park Agency of its authority to regulate the Adirondack Park's 133 private campgrounds…While it passed with a slim majority, the debate called the attention of the Assembly majority to the bill, where leadership did not permit it to pass out of committee" the report says.

"From the very top of the State of New York, to the very tip of Long Island, majority party Republicans in the State Senate have shown New Yorkers they cannot be trusted to preserve the environment for future generations," Krueger concluded. "New Yorkers have a real choice: they can elect people who are committed to and recognized for working with environmental experts to find practical, cost-effective, environmentally-responsible solutions—or people who tow the party line to the detriment of their constituent's surroundings and way of life."

-30-