Senator Hoylman Accepts Legislator Of The Year Award From Environmental Advocates

Senator Hoylman Accepts Legislator Of The Year Award From Environmental Advocates

NEW YORK – Today, EPL/Environmental Advocates named State Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) as their 2015 Legislator of the Year. The organization, which publishes an annual Environmental Scorecard tracking New York State lawmakers’ votes on important environmental legislation, said, “When it comes to standing up to big polluters and their allies in Albany, New Yorkers have a new champion in Senator Hoylman.” Senator Hoylman, who serves as Ranking Member on the Environmental Conservation Committee, released the following statement in response:

“It is truly an honor to be named EPL/Environmental Advocates’ Legislator of the Year. As a lawmaker and a concerned parent, I’m acutely aware that the decisions we make and fail to make now will have a direct impact on my daughter’s generation and beyond. That’s why as Ranking Member of the Environmental Conservation Committee I have worked hard to raise awareness of the dangers posed by climate change. And while we have made progress, if we’re going to get serious about combating environmental degradation lawmakers in Albany must immediately enact a state Climate Action Plan, pass the Child Safe Products Act, and place a ban on personal care products that contain plastic microbeads. These common sense actions could have an immense effect on the health of our environment and our fellow citizens and I look forward to working with my colleagues and EPL/Environmental Advocates to make them law.”

EPL/Environmental Advocates’ full release is included below:

Hoylman Honored as Environmental Legislator of the Year

New York City Boasts Some of the Most Environmentally Conscious Legislators

Albany – EPL/Environmental Advocates has named Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) as the 2015 Legislator of the Year. Senator Hoylman earned this honor because of his leadership on issues such as keeping toxics out of children’s products, microbeads out of our waterways, and fracking waste out of New York State. New York City is also represented by many of the highest scoring lawmakers in the state in this year’s Scorecard.

Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of EPL/Environmental Advocates said, “When it comes to standing up to big polluters and their allies in Albany who seek to weaken, block or delay protections, New Yorkers have a new champion in Senator Hoylman. His impact is felt both inside the Capitol, where he did everything in his power to make the Senate deliver on environmental legislation, and statewide where he has placed an emphasis on educating and communicating with the public on policies that impact their lives. All New Yorkers can be grateful for Senator Hoylman’s leadership.”

In the Assembly, Deborah Glick (D-Manhattan) and Helene Weinstein (D-Brooklyn) earned the high scores 93 points in their chamber, while ten Senators from New York City also earned high scores of 81 points, including:

• Leroy G. Comrie (D-Queens)
• Martin Malave Dilan (D-Brooklyn)
• Adriano Espaillat (D-Manhattan)
• Michael Gianaris (D/Astoria)
• Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan)
• Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan)
• Bill Perkins (D-Manhattan)
• Jose Serrano (D-Manhattan/Bronx)
• Daniel Squadron (D-Manhattan/Brooklyn)
• Toby Stavisky (D-Queens)

Staten Island

Senator Diane Savino earned another failing score in 2015 (59 points), a disappointing turn for a legislator who rebounded from a string of poor scores by earning 81 points last year. Her drop was the result of supporting legislation that would have stalled Governor Cuomo’s Reforming Energy Vision (REV) and failure to sponsor the Child Safe Products Act, instead favoring a chemical industry-proposed version that would have failed to protect kids.

Senator Andrew Lanza also earned another failing score, with just 44 points.

In the Assembly, for the second year in a row, Assemblyman Joseph Borelli failed the Scorecard with a dismal 38 points; both of his colleagues, Nicole Malliotakis and Matthew Titone earned solid scores of 72 and 85, respectively.

Bronx

Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein reverted back to his days when he received the 2013 EPL/Environmental Advocates’ Oil Slick Award by earning a failing score – 59 points – after what appeared to be a strong rebound in 2014. For the second year in a row, Senator Ruben Diaz’s score was not able to be tabulated as a result of too many missed votes. Senator Jose Serrano led all legislators, earning a high score, while Gustavo Rivera also earned one of the Legislature’s best environmental records in 2015.

In the Assembly, Michael Benedetto earned a strong 85 points, while freshmen Michael Blake and Latoya Joyner both earned a 78.

Brooklyn

While Assemblymember Weinstein  (93 points) and Senators Dilan (81 points) and Squadron (81 points) set the high bar for legislators statewide, Senator Simcha Felder again earned among the lowest scores in the Senate with 44 points. Senator Martin Golden performed slightly higher, though still failing with 53 points, the same as former Senator John Sampson.

Freshman Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon earned 85 points, while Rodneyse Bichotte, Erik Martin Dilan, Roxanne Persaud, and Latrice Walker all scored 78 points. Diana Richardson earned an incomplete as a result of too many missed votes.

Queens

Senator Michael Gianaris and Toby Stavisky (81 points each) have consistently delivered some of the best environmental records in the Legislature for their constituents. Unfortunately, Senator Jose Peralta (59 points) earned a failing score this year due to an incorrect vote on legislation that would stall Governor Cuomo’s Reforming Energy Vision (REV), as well as not sponsoring the Child Safe Products Act, instead favoring chemical industry-proposed legislation that would not protect children.

Many of the boroughs Assemblymembers earned strong scores but lost points by supporting bad legislation that would have redefined “renewable” energy, amounting to an industry giveaway. Assemblywoman Barbara Clark and Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder earned incompletes as a result of too many missed votes

Manhattan

The borough continues to have legislators with the best overall environmental scores of anywhere statewide. In addition to the Assembly’s high score of 93 earned by Deborah Glick, six the Senators whose district are entirely or in part representative of Manhattan, earned high scores of 81 points, including Adriano Espaillat, Brad Hoylman, Liz Krueger, Bill Perkins, Jose Serrano and Daniel Squadron.

The EPL/Environmental Advocates 2015 Environmental Scorecard is the first and only record of New York State lawmakers’ votes on legislation that will impact the environment. The guide has been produced and distributed statewide for more than 40 years. For the complete Scorecard, visit www.eplscorecard.org.

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EPL/Environmental Advocates was founded in 1969 as one of the first organizations in the nation to advocate for the future of a state’s environment and the health of its citizens. It is the sister organization of Environmental Advocates of New York.