Bills co-sponsored by Addabbo to protect the environment, improve public health approved by full New York State Senate

A package of bills recently approved by the New York State Senate, and co-sponsored by NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., seek to protect the state’s air and water, preserve natural resources, address high concentrations of pollution in certain communities, and cut back on toxic chemicals in toys and other household items.

“Taking steps to protect and heal the damage that has already been done to our environment is vitally necessary to safeguarding the public health,” said Addabbo. “I am proud to co-sponsor these initiatives to help ensure a cleaner, greener and safer environment both today and in the future, and to protect our children and families from toxic chemicals in consumer products.”

In the district, Addabbo routinely hosts free community environmental events to distribute water-saving rain barrels to constituents, and also sponsors recycling fairs to help local residents safely and responsibly dispose of electronics and other household products.  The Senator has also been supportive of protecting Jamaica Bay.

The environmental protection and health legislation approved by the Senate with Addabbo’s support would:

• Amend the New York State Constitution’s Bill of Rights to include a fundamental right to clean air and water, and a healthy environment. Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Hawaii and Montana have already enshrined similar rights in their state constitutions. (S.2072)

• Develop criteria the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) should use in creating a list of “high local environmental impact zones,” which would identify communities severely impacted by polluting facilities, such as power plants and waste stations, and other environmental hazards. The listings would be published and used to protect overburdened communities from additional environmental threats. (S.181)

• Establish greater reporting and public information efforts regarding toxic chemicals used in toys and other items used by children, with the aim of completely prohibiting the sale of products containing dangerous chemicals like asbestos and certain flame retardants by 2023. (S.501)

• Set new standards to significantly reduce the use of dangerous mercury, which presents a variety of risks to human health, in mercury-added light bulbs. A number of other states and the European Union have already adopted maximum mercury content limits. (S.2139) 

• Increase the personal income tax credit now provided in New York to encourage the installation of solar energy system equipment from $5,000 to $10,000. The credit has not been raised since 2005, despite an increase in the cost of solar equipment.  (S.752) 

• Raise the performance standards for water-efficient plumbing and appliances in New York by aligning them with the “Water Sense” savings guidelines issued by the federal Environmental Protection Agency in 2006. New York’s water savings standards were last updated in 2002, and are less stringent than federal guidelines. (S.354).

With the exception of the legislation increasing the tax credit for solar equipment systems, which is still under considering by the State Assembly, all of the other bills have been approved by both houses of the State Legislature and will be sent to Governor Cuomo for his final consideration.