Senator Rachel May Announces Landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Signed into Law

New York, NY - Today, Senator Rachel May (D-Onondaga, Madison, Oneida) and her colleagues joined Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York City for the signing of the historic Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (S.6599). 

The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) is a landmark piece of legislation that puts New York in the lead nationally and globally on combating climate disruption. By requiring New York State to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to 60% below 1990 levels by 2030, 85% below 1990 levels by 2050, with the remaining 15% being offset through other measures which will equal a net-neutral carbon economy by 2050, New York has set the boldest greenhouse gas emissions targets of any state or country to date.  

With the CLCPA, New York State has stood up boldly for future generations. As more and more people -- including farmers, fishermen, coastal residents, and young people everywhere -- are seeing the direct impact of a rapidly-warming planet and are raising their voices to demand real action, New York leaders have heard the call and have responded to the urgency of climate disruption.

“I have spent my career fighting against climate disruption and I am incredibly happy that we have reached this milestone,” said Senator May. “My office held one of the first Senate hearings outside of Albany on this topic at SUNY ESF. We heard from concerned residents, scientific experts, and industry leaders about the effects we are already experiencing from climate change. Farmers, vineyard owners, lakeside residents, fishermen, and many more are already paying for our inaction. Today we took one bold step in declaring climate change a New York State priority and I am so proud of all of my colleagues who fought so hard to ensure we had a strong bill for the Governor to sign.”

The path of this bill included several hearings, in Albany and around the state. These hearings allowed concerned citizens, stakeholders, and environmental experts to provide testimony on how climate change has impacted their communities and make recommendations for New York State moving forward. Following the hearings, a small group of senators, including Senator May, worked together to incorporate the witnesses’ insights and suggestions into a final bill that the whole Senate Majority could support. 

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