After Governor's veto, Addabbo & Pheffer Amato to reintroduce bill to further protect Jamaica Bay

At the end of 2019, Governor Cuomo vetoed the bills S.4165/A9595 aimed at increasing the protection of the Jamaica Bay waters. However, Senator Joe Addabbo and Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato plan to work with the Governor’s Administration in a continuing effort to make Jamaica Bay even cleaner and healthier.

These Jamaica Bay bills would permanently extend the current law that was put into place in 2014, which corrected the longstanding problem of using sub-quality dredging material to fill in the borrow pits of Jamaica Bay. That law is set to expire on June 30, 2022.

“In the past, the waters of Jamaica Bay were polluted and devoid of much marine life. The bill that was implemented in 2014, as well as the incredible work by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), helped to create a drastic change in the health of the water, so much so that wildlife — such as dolphins and whales — has been sighted there for the first time in decades,” Addabbo explained. “Because of the success of the 2014 bill, I want to see the sunset clause removed so the bill would be permanent and we would not need to renew the protections every few years.”

“We have made so much progress protecting Jamaica Bay - the bill passed by the legislature in 2014 and partnership with the DEC have turned the Bay into an ecological miracle,” Pheffer Amato said. “We cannot dial down the efforts, or compromise our standards, and relinquish all the hard work that’s put in to get us here. These bills are only going to strengthen and further protect the Bay, and we must remove the sunset clause permanently, so we don’t have to renew them. Senator Addabbo and I will continue to work with the DEC and the community activists to further protect the Bay.”

“Jamaica Bay is a critical natural resource and an environmental jewel that needs to be carefully protected,” Addabbo added. “We intend to continue our efforts in working with the Governor's Administration and community leaders in finding legislative ways to further protect the bay.”