Senator Michelle Hinchey Praises Environmental Legislation Passed by the State Senate Today

ALBANY, NY – Senator Michelle Hinchey (SD-46) joined her colleagues in advancing a package of bills in honor of Earth Day, all of which passed the New York State Senate today. This legislative package builds on the successes of the FY 2021-2022 budget to put New York at the forefront of protecting and preserving the state’s natural resources while furthering renewable energy initiatives to meet the goals of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The legislative package includes bills to reduce plastics pollution, increase enforcement of the state’s environmental laws, protect state forests, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, increase the use of state-operated electric vehicles, bolster the state’s solar production, expand electric vehicle recharging, provide protections for Native nations and tribes, and combat biodiversity and climate crises on state land.

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “We only have one Earth, and we need to do everything in our power to protect it. New York continues to lead the nation in its commitment to achieving landmark clean energy goals and environmental conservation efforts that will power our economic recovery with more green jobs and a healthier planet. The legislation we’ve passed today in honor of Earth Day propels these efforts even further, reducing unnecessary plastics pollution, accelerating our shift to clean vehicles, and strengthening protections for our precious lands, wildlife, and water systems. I will always fight for environmental actions that put our communities on a more sustainable path now and for future generations.” 

The bills passed today by Senator Hinchey, and the New York State Senate include:

• Reducing Plastic Pollution At Hotels: This bill, S.543, reduces plastic pollution by converting hotels from using individual small bottles to refillable bulk dispensers for hospitality personal care products.
   
• Expands Environmental Enforcement: This bill, S.1237, amends the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) to provide injunctive relief for ECL violations for which there is no specifically stated penalty in law.
   
• Prohibits Leasing of Certain State-Owned Lands For Gas Production: This bill, S.1421, prohibits the lease of state forests, wildlife management areas, and unique areas for the purpose of gas production.
   
• Decreases Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Transportation Sector: This bill, S.2758, sets a goal of 100 percent of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks being zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035, and for 100 percent of medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicle sales to be ZEVs by 2045.
   
• State Purchase of Zero-Emission Vehicles: This bill, S.2838A, requires the preparation of a state fleet procurement plan to ensure that zero-emission vehicles will be purchased for state agencies.
   
• Expands the Market for the State’s Solar Production: This bill, S.3521A, directs the Public Service Commission to create a system to allow solar energy credits to be transferred between utility territories, making it easier for consumers to access renewable energy.
   
• Electric Vehicle Recharging: This bill, S.3929, requires utilities to file an electric vehicle charging tariff with the Public Service Commission that allows a customer to purchase electricity for the purpose of recharging an electric vehicle.
   
• Protects Native American Hunting and Fishing Rights: This bill, S.5266, protects Native Americans from being ticketed for violating fish and game laws when they are exercising hunting and fishing rights protected by treaty.
   
• Makes “30 by 30” Part of the State’s Land Acquisition Policy: This bill, S.6191, combats the biodiversity and climate crises by setting a goal to conserve at least 30 percent of New York's land by 2030.
   
• Pollinator Friendly Roadways: This bill, S.660, encourages the redevelopment and rehabilitation of medians along state highways and other roadways into pollinator-friendly zones through new planting practices, mowing routines, and expansion of adopt-a-highway programs.

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