Senator Addabbo Receives Perfect Score on Environmental Issues from New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV)

State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. has been recognized for his solid support of environmental issues, achieving a perfect 100% score on the most current New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) scorecard, which evaluates legislators based on their stance on environmental legislation.

The NYLCV has released its 2023 New York State Environmental Scorecard, reflecting legislators' environmental advocacy, and commended Senator Addabbo for his strong support of positive environmental initiatives.

The 2023 New York State Environmental Scorecard evaluated 14 key bills from the legislative session, prioritized by the NYLCV for their significant impact on environmental and conservation efforts within the state. These bills focused on crucial areas such as renewable energy, public health improvement, natural resource protection, ecosystem preservation, and the development of an EV charging infrastructure to meet growing demand.

Several of the top-priority bills, including those aiming to relax restrictions on geothermal energy development, enhance transparency in pipeline construction, and improve the safety and cleanliness of the state's drinking water, were successfully passed by both legislative houses.

Senator Addabbo voted in favor of all 14 bills and is a co-sponsor of two of them – Clean Fuel Standard (A.964/S.1292) to create a clean or low-carbon fuel standard which would require transportation fuel providers to reduce their emissions by at least 20% by 2031 and incentivize fleets and fuel providers to move away from carbon-intensive fuels like diesel and gasoline toward low- or zero-carbon fuels like electric, biofuels, and hydrogen; and New Offshore Wind Generation Targets (A7407/S.6327-A), which would increase the state's offshore wind electricity generation target for 2035 established by the CLCPA and establish new ambitious targets for 2040, 2045, and 2050. 

Addabbo takes pride in his role in working on environmental issues, from sponsoring district-wide, popular paper shredding and electronic waste recycling events to enacting bill S2022 / A4928, which now mandates the use of sturdy tarping for the transportation of specific types of waste by rail, addressing the odor and debris concerns of his constituents like those living in Glendale and Middle Village. The legislation also requires the covering of both decaying and non-decaying waste to prevent leakage and spillage in compliance with Federal Railroad Administration regulations.

Commenting on the bill, Senator Addabbo emphasized its crucial role in safeguarding the well-being of his residents by containing potentially hazardous, odorous, and decaying waste during rail transportation. He stressed the importance of aligning these measures with Federal Railroad Administration guidelines to ensure the safety of the public.

Senator Addabbo is also the co-sponsor of several other environmental bills like the Birds and Bees Protection Act (S.1856A) (signed into law by Governor) which prohibits the sale of certain pesticides or use of seeds coated with such pesticides; and requires the department of environmental conservation to review the latest scientific information concerning certain pesticide active ingredients.

Addabbo also co-sponsored bills to combat illegal dumping, climate change and promote the rehabilitation and maintenance of foreclosed properties. 

“While I am proud to have been a part of the positive environmental work the state legislature has done, I realize we still have a continuing obligation to address the issues related to our environment,” Addabbo concluded.