Issue Position: Protecting the Environment

Issue Position

Speaker Heastie has continuously fought to protect our environment, safeguard our families' health and combat climate change. Earlier this year, he negotiated and passed the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the most ambitious plan that any state has enacted into law. The law sets several goals, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050 and requiring 100% of New York's electricity be produced without emissions by 2040. It also authorizes renewable energy projects in public housing statewide, and advances environmental justice by requiring 35% of overall spending to be spent in historically disadvantaged communities.

To keep our communities clean and protect our precious natural resources, Speaker Heastie secured a ban on most single-use plastic bags in the 2019-20 state budget and passed legislation to prohibit offshore oil and gas drilling in our state's coastal waters.

He was also instrumental in passing the Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017, a $2.5 billion multi-year initiative to protect access to safe, clean drinking water statewide, and has provided critical funding for the program in three consecutive state budgets.

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