Sen. Dean Skelos is calling on the Assembly to waive state sales taxes on hybrid and energy-efficient vehicles

July is normally a quiet time in Albany, with legislators back in their home districts and many government employees on vacation. But not so this July, as important environmental bills reached the governor's desk and legislators reconvened in special sessions.

On July 19, Gov. Eliot Spitzer signed legislation that increases the Environmental Protection Fund to $250 million in the next fiscal year, and to $300 million after that. Its passage was hailed by environmental groups, including NYLCV, as one of the most important conservation victories of the session. The fund can be tapped for various projects, recycling, landfill closure, urban parks, farmland preservation, smart growth, open space, water quality and pollution prevention.

"It is critically important that we advance the state’s comprehensive environmental agenda and that requires that we back up our ambitious policy objectives with appropriate funding," Spitzer said upon signing the bill into law.

Then on July 26, after marathon negotiations and much speculation, the Assembly and Senate passed legislation that allows the study and implementation of congestion pricing in New York City. The centerpiece of the legislation is the creation of a 17-member commission that will examine Mayor Bloomberg's plan in greater detail. The commission may study other proposals as well, but the final implementation plan put forward must meet the same traffic-reduction and air quality goals as the original PlaNYC initiative.

Within hours of its passage, Gov. Spitzer signed the bill into law. Now, all eyes are on the U.S. Department of Transportation, which is considering giving up to $500 million for New York City to implement the plan under its National Strategy to Reduce Congestion. U.S. DOT is expected to announce the funding on Aug. 8. In a statement, Bloomberg said he is "confident that through our work with the commission, our proposal for congestion pricing will be implemented."

The fate of another bill is expected to be clarified very soon. The Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act, which would allow Westchester and Putnam counties to establish community preservation funds, was passed during the regular session. Although the bill has not yet been sent to the governor's desk, he is widely expected to sign it.

Despite the successes during the summer, a number of environmental initiatives remain gridlocked in Albany. Among them is Industrial Development Agency Reform, which seeks to preserve open space by encouraging building in already-developed areas. During a special session in July, the Senate agreed to a seven-month extension in the existing law.

The Senate also passed two other environmentally friendly bills that the Assembly has yet to vote on: the Great Lakes Compact and legislation to waive the state sales tax on the purchase of hybrid and high-efficiency vehicles.

While no sessions are officially on the calendar for the rest of 2007, it is likely that both houses will return to take up additional legislation. Among NYLCV's priorities for the coming months are Article X power-plant siting reform, improved brownfields legislation and a bill that would allow New York City to implement its Solid Waste Management Plan.

Newsletter Issue

• Ecopolitics Monthly --- August 2007