Sen. Dean Skelos was one of our 2007 Environmental Stars

NEW YORK - The New York League of Conservation Voters, the political voice for New York's environmental community, is hopeful that progress on environmental legislation will gain momentum under Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), the new Senate Majority Leader.

Dean Skelos, center, with NYLCV Long Island Chapter Board Members John Cameron and Brian Muellers."By working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Dean Skelos has helped forge consensus on key environmental legislation," said Marcia Bystryn, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "His elevation to Senate Majority Leader puts into that office a skilled leader who has a solid track record on climate change and environmental issues. We are hopeful for even greater progress under his leadership."

NYLCV named Sen. Skelos one of its six 2007 Environmental Stars. In that year, he authored a bill to make it easier to purchase hybrid vehicles by waiving the state sales tax. He also played a critical role in expanding the Environmental Protection Fund and passing the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act, which allows communities in Westchester and Putnam counties to create special funds to preserve open space and farmland.

Among his other environmental accomplishments, Sen. Skelos has also worked to facilitate the restoration of Point Lookout's beaches in his Long Island district, forged compromise on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and enacted tax credits to encourage co-ops and condominiums to install solar energy generation panels.

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The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) was founded in 1989 as a nonpartisan, policy-making and political action organization that works to make environmental protection a top priority with elected officials, decision makers, and voters by evaluating incumbent performance and endorsing and electing environmental leaders to office in New York state.