Two Of Four Top Priorities Are Passed;
Full Analysis Soon In NYLCV's Legislative Progress Report

NEW YORK --- The New York State Legislature made important progress on environmental issues in the 2012 session, according to the New York League of Conservation Voters, one of the state's largest environmental advocacy organizations.

The Legislature approved two of the environmental community's top four priorities.The Assembly and Senate approved two of the environmental community's top four priority bills, including legislation to expand the Environmental Protection Fund and a bill that will ensure New Yorkers know when their waterways are contaminated with sewage pollution.

However, the lack of progress on clean energy - and solar energy, in particular - was disappointing. Legislation to protect New York waters from the dangers of hydrofracking waste was similarly rejected.

Click here for further details on these top environmental priorities.

"The Assembly and Senate both deserve credit for making progress, and these victories would not have been possible without Senator Mark Grisanti and Assembly Member Bob Sweeney, who championed environmental legislation in their respective houses," said NYLCV President Marcia Bystryn. "But it is clear that lawmakers and Governor Cuomo need to sharpen their pencils on the issue of clean energy. Unfortunately, New York will continue to lose clean-energy jobs and market share to other states until we can forge a comprehensive and concrete energy strategy."

In the coming days, NYLCV will issue a full analysis of the Legislature's environmental performance in the 2012 session, which concluded yesterday.

NYLCV will also begin interviewing candidates soon for our 2012 state legislative endorsements. Individual lawmakers' support for these top four priorities will factor strongly into NYLCV's endorsements and electoral campaigns.

###########################

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.