December 14, 2006

Contact: Stacy Feldman

• Fighting climate change by building and expanding on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to put New York on the forefront of the fight against global warming.
  
  
• Tackling New York's energy challenges by developing a comprehensive energy plan that promotes energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar power. This plan must ensure the availability of traditional sources of energy through re-powering of older facilities and the siting of new, clean power plants.
  
  
• Supporting environmental programs by increasing funding of the Environmental Protection Fund, restoring environmental staff cuts, and empowering local governments to raise funds through local conservation ballot initiatives.
  
  
• Committing to environmental justice by establishing an environmental justice policy that requires all state agencies to consider the impact of facility siting decisions on low-income communities and communities of color.
  
  
• Promoting statewide economic development by encouraging a "smart growth" development strategy that ensures benefits to urban, suburban and rural areas, while preserving open space, farms, natural resources, and community character.
  
  
• Reducing traffic congestion and pollution by providing communities more choices in transportation options and reducing emissions from diesel engines through "retrofits" of key fleets.