VOTERS’ GUIDE an insider’s2007 guide to the environmental records of New York State lawmakers EPL•Environmental Advocates www.eplvotersguide.org TABLE OF CONTENTS EPL/Environmental Advocates is one of the first organizations in the nation formed to advocate for the future of a state’s environment and 02 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE the health of its citizens. Through lobbying, advocacy, coalition building, citizen education and policy 03 LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP development, EPL/Environmental Advocates has been New York’s environmental conscience for almost 40 years. We work to ensure environmental laws are 04 BY THE NUMBERS enforced, tough new measures are enacted, and the public is informed of, and participates in, important 05 AWARDS policy debates. EPL/Environmental Advocates is a nonprofit corporation tax exempt under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. 06 BILL SUMMARIES EPL/Environmental Advocates 10 ASSEMBLY SCORES Board of Directors 16 SENATE SCORES Irvine Flinn, President Laura Haight, Vice President Cara Lee, Secretary & Treasurer 17 HOW SCORES ARE CALCULATED Richard Allen Eric A. Goldstein 18 WHAT YOU CAN DO Larry Shapiro Lee Wasserman Robert Moore, Executive Director EPL/Environmental Advocates 353 Hamilton Street Albany, NY 12210 518.462.5526 www.eplvotersguide.org HOW TO USE THE VOTERS’ GUIDE Scores begin on page 10. For details on how scores are calculated, see page 17. Governor’s action: S-signed into law, V-vetoed See pages 6-9 for bill descriptions Party and district Not in office/ excused absence ~not counted Incorrect Not a Super Bill environmental vote sponsor Correct environmental vote Find out who represents you. Visit www.assembly.state.ny.us and www.senate.state.ny.us, or call the New York State Senate at (518) 455-2800 and the New York State Assembly at (518) 455-4100. EPL•Environmental Advocates 2007 LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP AFTER Day ONE WAS DONE Few had higher expectations than environ- took over at the Department of Environmental mental groups when Governor Eliot Spitzer Conservation after a contentious confirmation arrived in Albany last January. The Governor’s hearing. actions took center stage for most of the 2007 legislative session. His first budget and The Governor also added 166 desperately executive appointments were big winners for needed staff to the state’s environmental agen- the environment. cies. However, several environmental accom- The question is, how will the 2007 legislative plishments were driven by the New York session affect next year’s elections? State Legislature this year. The Senate has become the subject of electoral Among these successes was passage of the speculation of late, as the Republican majority Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act has slimmed in recent years. If Senate Demo- and the Environmental Protection Fund crats were to take two more seats, they would Enhancement Act, both “3-tree” priority Super win the majority for the first time in more than Bills (evaluated to have the most benefit for 60 years. New York’s environment, see page 6). This year also saw 12 measures passed by both As the environment is an issue that often houses and sent to the Governor’s desk. draws a distinction between the two parties, we anticipate that New York’s Republicans and The Hudson Valley Community Preservation Democrats will make our natural heritage a Act was a compromise bill that Senator Vincent priority in 2008. Leibell (R-Brewster) drafted and worked with Assemblyman Adam Bradley (D-White Plains) to pass. The legislation is a regional version of the statewide Community Preservation Act, and 2007 at A GLANCE will provide new funding tools to protect natural areas, farmland, and historic buildings. More Highlights While the Hudson Valley law only applies to l Governor announces “15 by 15” effort to Westchester and Putnam counties, it was decrease energy demand 15% by 2015 designed so that counties can be easily added l 12 pro-environment measures go to the in the future. Governor’s desk The Environmental Protection Fund More Lowlights Enhancement Act establishes by law that New York will increase its Environmental Protection l Bigger Better Bottle Bill succumbs to all-out Fund to nearly $300 million by 2009. propaganda attack; see page 5 for details Governor Spitzer also named a veritable all- l Governor vetoes tax incentives for star team to take the helm of our environmental bio-fuels in home heating oil and bill to agencies. create climate action plan and task force Former EPL/Environmental Advocates ex- ecutive director Judith Enck was named the new administration’s Deputy Secretary for the Environment. Carol Ash, a long-time leader in the envi- ronmental community, was tapped to head the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. And Assemblyman Pete Grannis 3 www.eplvotersguide.org BY THE NUMBERS A QUICK LOOK at NYS LawMAKERS’ ENVIRONMental SCORES House Leadership Averages Scores Senate Senate 78 70 Majority Leader Joseph Bruno Senate Senate Minority Leader 71 Republicans 74 Malcolm Smith Senate Assembly Democrats 86 100 Speaker Sheldon Silver Assembly 95 Assembly Majority Leader 100 Ron Canestrari Assembly Assembly Democrats 99 92 Minority Leader James Tedisco Assembly 84 Republicans how to REVIEW THE SCORES Lawmakers’ scores are calculated as follows: Total points earned (including bonus points) / Total points possible for each individual Please note, because bonus points were awarded this year, several lawmakers received scores in excess of 100. See page 17 for more information. 4 EPL•Environmental Advocates LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR Assemblyman Robert Sweeney was While his work with the EnCon Commit- named the Assembly Environmental tee has just begun, EPL/Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Committee Advocates anticipates only bigger and Chair three months into the 2007 greener things from the Assemblyman legislative session. Environmental in the future. However, it’s never too groups worried that it might be difficult early to celebrate his efforts. That’s why for him to achieve a great deal, given we selected Assemblyman Sweeney as the time that had passed. We needn’t our 2007 Legislator of the Year. have worried; he exceeded our highest expectations. “I thank EPL/Environmental Advocates for choosing me as Legislator of the The Assemblyman wasted no time Year. We are fortunate to have numer- settling in as chairman and moving on ous committed environmentalists who measures that had been stalled while work together with many of my As- the committee awaited a new leader. sembly colleagues to advance smart Senate He acted as the primary sponsor for 15 policies,” said Sweeney. “Protecting Majority Leader ROBERT of the bills supported by environmental our natural resources, making sure our Joseph Bruno groups this year, including all of the families’ lives are not compromised by SWEENEY priority Super Bills. Highlights of his environmental hazards, and ensuring efforts also include support for increas- that future generations will be able to (D-Lindenhurst) ing New York’s investment in our natu- enjoy the vast wonders of New York are ral heritage by passing the Environ- all vitally important to me.” mental Protection Fund Enhancement Act and the introduction of much-need- ed legislation to mitigate New York’s contribution to climate change. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver OIL SLICK AWARD This year’s oil slick award goes to Industry Alliance, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, New Yorkers a group that poured special interest Anheuser-Busch, the Beer Wholesal- money into a campaign to kill one of ers Association, Snapple/Cadbury for Real the environmental community’s priority Schweppes, and the New York Assembly Recycling Super Bills—the Bigger Better Bottle Association of Convenience Stores— Minority Leader Bill. This measure would expand New not exactly a list of recyclers or York’s bottle deposit law to include reformers. James Tedisco Reform non-carbonated beverages such as bottled water and match the needs Expanding New York’s bottle deposit of today’s consumers. It would also law would result in major environmen- earmark unclaimed deposits for the tal and fiscal benefits while reducing environment. the volume of plastic bottles overtax- ing our landfills and littering parks and While it’s no surprise that the bottling roadsides. It’s also worth noting that in industry opposes legislation that would 2005 alone an estimated 53.5 million reclaim millions of dollars of the pub- barrels of crude oil were consumed lic’s unclaimed bottle deposits, what is nationwide to replace the 144 billion surprising is the group’s name, “New containers that were wasted and not Yorkers for Real Recycling Reform.” recycled. Such a name suggests civic-minded Thanks in large part to the efforts of recyclers or well-meaning citizens. In this group, the Bigger Better Bottle truth, the Real Recyclers’ agenda is set Bill won’t be in place to reduce New by big business interests. The coalition York’s contribution to this number until behind the group includes the Food next year at the earliest. 5 www.eplvotersguide.org BILL SUMMARIES 1. Wetlands Protection 2. Climate Change Solutions Act & Fund Ensures protection of freshwater wetlands of an acre or more in size, Earmarks revenue from the sale of regardless of whether the wetland has CO2 emissions allowances under the Super Bills (1-5) been mapped by the state. A.7133 Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative SUPER BILLS are our legislative priori- (Sweeney)/S.3835 (Marcellino) passed (RGGI) for energy efficiency and clean ties, chosen by the Green Panel, which Assembly; died in Senate Rules energy and creates a dedicated clean includes representatives from New York Committee. energy fund. A.7365 (Sweeney)/S.5347 State’s leading environmental groups. (Marcellino) & A.7366(Gianaris)/S.5371 Bills not voted on were scored on sponsor- (Marcellino) both bills passed Assembly; ship of the bill. For more information on died in Senate Environmental how Super Bills are scored, see page 17.