The New York State League of Conservation Voters Education Fund lauded the 2011 state legislative session "one of the most productive sessions in years" earlier this month.
In the group's 2011 Legislative Progress Report, progress various environmental issues--from solar panel tax exemptions to green jobs--are outlined.
Overall, NYLCVEF gave the New York Assembly and Senate a "B" grade for passing most legislation that furthers the group's environmental agenda, which it outlined in a statement at the beginning of the session.
Here's how the legislature fared in four main categories, according to NYLCVEF's report:
- Clean Energy & Energy Efficiency
Renewable Energy
NYLCVEF's Goal: To pass a statewide power plant bill that prioritizes renewable energy.
Legislative results: The legislature reauthorized Public Service Law Article X, which expired in 2003. The law includes new reporting requirements for electric power facilities, including environmental impact assessments at new sites. The law also allows the Department of Environmental Conservation to adopt targeted emissions reductions and promote renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power.
Public-Private Partnership Loans for Energy Efficiency
NYLCVEF's Goal: Pass legislation that creates a lending system for residential and small business energy efficiency retrofitting.
Legislative results: The legislature passed this legislation as a part of the "Power NY" legislative package, which Governor Cuomo is expected to sign into law. The On Bill Recovery Act adds additional funding to the Green Jobs/Green New York energy-efficiency program. Through a public-private partnership, loans are given to residents and small business owners to make their homes and businesses more energy efficient. The loans are then repaid through their utility bill.
Remote Energy Meter Monitoring
NYLCVEF's Goal: Facilitate remote energy meter monitoring.
Legislative Results: Gov. Cuomo signed such legislation into law in June. The bill amends the Public Service Law to offer remote net metering, which would offset energy costs for state residents and businesses by reducing costs associated with meter monitoring. The law also consolidates multiple meters for businesses and farms.
Sales Tax Exemptions for Solar Energy
NYLCVEF's Goal: Create state sales tax exemptions for the installation of solar energy units.
Legislative Results: This legislation stalled in both Senate and Assembly committees.
Municipal Green Energy and Purchasing
NYLCVEF's Goal: Facilitate municipal green energy use and procurement of materials made of recycled materials by increasing the maximum cost allowed by state law for such goods.
Legislative Results: This legislation stalled in both Senate and Assembly committees.
Solar Energy Jobs and Utility Company Investment
NYLCVEF's Goal: Pass the New York Solar Industry Development and Jobs Act. The bill would require utility providers to purchase increasing amounts of solar energy, resulting in a mandated 3 percent use by 2025. While this bill did not pass, a section of the Power NY bill dedicates funds to job creation for solar energy development.
Legislative Results: Stalled in Senate and Assembly committees.
Carbon Emission Caps
NYLCVEF's Goal: Pass the Global Warming Pollution Control Act, which would mandate the DEC to establish greenhouse gas emission limits for New York. The legislation would result in an 80 percent decrease in emissions from 1990 levels by 2050.
Legislative Results: This bill passed the Assembly but stalled in the Senate's Environmental Conservation Committee.
Cap and Trade Pact
NYLCVEF's Goal: Maintain funds for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
Legislative Results: Next year's budget does not divert funds form the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap and trade effort by 10 states to reduce emissions by power plants and invest in clean energy development and job creation.
- Climate Change and Air Quality
Fund the Environmental Protection Fund
NYLCVEF's goal: Maintain funding for the Environmental Protection Fund
Legislative Results: In 2010, the EPF's funding was cut by 40 percent, but this year funding was maintained at those levels with no additional cuts. The EPF funds wildlife habitat protection, parks, recreation facilities and solid waste programs.
Natural Gas Drilling Water Use Permitting
NYLCVEF's goal: Adopt legislation that would classify waste water from gas drilling as hazardous waste, similar to laws established for the crude oil industry.
Legislative Results: Passed the Assembly, but stalled in the Senate environmental committee.
- Natural Resource Protection
High-Volume Water Use Permitting
NYLCVEF's goal: Allow the DEC to implement a permitting system for high-volume use of state water resources.
Legislative Results: This bill passed both houses and is expected to be signed by the governor. It would require the issuance of permits for projects that would use 100,000 gallons of water daily.
Farmland Protection
NYLCVEF's goal: Create more funding for farmland protection.
Legislative Results: Both the Senate and Assembly introduced a bill that would fund the Farmland Protection Program through a tax on wine sold in grocery stores. The bills, though stalled in their respective committees.
Ocean Fishing Registration Fees
NYLCVEF's goal: Maintain registration fees for recreational marine fishing.
Legislative Results: The 2011 budget creates a free registration for marine recreational fishing, which decreases funding to the DEC's Marine Bureau.
- Transportation
MTA Funding Cuts
NYLCVEF's goal: Maintain MTA funds without diverting them into the state's General Fund.
Legislative Results: The NYLCVEF gave the legislature a "D" grade for this effort, because the MTA lost $100 million in mass transit funds for the second year in a row.
Public Transit Funding
NYLCVEF's goal: Pass legislation that would prevent public transit far hikes and service cuts.
Legislative Results: The Transit Funding Lockbox Act passed both houses, but the NYLCVEF says it's unclear whether or not the governor will sign the bill into law. Passed unanimously, the bill would require the legislature to write an impact statement of any funds diverted from the MTA and used in the state's General Fund.
MTA Payroll Tax
NYLCVEF's goal: Prevent the passage of a bill that would repeal the MTA payroll tax for residents of Long Island, NYC, Westchester and the Hudson Valley.
Legislative Results: This bill passed the Senate but stalled in committee in the Assembly
Complete Streets
NYLCVEF's goal: Pass the Complete Streets bill, which would require public works officials to consider the use of roads by pedestrians and cyclists for any projects that receive state funding.
Legislative Results: This bill passed both houses and is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Cuomo.
