Fourth-grade students and their teachers from the City School District of Albany’s Montessori Magnet School became “scientists for a day,” collecting and analyzing real data from the field during hands-on exploration of the Hudson River Estuary with environmental educators at the Corning Preserve in 2017. Advocates and legislators on Wednesday discussed the importance of ensuring the Restore Mother Nature Bond Act is on the ballot in November which would allocate funding for more clean water programs across New York.
On Earth Day, April 22, lawmakers and representatives from several advocacy groups met virtually to discuss New York state’s progress on environmental protection over the past years and their plans for the future.
Despite usually meeting in the Capitol, advocates still came together to discuss environmental legislation, specifically including the Restore Mother Nature Bond Act, Environmental Protection Fund and Clean Water Infrastructure Act.
In addition, to commemorate the 50th year anniversary of Earth Day, hundreds of organizations and individuals signed a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, that highlights the steps New York state has taken towards a healthier environment.
“This Earth Day we’ve seen what happens to the planet when people dramatically reduce their carbon footprint – air and water pollution fade and the Earth begins to heal,” said Senator Todd Kaminsky, D-Long Island, Chair of the New York State Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. “We can achieve these same results without having to stay at home and we can do it through smart energy policy that protects our planet and kick-starts our economy.”
Many of the speakers mentioned the notable legislation passed in the FY 2021 budget for a healthier New York. This included a renewed $300 million in funding for the Environmental Protection Fund, the legalization of e-scooters and bikes, the banning of polystyrene food containers, the passing of the Child Safe Products Act and much more.
Advocates and legislators on Wednesday also discussed the importance of ensuring the Restore Mother Nature Bond Act is on the ballot in November.
“There was a question in this economic environment. Do we still go forward with our Restore Mother Nature Bond Act? And there was no question we had to go forward,” Stewart-Cousins said. “We had to show people that we have a commitment to our future, to all of our future, to the future of this great planet.”
The $3 billion bond act was authorized in the budget, however it will be determined if it moves forward later this year, depending on the state’s finances and the status of the bond market. This act would allow for environmental restoration and climate mitigation projects throughout the state.
Advocates argue that passing the Restore Mother Nature Bond Act would not only help the environment, but would boost the economy with additional job opportunities.
“Some of our biggest employers are in sectors that depend on our natural resources, from outdoor recreation to fishing and agriculture, to tourism and forestry,” Jessica Ottney Mahar, New York Director of Policy and Strategy from the Nature Conservancy said. “People don’t often think that protecting nature is about jobs, but engineers, construction workers, and other trade workers are needed to restore natural areas and build parks and clean water projects. Investing in our environment is good for our well being and great for our economy.”
Many individuals participating in the virtual meeting also asked for support for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act. With the backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak, clean water seems to be even more important to environmentalists.
Liz Moran from New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) said, “Hand washing, in particular, is essential to prevent spread of this illness [coronavirus].
“New York state has made tremendous progress in terms of investing in clean water infrastructure,” she added. “In 2015, we first created the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, and in 2017, we now have the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, which has now become a $3.5 billion program to invest in a huge worth of clean water needs.”
In addition to Wednesday’s live event, advocates interviewed environmental leaders; videos can be found here.
