Democratic lawmakers and environmental advocates in New York have called on Governor Kathy Hochul to dedicate $10 billion in her executive state budget proposal to fund projects outlined in the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
They have proposed forming the “Climate and Community Protection Fund” and diverting $10 billion of state dollars to fund “just transition” programs and create union jobs that will aid in the development of renewable energy.
They also suggest legislation to create a climate change Superfund, which would require companies involved with fossil fuels to foot a $30 billion bill to address lingering issues associated with previous major storms and fund climate resiliency projects, and would be based on their share of greenhouse gas emissions between 2000 and 2018.
Republicans have questioned the state’s role in leading this effort, noting that the state contributes to a small portion of global carbon emissions and could be compromising residents’ access to reliable and affordable energy as it decarbonizes.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].