COVID-19 has turned New York on its head. Tens of thousands have died and hundreds of thousands are unemployed, unsure of when they will get their next paycheck. Even as we gear up for recovery — with thousands getting vaccinated daily — there is still a long road ahead to get our economy on track and carry us forward. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but we need a smart plan to get to it.
Todd Kaminsky, D-Rockville Centre, debates new legislation reforms to protect New Yorkers from gun violence in the Senate Chamber at the state Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink)
At the same time, we cannot lose sight of another serious threat to our state: climate change. Our planet and our local environment are in peril, and bold action must be taken.
To find a path out of these two crises, it is imperative we pass the Clean Water, Green Jobs, Green New York Bond Act in this year’s state budget. The Bond Act will simultaneously make critical investments in our environment while getting thousands of New Yorkers back to work and protecting our state from damaging storms. That is why I am pushing hard for its passage, as chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee.
The Act will dedicate $3 billion to environmental projects throughout the state, such as improving storm resiliency and water quality, as well as retrofitting buildings to reduce carbon emissions. That is real money that will be directed back to strengthen our communities and economy as a whole.
Specifically, it will set aside $1 billion for shoreline restoration and flood risk reduction, $700 million for climate change mitigation — including green building initiatives and tools to reduce urban heat islands — $550 million for open space land conservation and recreation, and $550 million for water quality improvements. These are critical needs and challenges for our state that will only grow in the years to come.
The Bond Act is estimated to create more than 65,000 good-paying jobs across New York State, while stimulating our region’s economy through smart, targeted investments in our infrastructure.
The measure will impact every corner of our state — from Buffalo, to Brooklyn, to Baldwin in my district.
It also includes provisions to ensure that under-served areas of our state that have borne the brunt of climate change and pollution are not left behind. Ensuring equity is a priority — one that the Bond Act will help achieve by directing more than one-third of the funding to benefit communities where there are environmental justice issues.
On Long Island, where I live, water quality is a major concern, with toxic carcinogens leaching into groundwater and contaminating our water supply. The funding included in the Bond Act will not only advance our state’s efforts to ensure the cleanliness of our water, but will also go a long way in protecting the health and safety of New Yorkers.
Storm resiliency also matters greatly to us — sadly, due to hard lessons learned.
Superstorm Sandy taught us the importance of mitigating the risk of flooding in our communities — and that is precisely what the Bond Act will do, leveraging funding to ensure our neighborhoods are protected from future storms. We know that making smart investments now — like raising roads or increasing drainage capacity — will cost less than cleaning up the damage and rebuilding after the next storm. We can also use this money to combat flooding in more natural ways by restoring floodplains, wetlands, and streams.
For cities across our state, investing in urban forestry projects will have life-saving impacts. Trees produce better air and water quality, something desperately needed for the millions of children and families who live in low-income neighborhoods. The Bond Act will subsidize local projects for cities to create and manage their own forests. Funding can also be used to fight back against urban heat islands by investing in cool pavement projects, and even innovative technology like reflective roofs.
Climate change and its dire implications affect our entire state and nation, and aggressive proposals like the Bond Act are necessary to halting this march toward environmental devastation. Building off the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act — our country’s most aggressive climate change law, which I authored two years ago — the Bond Act will continue New York’s national leadership in this crucial area.
On Monday, the Senate passed this pivotal package in our one-house budget resolution. The final budget, which is crafted by the Legislature and governor before the month’s end, must include this critical piece, to propel our region forward and launch us out of the COVID crisis.
Investing in New York’s future is essential. Let’s pass the Bond Act immediately in this year’s budget and get it before the voters this November. Our environment, our economy and our recovery can’t wait.
Kaminsky represents New York’s 9th Senate District in Nassau County and chairs the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee.