New York State Insider: New York State Senator Pete Harckham: A New Session—and Now Chairing the Environmental Conservation Committee.

 

Dear Friend:

 

A new session of the New York State Legislature began earlier this month with some big news—I was appointed as chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee.

 

This new responsibility puts me in the middle of achieving the state’s ambitious goals enacted in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

 

To this end, I have already co-chaired a hearing in Albany on the CLCPA and the Climate Action Council’s Scoping Plan. Also, I will be conducting oversight of the state’s recently enacted $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act.

 

But my focus this year will be protecting New York’s abundance of freshwater, which, in the years to come, will give the state a competitive economic edge over other states.

 

Some of my other priorities as chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee are reducing plastic waste and addressing environmental toxins that are creating risks to human health.

 

The time is now—to fight the climate crisis and safeguard our residents.

 

I need your help, though—if we are to succeed together. The climate change deniers opposing our efforts are only too happy to defend a status quo of pollution and greed.

 

Thank you!

 

- Pete