Molinaro was cited as a “Local Leader Creating Sustainable Communities” because of his recent work urging state and federal authorities to protect communities from the rampant unchecked increase in crude oil traveling statewide, and which could lead to shipping tar sands down the Hudson River.
For Immediate Release: November 11, 2015
County Executive Molinaro Honored by New York’s Green Watchdog
Executive has led fight to protect Hudson River from Big Oil, make county a clean energy leader
Albany – Last night, Environmental Advocates NY honored seven local officials from across the state who are leading the fight for environmental and public health protections, including Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro (R-Red Hook).
Molinaro was cited as a “Local Leader Creating Sustainable Communities” because of his recent work urging state and federal authorities to protect communities from the rampant unchecked increase in crude oil traveling statewide, and which could lead to shipping tar sands down the Hudson River. He has also been a strong advocate for community investments to upgrade the state’s aging drinking and wastewater infrastructure, and has been a leader on Open Space Protection and Farmland Preservation, an advocate to preserve the Hudson River Valley Greenway, and a supporter of the Greenway Compact.
Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of Environmental Advocates NY said, “County Executive Molinaro has been an environmental and public health leader on several fronts, and the people he represents live in cleaner, greener, and healthier communities as a result. We are thankful for how thoughtfully and forcefully he spoke out against the dangers of increased oil trains to the Hudson Valley, and how disastrous barging tar sands on the river could be. His efforts helped prompt officials statewide to take notice, and built pressure on state and federal authorities to act.”
Other local leaders honored:
- George Borrello, R-Chautauqua County Legislator
- Patrick Burke, D-Erie County Legislator
- Bryan Clenahan, D-Albany County Legislator
- Dan McCoy, D-Albany County Executive
- Stephanie Miner, D-Mayor of Syracuse
- Donovan Richards, D-New York City Councilmember
In addition to other local leaders, Environmental Advocates NY bestowed two Advocate Awards to medical professionals who conduct groundbreaking work – Drs. Frederica P. Perera and Diane Lewis. Dr. Perera has conducted research that revealed that children with high prenatal exposure to pollutants — common in vehicle exhaust and power plant emissions — exhibited increased signs of asthma, developmental delays, anxiety, depression and attention problems. Dr. Lewis is the founder of The Great Healthy Yard Project, an organization that focuses on reducing the use of synthetic chemicals commonly found in households, which harm people and local waterways.
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