– McCoy, Clenahan Honored by Green Watchdog for Trailblazing Leadership

November 11, 2015

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 two Capital Region officials: County Executive Dan McCoy (D-Albany) and Legislator Bryan Clenahan (D-Guilderland).

For Immediate Release: November 11, 2015

McCoy, Clenahan Honored by Green Watchdog for Trailblazing Leadership

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 two Capital Region officials: County Executive Dan McCoy (D-Albany) and Legislator Bryan Clenahan (D-Guilderland).

Executive McCoy and Legislator Clenahan were named “Local Leaders Creating Sustainable Communities” for their work to keep Albany County families safe from toxic chemicals found in children’s products and fracking waste. Executive McCoy has embraced renewable energy for county facilities and fought to ban plastic foam food containers at chain locations, and Legislator Clenahan lead the charge to ban products that contain BPA, and just this week passed legislation to ban plastic microbeads in personal hygiene products.

Nowhere has their work been more apparent – or made a bigger difference nationwide – than in stepping up to hold Big Oil accountable for tremendous increases in crude shipping through our communities.

Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of Environmental Advocates NY said, “Executive McCoy has said his goal is to make Albany County the greenest in America. And because of the work of he and Legislator Clenahan, and their colleagues in county government, that is an achievable goal. What they have delivered in recent years is more than many officials can trumpet from an entire career in public service. Importantly, their efforts are forcing the state and federal government to wake up, step up, and act on the issues that matter to our communities.”

Other local leaders honored:

  • George Borrello, R-Chautauqua County Legislator
  • Patrick Burke, D-Erie County Legislator
  • Stephanie Miner, D-Mayor of Syracuse
  • Marcus Molinaro, R-Dutchess County Executive
  • 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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