TODAY LABOR UNIONS AND HEALTH, BUSINESS, RELIGIOUS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS GATHERED TO SUPPORT THE CLEAN WATER, CLEAN AIR, AND GREEN JOBS BOND ACT AHEAD OF GENERAL ELECTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 27, 2022

CONTACT: Akash Gejjagaraguppe | [email protected] | 603.930.0591

TODAY LABOR UNIONS AND HEALTH, BUSINESS, RELIGIOUS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS GATHERED TO SUPPORT THE CLEAN WATER, CLEAN AIR, AND GREEN JOBS BOND ACT AHEAD OF GENERAL ELECTION 

 Advocates Gathered to Encourage NY Voters to Vote Yes on the Monumental Proposition 1 to Protect New York’s Drinking Water and Infrastructure

Groups Emphasized Creation of Tens of Thousands of Local, Family-Sustaining Jobs Through the Bond Act

 ALBANY, NY – Today, NYS Labors Organizing Fund, League of Women Voters, American Lung Association, and others joined the Environmental Advocates NY, The Nature Conservancy, and other environmental groups to demonstrate support for the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act (Proposition 1) and urge New York voters to vote ‘yes’ on November 8th.

EANY Deputy Director Kate Kurera Speaks at Press Conference Surrounded by Signs Saying "Vote Yes for Prop 1"Speakers voiced the importance of Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act (Bond Act) as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect clean drinking water, modernize infrastructure, and improve quality of life across the state. The measure will help communities throughout New York make critical upgrades to water and sewer lines, replace lead pipes, and maintain water treatment plants to ensure that our drinking water is safe and clean. If approved by voters on the general election ballot on November 8, the Bond Act would support nearly 100,000 local, family-sustaining jobs across multiple sectors, from construction, to healthcare, to retail, and more. All without raising taxes.

Further information about the Bond Act can be found here: Vote Yes for Clean Water and Jobs Coalition

“Without clean water, breathable air, updated infrastructure, and a healthy constituency, our communities cannot thrive. The Environmental Bond Act is not only timely, but desperately needed to help mitigate the impacts of climate change that we know are not going away anytime soon,” said Albany County Legislature Chairman Andrew Joyce. “The Albany County Legislature recognizes the need for investing in green initiatives, which is why we passed the Sustainable Technology and Green Energy (STAGE) ACT, to grow our green energy sector. I urge voters to support this measure when it appears on the ballot in November and look forward to seeing the tangible benefits prioritizing our environment will bring about.”

“As a union movement, we fully support making environmental improvements that will preserve and protect our natural resources while promoting clean energy projects. In addition, the inclusion of unprecedented labor standards will help create and maintain solid middle-class jobs,” said Mario Cilento, President of the New York State AFL-CIO. “The Bond Act establishes strong standards for prevailing rate on construction projects and allows the state and municipalities to require contractors to execute labor peace agreements and Buy American for structural iron and steel. The New York State AFL-CIO will coordinate a full-scale campaign including going door to door, making phone calls, and educating our co-workers to make sure our 2.5 million members across the state get out and vote yes on Proposal 1.”

“The League of Women Voters of NYS supports New York’s goal to address the climate emergency, improve water and air quality, reduce flooding, preserve open space and restore and protect wildlife habitat. These goals necessarily involve multiple projects to upgrade infrastructure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to make New York more resilient. It is in New York State’s best interest to have sources of funding to accomplish these ambitious and essential goals,” said Laura Ladd Bierman, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of New York State.

“The inclusion of a minimum $500 million earmarked to support the transition to zero-emission school buses represents a necessary investment for school districts across the state. School boards support the ability to implement actions that are in the best interest of the global environment, but we need the resources to do so. The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act will play a critical role in helping school districts work towards these important goals,” said Robert S. Schneider, Executive Director of the New York State School Boards Association.

“The transportation sector and dirty, diesel school buses are a leading contributor to air pollution and climate change,” said Trevor Summerfield, director of advocacy at the American Lung Association in New York. “Thankfully, New York is taking a major leap forward to make the benefits of electric school buses a reality, especially in communities most impacted by harmful pollution today. By acting, our state leaders have taken a significant step forward to implement equitable policies and invest in the transition to healthy air for all New Yorkers.”

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that cannot be missed. By approving the Environmental Bond Act, New Yorkers will make a gigantic investment in the state’s future by protecting its natural resources, while fueling a necessary transition to clean energy sources and a green economy,” said Frederick E. Kowal, President of the United University Professions. “It will buy zero-emission school buses, upgrade and repair wastewater and municipal stormwater infrastructure and set aside hundreds of millions of dollars for open space land conservation. Voting to pass the Environmental Bond act on Nov. 8 is one of the easiest decisions New Yorkers will ever have to make.”

Kate Kurera, Deputy Director of Environmental Advocates NY said, “This fall, clean water and green jobs are on the ballot. NY voters have an historic opportunity to approve a $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act, the largest bond act in the state’s history geared toward transitioning to a cleaner, safer, equitable and prosperous future for all New Yorkers. These funds will advance critical capital projects desperately needed to address the impacts from climate change and water contamination across the state. sustainability measures and climate action initiatives that will benefit while prioritizing low-income and BIPOC communities. New York needs to fast track investments that will advance a transition to a green economy, prioritize source water protections, repair water infrastructure, and preserve open space and farmlands. An environmental bond act can help tackle all these concerns. We look forward to voting YES on Prop 1 and call for all New Yorkers to do the same.”

Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters said, “New York stands on the brink of an historic opportunity to protect our environment and fight back against the worst impacts of climate change. The Environmental Bond Act will protect our water and air, shore up our infrastructure, and improve the quality of life in every corner of the state—all while supporting thousands of good-paying jobs and investing in disadvantaged communities.”

Bill Ulfelder, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in New York said, “Early voting starts this Saturday, and New York voters have an extraordinary opportunity to improve quality of life now and long into the future. I urge every New Yorker to Vote YES on Prop 1. The Environmental Bond Act will safeguard clean drinking water, update wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, advance environmental justice, and protect wildlife habitat – all without raising taxes. It will also support good, local jobs, and help our cities, towns, and villages qualify for federal funding coming to New York to address local needs. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a safer and healthier future for all of us.”

The groups most affected by climate change are often those least responsible for it and the most likely to suffer. That includes children, communities of color, those living in poverty, indigenous peoples, immigrants, and the disabled, among others. Proposition 1, The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022, when passed, will increase NY State’s ability to address pressing environmental issues, the climate crisis, and past injustices in a meaningful way,” said Steven J Goldstein MD FAAP, District Coordinator, NYS American Academy of Pediatrics and New York Clinicians for Climate Action. “The pediatrician members of District II of the American Academy of Pediatrics, encompassing all of NY State, and the members of New York Clinicians for Climate Action wholeheartedly support Proposal 1 to help create a better future for all New Yorkers.”

“The Environmental Bond Act designates funding to make critical upgrades to our infrastructure, and quality-of-life improvements that will result in a safer, healthier New York – all while creating solid union jobs for deserving New Yorkers,” said Gwennan Booth, Communications Manager, New York State Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust. “Nearly 100,000 good-paying, local jobs will be created – jobs that provide a clear path to the middle class for working families. The Bond Act will have a positive impact that resonates throughout New York State for generations to come. It is solidly pro-worker, pro-union and pro-New York.”

“The Environmental Bond Act is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for New Yorkers to ensure that resources are available to transition to a greener, more sustainable world. The proposed bond includes funds critical to ensuring that school districts can provide zero-emission pupil transportation by the 2035 mandate. ASBO New York supports all efforts to ensure the passage of this ballot measure and urges all who support public education to vote yes on Proposition One,” said Brian Cechnicki, Executive Director for the Association of School Business Officials.

“Climate action is a top priority for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its some 94,000 members around the country. New Yorkers have a unique opportunity on November 8th to help establish the Empire State as the preeminent climate leader by voting in favor of the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. The transformation of our built environment will require significant investments of resources and expertise to forge a sustainable, resilient, and equitable future for all,” said Pasqual Marchese, President of the American Institute of Architects New York State.

“The Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Bond Act provides New Yorkers with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to vote to safeguard clean drinking water, mitigate climate change impacts such as dangerous flooding, and preserve forests and wetlands, while creating good jobs,” said NYPIRG Executive Director Blair Horner. “When voters head to the polls, they should be sure to vote yes to protect and preserve the environment for future generations.”

“Beloved New York bird species like the Wood Thrush and Least Tern could lose 50% or more of their populations in the next 50 years, according to the newly-release State of the Birds Report. This news underscores the importance of scaling up conservation across habitats, and to do this, we need increased funding,” said Mike Burger, Executive Director of Audubon Connecticut and New York. Luckily, we have the opportunity to take action now — on election day this November 8, voters can take the first step by voting YES on the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. As indicators of ecosystem health, birds are telling us there is no time to waste.”

“The Environment Bond Act offers our State the chance to strengthen our communities and improve our environment. Our school children will have clean transportation with the funding for all-electric school buses. This program will reduce our climate emission, create jobs across the State, and protect our kids from harmful diesel pollution. The Alliance for Clean Energy New York encourages all New Yorkers to turn over their ballot and vote yes on Election Day.” said Deb Peck Kelleher, Director of Policy Analysis for the Alliance for Clean Energy New York.

 “The Adirondack Mountain Club is thrilled to support this once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in clean water and green jobs. The Bond Act will bring much needed support to the Adirondack and Catskill Parks by investing in local communities, land conservation, recreational infrastructure, and job growth,” said Michael Barrett, Executive Director of the Adirondack Mountain Club.

The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Capital Region residents to do something remarkable: with one “yes” vote, they can support protection of clean drinking water, land conservation for wildlife and recreation, and much more,” said Kim Elliman, President, and CEO of the Open Space Institute. “Between the Hudson River, the Helderberg Escarpment, and the foothills of the Adirondacks, this area enjoys some of the most beautiful and pristine natural spaces in the state. These treasures are critical to our health and prosperity, and we encourage Capital Region residents to vote “yes” on the Bond Act to protect the land and all it provides for generations to come.”

The historic $4.2 billion ‘Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act’ that will go before NY voters in just a few weeks, will protect critical habitats, prevent floods, safeguard drinking water, support public health, and provide thousands of family sustaining jobs. The Sierra Club and our more than 50,000 New York members urge all New Yorkers flip the ballot in November and vote   “yes” for clean water and a stable climate,” said Roger Downs, Conservation Director for the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter.

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