SOURCE:
https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/11/15/trump-zeldin-hochul-climate-environment/
BY SAMANTHA MALDONADO - November 15, 2024
With President Donald Trump set to return to the White House, New York is all but on its own to play catch-up with its ambitious, legally mandated climate goals.
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, passed in 2019 during Trump’s first presidential term, requires the state to have zero-emissions electricity by 2040 and slash greenhouse gas emissions 85% by 2050.
While the state has made some progress — aided in large part by the Biden administration, whose friendly stance toward climate action gave way to smoother offshore wind permitting and tax incentives for cleaner vehicles — it’s got a long way to go. Even with that wind at its back, however, New York had already fallen about three years behind its own benchmarks.
“The role of the state is far more important, in that we can no longer rely on the federal government,” said Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University. “There’s plenty we can do if we have the political will.”
Gerrard said Gov. Kathy Hochul should double down on advancing the climate law’s aims by following the sweeping policy blueprint that plots out a transition away from fossil fuels for all parts of New York’s economy, from home heating and energy sources, to what kinds of cars are on the road. But the state lacks a clear funding source or spending plan to carry that out.
“New York has taken significant steps to implement the Climate Act and we will continue our ongoing efforts to build a clean energy economy,” Paul DiMichele, a spokesperson for Hochul, said in a statement.
One person who could help or hinder Hochul’s efforts is Lee Zeldin, Trump’s appointee to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Zeldin, a former state senator and Congressman representing eastern Long Island, challenged Hochul for governor in 2022 and came within six points of winning. This summer, he called New York’s climate law “unrealistic and unobtainable,” saying its goals amounted to “pathetic political posturing.”
Zeldin said Tuesday that the EPA has the “opportunity to roll back regulations that are forcing businesses to struggle.” That echoes some groups in New York that have raised concerns over the impacts and feasibility of the state’s climate goals. The Business Council of New York gave Zeldin a “top pro-business score” in 2014 when he was a state senator, while just three years earlier, Environmental Advocates New York awarded him an “Oil Slick” award.
Still, Hochul is holding out hope that her former political rival will remember where he’s from: an area vulnerable to flooding and growing more so as sea levels rise, reliant on groundwater as its drinking source, and home to many whose livelihoods depend on a healthy environment.
“Hopefully, these are all factors that the new head of EPA will know, what was happening in his backyard, and try to help solve problems, not create more,” Hochul said this week.
Zeldin does not have a reputation as an environmental champion, though advocates who worked with him locally said he stepped up in crucial times.
Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Long Island-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said she asked Zeldin to publicly oppose Trump’s idea to drill for oil off the East Coast. He did, she said, in part because he recognized the harmful impact that would have had on Long Island fishermen.
“When pressed by his constituents on issues that they really cared about, he would be responsive. What I’m worried about now is that his responsiveness will turn away from the public and more towards Trump’s agenda,” Esposito said.
Regarding Trump, Esposito added, “He traded the industry’s bottom lines for public health. When he had to choose between the two, he chose industry. What we need Zeldin to do is fight for the public need above corporate greed.”
Rejecting Climate Science
What Zeldin ultimately decides to do if confirmed as head of the EPA may be a question of how closely he hews to Trump’s vision.
Trump has long rejected climate science. During his first term, his administration gutted research funding, and the EPA rolled back over 100 policies and rules aimed at lowering planet-warming emissions and protecting the environment.
Perhaps the biggest impact the EPA could have on New York’s climate aims is rolling back Biden-era rules that limit harmful tailpipe emissions. These rules aimed to slash pollution and push the U.S. vehicle market toward electric and hybrid vehicles.
This rule boosted New York’s efforts to tackle its largest source of planet-warming emissions: the transportation sector. Hochul issued a directive requiring all cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions — that is, powered by hydrogen or electricity — by 2035.
“Whether we’re able to meet the 2035 target, and what happens along the way is mostly out of our hands, it’s mostly a federal matter,” Gerrard said. “That’s the single thing that I think is the greatest problem that the election has for New York’s achievement of these climate goals.”
One person uniquely poised to nudge the Trump administration toward greater support for electric vehicles is Elon Musk, Trump’s confidant, appointee to co-lead a new proposed Department of Government Efficiency, and founder of electric car manufacturer Tesla.
Some New York environmental advocates are pushing for the state to adopt a clean fuel standard, which would require a reduction in the carbon intensity of vehicles, thereby incentivizing a switch from gasoline to a lower-emissions fuels such as biodiesel. The state Senate passed legislation to do so, but the Assembly never held a vote on the measure. Hochul could prioritize state approval of such a standard.
‘Dominance,’ Renewables Included
Zeldin also promised to “pursue energy dominance” for the U.S., without specifying what kind of energy he wants to be dominant.
“Does that mean only fossil fuels? Trump has been outspoken in opposing offshore wind — do wind and solar and geothermal factor into that equation?” said Judith Enck, a former regional administrator of the EPA. “It’s in the EPA wheelhouse. The EPA sometimes issues permits for coal-fired power plants, fracking, pipelines.”
One clue: When Zeldin ran for governor, he vowed to overturn New York’s ban on fracking and said New York was not “tapping into” a supply of energy, suggesting the state could extract natural gas, which he said would also create jobs.
But clean energy has been a job creator nationwide, and years earlier, Zeldin had recognized its benefits.
“The key is to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, to become more environmentally friendly and pursue clean and green energy,” Zeldin said during a 2016 congressional campaign debate against his Democratic challenger.
Environmental advocates say that fulfilling Zeldin’s “energy dominance” pledge will have to include renewables in the mix at some level.
“I don’t see how the country is energy dominant or energy secure and less reliant on the roller coaster ride of the oil markets if we’re not getting more of our energy, including for our vehicles, from electricity and renewable sources,” said Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters.
Zeldin, however, voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which have been credited with spurring investment in clean energy and manufacturing — including in New York.
Trump has vowed to rescind unspent dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act — a big risk for the state. Already, his transition team is seeking to repeal the IRA’s electric vehicle tax credit.
“New York needs to be cognizant of that when it comes to prioritizing the resources it does have to maximize greenhouse gas reduction,” said Patrick Orecki, director of state studies at the Citizens Budget Commission, in an email.
He emphasized that while federal dollars and incentives help advance the climate law, the state is ultimately on the hook to find its own funding.
New York is slated to establish a program, known as “cap-and-invest,” that would charge polluters for emissions they spew in an effort to incentivize them to emit less and to raise money to pay for climate-related investments. But the state has yet to write regulations for the program — one of several key deadlines in the Climate Act its missed.
“If the state keeps missing climate law milestones, nobody else is coming to our rescue,” said Eddie Bautista, executive director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. “We’re all disappointed and waiting to see if she will start taking climate change mitigation and adaptation with the urgency we need.”
Connecticut has made progress to protect its land, water and air over the last decade — but struggles to control greenhouse gas emissions that worsen climate change, according to the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality. A report from the state watchdog blames the transportation sector for the emissions increase last year. The Council recommends a faster adoption of electric vehicles, less fuel consumption, and more use of public transit.
Next Phase of the State’s Supply Chain Activities Released in the Form of $200 Million Supportive Manufacturing and Logistics RFP
Request for Information Also Announced to Inform Fifth Offshore Wind Solicitation and $300 Million Major Component Supply Chain RFP
Steps Support Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Goal to Develop 9,000 Megawatts of Offshore Wind by 2035
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced definitive steps in support of the growing clean energy industry in New York and the State’s 10-Point Action Plan. As part of the next phase of the State’s $500 million commitment to offshore wind supply chain activities, a $200 million Supportive Manufacturing and Logistics Request for Proposals is now open to support investments in infrastructure and manufacturing to grow the domestic offshore wind supply chain in New York. In addition, a Request for Information (RFI) will be issued to inform the development of New York’s fifth offshore wind project solicitation (NY5) and design of a coordinated $300 million RFP focusing on major component offshore wind supply chain investments. Today’s announcements support continued progress toward achieving New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035.
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES DESCEND: Environmental groups held a forum on cleaning up fuels in the transportation sector, pushed back on Hochul’s proposed cut for water infrastructure funding and advocated for lawmakers to include a Superfund-style program targeting fossil fuel companies.
Albany, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham completed his first legislative session as chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee (EnCon) recently with 89 bills passed out of committee, 44 of which passed in the Senate and 30 in both houses that now await the governor’s signature. Harckham, as committee chair, also led the budget table during the negotiations for the FY2024 Budget and ensured critical funding for a number of initiatives.
The impacts of climate change are increasingly apparent in Connecticut and across the globe. Climate change is increasing the severity of hurricanes, drought, heat-related deaths and illnesses, and causing rising sea levels that inundate our coastal communities. Without immediate action, climate change will cause devastating effects on Connecticut’s infrastructure, economy, public health, and way of life.
The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Connecticut, accounting for roughly 38% of GHG emissions generated in our state. We cannot address the climate crisis without cutting pollution from the transportation sector!
Transportation Emissions Threaten Public Health in CT:
CT ranks as the 10th worst state for smog, which can cause premature death, aggravated asthma, and increased respiratory symptoms.
CT’s asthma rate is worse than the national average: 11% of children and 10.5% of adults have asthma in CT.
Rising temperatures due to climate change are exacerbating these health risks, by increasing smog and prolonging dangerous air conditions.
Tailpipe emissions led to an estimated 367 premature deaths in CT in one year.
CT Must Take Action to Slash Emissions from the Transportation Sector
Under the proposed Transportation and Climate Initiative Program (TCI-P), CT would cap carbon pollution from transportation fuels and invest in our communities to provide better, cleaner, and safer transportation options. In less than a decade, TCI-P will guarantee at least a 26% reduction in carbon emissions from transportation. The TCI-P would also require oil companies to pay for the pollution their products cause, which will allow for needed investments in a clean transportation and public health improvements. A minimum of 50% of revenue will be invested in communities that are overburdened by air pollution or underserved by the transportation system. Projects that the TCI program include, but are not limited to:
✔︎ Improving/expanding public transit in urban, suburban, and rural areas
✔︎ Converting school and transit buses and diesel truck fleets to cleaner electric models
✔︎ Promoting safer, more bike-friendly and walkable communities
✔︎ Providing rebates to make electric vehicles more affordable
✔︎ Expanding EV charging infrastructure
✔︎ Expanding local air quality monitoring
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at CCE
