Legislature passes laws to protect public health and our environment
While some important bills fell short, there is a lot to celebrate about the recently concluded New York State legislative session. The following CCE priorities passed in the legislature (most still need to be signed by the Governor):
Testing drinking water for emerging contaminants: Ensures that the drinking water for 2.5 million New Yorkers that are served by small water systems test for dangerous emerging contaminants.
Banning coal tar sealcoat: Coal tar sealcoat, which contains a known carcinogen, scrapes off roads and parking lots and ends up polluting our waterways and in our homes. Safer alternatives to “beautify” asphalt are readily available.
Keeping drinking water lead-free at schools: Sets a more protective standard for lead in school drinking water and increases the frequency of testing. There is no safe level of exposure to lead, especially for our children.
Environmental Bond Act: The $3 billion bond act will protect waterways, make our communities more resilient to climate change, and create jobs. The bond act will be considered by voters on the ballot in November of 2022.
Banning small plastic toiletry bottles at hotels: Hotels in NYC alone use an estimated 27 million of these unnecessary plastic bottles every year. The plastic bottles often end up in landfills, incinerators, or in our waterways.
Protecting our health and environment from fracking fluids: Bans fluids from oil and gas development from being spread on roads or on fields. Fracking fluids contain toxic chemicals and can be radioactive.
Thank you for your support—we could not have achieved this without you!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE