On September 14, the New York League of Conservation Voters hosted an environmental candidate forum in Troy, NY, featuring Mayoral candidates Nina Nichols (D) and Carmella Mantello (R). Spectrum News reporter Kate Lisa moderated the program, which was held at the Arts Center of the Capital Region and co-sponsored by Clean + Healthy New York and the Sierra Club’s Atlantic Chapter.

[Watch the full Troy Mayoral Candidate Forum here.]

Troy, like many communities, faces a myriad of environmental challenges, from lead pipe replacement to improving sustainability and accessibility. Both mayoral candidates took the opportunity to address these issues and outline their visions for a greener and more environmentally responsible Troy.

In her opening remarks, NYLCVEF President Julie Tighe placed the discussion firmly in the context of the climate crisis. 

“After this summer, I think it’s fair to say that the environment isn’t just top of mind for voters–it’s permeating into their daily existence,” said Tighe. “We’ve seen apocalyptic hazy orange skies, the hottest temperatures the earth has ever seen, and multiple torrential rain storms which have caused flash flooding in Troy, delaying work on city infrastructure projects and wreaking havoc on travel.” 

One of the critical issues discussed during the debate was the replacement of lead pipes in Troy. As a major health concern, both candidates acknowledged the urgency of addressing this problem. Mantello emphasized her commitment to securing federal and state funding to continue the lead pipe replacement program. She also stressed the importance of collaboration with schools, colleges, universities, and landlords to raise awareness about the issue.

Nichols proposed a community-oriented approach, emphasizing the need for direct outreach efforts and suggested working closely with educational institutions and local partners to spread awareness about lead pipe replacement and ensure that all residents are well-informed.

The candidates also discussed the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with Nichols intending to work closely with Troy’s sustainability task force to develop a comprehensive strategy for increasing the availability of electric vehicle charging stations. Mantello’s plan involves seeking public input and collaborating with developers to install more charging stations throughout the city. 

Both candidates expressed support for the city’s composting program. Nichols proposed creating additional drop-off sites and expanding the program’s accessibility to encourage more residents to participate. Mantello highlighted the importance of leveraging small dollars into larger investments to further develop the program. 

When asked about their top priorities for utilizing federal and state funds, Mantello emphasized the vast potential of Troy’s eight-mile waterfront stretch. She intends to make it a focal point for economic development and environmental protection by creating connecting trails and promoting its accessibility.

Nichols highlighted her interest in conducting an energy audit for the city. This audit would provide valuable recommendations to improve energy efficiency and sustainability, aligning with Troy’s commitment to becoming a “Climate Smart Community,” Nichols said. 

WABC, the local NPR affiliate, and CBS 6 NY were on hand to cover the forum. The full program is available to watch here. 

Each year, NYLCVEF works with local partners to hold nonpartisan candidate forums throughout the state. These forums connect voters to candidates for office in federal, state, and local races and they give voters the chance to hear directly from candidates about their positions on environmental issues. These forums not only educate voters but they also motivate candidates to add environmental protection to their platforms, promises which we hold them accountable to once elected.

Early voting begins on October 28 and runs through November 5, and Election Day is on Tuesday, November 7.

Each year, NYLCVEF works with local partners to hold nonpartisan candidate forums in and outside of our chapter areas. These forums connect voters to elected officials and candidates for office in federal, state and local races and give voters the chance to hear candidates speak directly about their position on environmental issues, a topic that is all too often missing from traditional debates. These forums not only educate voters but they also motivate candidates to add environmental protection to their platforms, promises which we hold them accountable to once elected.

On Wednesday, April 20th, 2022, NYLCVEF held an environmental candidate forum for candidates running to represent New York’s fourth congressional district in the House of Representatives. It was held at Hofstra University and was the first in-person forum NYLCVEF has held since before the start of the pandemic. 

NYLCVEF was joined by candidates Laura Gillen, Kevin Shakil-Mendez, Carrie Solages and Keith Corbett. The forum was moderated by NYLCV and NYLCVEF President, Julie Tighe. 

Candidates opened up the forum by giving an opening statement and then were asked questions about their stance on current federal environmental policies, local environmental issues, and how they will prioritize the environment if elected. Question topics included offshore wind, contaminated drinking water, electric vehicles and clean transportation, sea level rise and coastal resiliency, waste management, infrastructure, and addressing climate justice. 

Candidates then closed out the forum by giving a closing statement. 

Thank you to the candidates who participated and to event attendees. If you were unable to attend the event, checkout the recording here.

NYLCVEF plans to hold more forums in May for Candidates running for Congressional Districts 1 and 3. Stay tuned for more info! 

On October 20th, 2021, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) held a forum with the candidates for Huntington Town Supervisor -- Ed Smyth, Rebecca Sanin, and Eugene Cook --  to discuss their stances on a range of environmental and sustainability issues. The Forum was moderated by NYLCVEF President Julie Tighe and environmental panelists included Adrienne Esposito from Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Eric Alexander from Vision Long Island, and Mariah Dignan from Climate Jobs NY.

Ed Smyth is a practicing lawyer in the Town of Huntington, a US Marine Staff Sergeant veteran, and serves as a Councilman on the Huntingtown Board following his election in 2017. Smyth is running on a platform of continued investment in green infrastructure, concerned primarily with insufficient sewer systems in the Town and poor water quality. He also holds deep concerns about solid waste management on Long Island and the closing of the Brookhaven Landfill in 2024, and the lack of economically or environmentally sound methods of transporting ash waste off of Long Island. In response to this, he intends to implement measures to reduce solid waste by tonnage, increase recycling, and implement organic recycling streams. 

When asked about the issue of affordable housing in his constituency, Smyth answered that he would shift from the current system of requiring 20% of new developments to be priced as affordable housing, to instead selling all units at market value and putting the difference in profit margins into an affordable housing trust fund in an effort to increase homeownership. He also intends to upgrade the sewage treatment plan and minimize new development that typically leads to an increase in the flow of wastewater.

Rebecca Sanin has spent her career fighting inequity in underserved communities and is deeply concerned with the intersection between climate justice and social and economic inequality. She believes education is fundamental in addressing climate change and should be utilized such as in the case of teaching people how to transition to and maintain modern IA septic systems that reduce pollutants in waterways. She also is concerned with poor housing being a social determinant of public health and intends to implement more affordable housing and building opportunities. 

If elected, Sanin intends to prioritize environmental design to promote safety in her community, such as changing traffic flow to reduce congestion or implementing more sidewalks to promote walkability.  She also supports the federal Build Back Better agenda and believes that economic development depends on good jobs, fair pay, and community benefits. She further intends to incentivize Town fleets to reduce emissions and introduce more electric vehicles into her community.  

Eugene Cook is a small business owner and has been a Councilman for the past 10 years in the Town of Huntington. As Councilman, he has fought overdevelopment in his municipality and takes issue with the drastic increase in housing costs that make homeownership much more difficult than in past decades. He greatly values communication with his constituents when making decisions for the Town, and especially prioritizes listening to the needs of small business owners, particularly during COVID times, as a small business owner himself. 

If elected, Cook intends to mandate all homes with over 50% reconstruction to install new IA septic systems and implement grants to have them installed throughout the Town. He also hopes to convert Town buildings to natural gas to increase renewable energy usage and convert the Town’s fleet to all-electric vehicles. 

Thank you to our partners and panelists: Adrienne Esposito from Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Eric Alexander from Vision Long Island, and Mariah Dignan from Climate Jobs NY. Early voting is held from October 23 to October 31, and election day takes place on November 2nd.

Submitted by Michaela Stones

On October 5th, 2021, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) held a candidate forum for New York Council District 32, which is a coastal district and climate frontline community. It centers around Jamaica Bay, Ozone Park, and the western half of the Rockaways and is currently occupied by Council Member Eric Ulrich. This forum was held on zoom in preparation for the November 2nd general election. The forum featured Democratic nominee Felicia Singh and Republican nominee Joann Ariola, and was moderated by NYLCV NYC Chapter Board Member Karen Mintzer. 

Felicia Singh is a lifelong resident of Ozone Park, a teacher, and the daughter of two working-class immigrants. She holds experience as a former Peace Corps volunteer, Vice President of Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park, and as a member of both the Assembly District 23 Country Committee and South East Queens Complete Count Committee. Singh is running on a platform that centers environmental racism and intersectionality in fighting the climate crisis and believes in the importance of amplifying community voices and involving local residents in climate policy discussions and decisions. She also holds deep concerns about “The Hole”, a section of her district where few people have proper sewer systems and is a place that is chronically ignored by civic leaders and elected officials. 

When asked about the importance of education in combatting the climate crisis, Singh emphasized the need for a climate curriculum that is intersectional and built into classes from gym to science. She also values education as a whole in her community, which she believes to be necessary for increasing electric vehicle ownership and implementing a more universal composting system where people take personal responsibility in helping climate crisis mitigation. Singh further believes in the importance of taking care of the working class, such as protecting taxi drivers in the Central Business District Tolling Program proposal that would help to mitigate congestion but burden those made to pay congestion fees to fund the MTA. 

Joann Ariola is the president of the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic Association and a member of Community Board 10, and holds experience working with two mayors and members of the NYC Council. She also has been involved in hundreds of cleanups throughout her district and is an appointed member of the NYS Rising Committee where she works on projects to develop climate resiliency in her community. She strongly supports increasing funding for public parks and green spaces and has worked to make parks more accessible and safe for all such as installing swings for children with disabilities. 

When asked about the sewage system in her district, Ariola spoke about how in her district, sewer lines are shared between stores and households, causing increased flooding particularly during storms such as the recent Hurricane Ida. She intends to increase sewer maintenance and alleviate any sewage backup to mitigate household flooding. She also is in favor of increasing beautification efforts in public parks, and the new Rails to Trails proposal that would ensure safer cycling throughout the district and easier access to forests and green space. When asked about accessibility to public transport, Ariola discussed how she worked to make two stations in her district accessible and intends to do so for all remaining public transport stations that are currently inaccessible. 

Thank you to our partners: the Waterfront Alliance, the Rise to Resilience Coalition, and the Regional Plan Association. Early voting is held from October 23 to October 31, and election day takes place on November 2nd.

_____________________

Submitted by Michaela Stones

Primary Election Day is June 22nd. The best way to advocate for the environment is to make sure you cast your ballot. Check here for information on deadlines and locations.

This year, voters in NYC will have the opportunity to participate in ranked-choice voting. That means instead of just picking one candidate for any given position, you will rank up to your top five choices.

On Thursday, June 3rd, along with Good Old Lower East Side, the League of Women Voters of New York City, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice, we hosted a virtual event on Ranked Choice Voting. This year, numerous elected offices are on the ballot. Furthermore, New York City recently adopted a Ranked Choice Voting system, which will be used for the first time in a major election this primary day. The event discussed how to fill in your ballot, how your responses are used to elect the winners, how candidates are using the systems while campaigning, and why the system was enacted in the first place.

If you would like to view the webinar recording, please click here.

Christopher Casey is the Director of Voter Engagement at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. He leads the organization’s political and electoral programming. He began by introducing WE ACT, which was founded in 1988 to build healthy communities by ensuring that historically marginalized groups meaningfully participate in the creation of equitable environmental policies and practices. He then provided some examples of environmental racism, the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on people of color, and environmental justice, the movement to address environmental racism and prevent inequitable exposure to environmental hazards.

He also introduced the term climate justice, the movement to address the climate crisis in an equitable manner. “A just transition” is a term used to refer to a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy that does not leave communities of color behind. He said that ranked choice voting was, in a word, “power,” describing how the previous system often forced voters to choose the lesser of two evils. Ranked choice voting will increase the power of marginalized communities by broadening the number and diversity of candidates, causing more candidates to discuss issues often ignored on the debate stage (i.e. not education, jobs, and crime), and effectuating strategic voting (allowing groups who support different top candidates but have similar views on other candidates to work together).

Click here to start the webinar recording at Christopher’s remarks.

Gianni Rodriguez is the Environmental Justice and Climate Resiliency Organizer at Good Old Lower East Side, which has fought to keep the people of the Lower East Side in their homes and community since 1977. They are a people-powered housing, environmental, and racial justice organization reaching over 80,000 people during the COVID-19 pandemic. She then cited the importance of flood protection and stormwater management to her community, citing the community’s suffering during and after Superstorm Sandy. She also mentioned extreme heat, air pollution, and waste mismanagement as other important environmental issues. Rodriguez stressed the importance of electing officials who will address these problems and mentioned the lack of confidence in the electoral process among members of her community. She’s hopeful that the new ranked choice voting system will encourage more New Yorkers to vote.

Click here to start the webinar recording at Gianni’s remarks.

Dianne Burrows is a former public school teacher who currently serves as Co-President of the League of Women Voters of New York City. The LWV educates and engages New Yorkers to be informed voters, and advocates and lobbies for legislation to improve the quality of life and ensure an open and democratic process in NYC. Burrows gave a presentation based on Adrienne Kivelson’s book What Makes New York City Run? which she titled “Who Makes NYC Run?” Her presentation discussed the roles and responsibilities of the Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, Borough President, City Council, and District Attorney. The first three of these officials are elected citywide, while the remaining three are held in boroughwide elections. 

The mayor appoints the heads of most agencies without needing city council approval, signs or vetoes any bill passed by the city council, creates and proposes the city budget to the council, and develops a long-term strategic plan for the city. The mayor can also create or abolish city agencies. The comptroller is elected to be independent of the mayor and public advocate. The comptroller also recommends fiscal policies and financial transactions for the city, conducts audits, and submits advice to the mayor and city council on the financial condition of the city. The audit process is required annually and must be transparent. It is accessible at www.checkbooknyc.com. The Public Advocate (PA) is first in the mayoral line of succession. The PA advocates for the public by monitoring, investigating, and responding to all citizen complaints. Public hearings on the performance and legality of city agencies may be held by the public advocate, who also appoints one member to the City Planning Commission. The Landlord Watchlist is an example of something the PA has done.

Borough-wide elected officials consist of 5 borough presidents, 51 city council members, and 5 district attorneys. They are only elected by the constituents in their borough. The city council proposes and votes on all local laws, and has sole jurisdiction over the passage of the city budget. They also review land use matters, oversee all city programs and agencies, and set the real estate tax rate. The council can also levy other taxes with the approval of the state legislature. An important function of the city council is to implement “participatory budgeting,” which encourages citizens to participate in the budget-making process. Borough presidents are the chief executive officers for their borough. They must be consulted by the mayor and city council on any budget expenditures for their borough, are allowed to propose legislation and budgetary expenditures to the city council and mayor, and allocate discretionary spending for their borough. Borough presidents also review all land-use decisions affecting their borough, coordinate citizen complaints, and chair a board of council members and community board members in their borough.

Burrows then discussed the city’s community boards, which are advisory only but hold a lot of power. People can serve by filling out an application on their borough president’s website. She also discussed the LWV’s Vote411 tool, which allows voters to check where candidates stand on various issues. Burrows also discussed the limits to elected officials’ power. Offices are subject to term limits, with two four-year terms being the maximum allowed. The federal government also limits what the city can do, through federal funds which are allocated for specific purposes, as well as through federal laws and mandates. The state of New York restricts the city government by needing to approve all taxes (except the real estate tax). The State also controls transit and rent control, implements laws, and helps fund the city’s schools. Additionally, the city will often borrow money from the state. Finally, quasi-independent agencies such as NYC Health and Hospitals, NYCHA, and the Housing Development Corp make decisions without the direct approval of the city government.

Click here to start the webinar recording at “Who Makes NYC Run?”

Ranked choice voting increases power for voters. Burrows says that we constantly rank our choices in our lives, giving the example of ranking toppings when going out for pizza with friends. Burrows then delved into the process of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). In most elections, voters can only choose one candidate, while RCV allows you to rank up to five candidates in order of preference. RCV was approved for NYC in a 2019 election and will be implemented by the city for primary and special local elections in 2021. These include city-wide elections (for the mayor, PA, and comptroller), and borough-wide elections (for the borough president and city council). RCV will not be implemented for the elections of the DA and judges. To use RCV, rank up to five candidates in order of your preference. Rank your favorite candidate first, your second favorite candidate second, and so on. Only rank candidates who you feel can do the job and you can live with as your elected official, as you do not have to rank five candidates. You cannot rank any candidate more than once, and cannot give multiple candidates the same ranking. If you don’t rank anyone for your 1st-4th choices but rank someone 5th, that person will be your first choice candidate. Additionally, if you rank candidates with choices 1-3 and 5, but do not rank anyone fourth (miss a rank), then your fifth choice candidate will become your fourth choice.

Ranked choice ballots have a different counting process as well. If any candidate receives more than 50% of first-place votes, they win the election. If no candidate earns more than 50% of the first-choice votes, counting will continue in rounds. The candidate with the lowest number of first-choice votes will be eliminated, and each of their voter’s votes will be allocated to their second-choice candidate. Once those votes are allocated, the remaining candidate with the lowest percentage of votes will be eliminated, and their votes will be redistributed according to their voters’ next highest-ranked candidates. The process will repeat until there are only two candidates left. Vote counting may take longer than traditional elections since there may be multiple rounds. The results for every election will be posted on vote.nyc.

In November, voters will vote on no-excuse absentee voting and same-day voter registration. 

Click here to start the recording at the presentation on RCV.

A Q&A session followed the presentations. Regarding what happens if a voter makes a mistake on their ballot (i.e. filling the same candidate in twice, filling in two candidates for the same choice), Burrows said that the machine would flag the submission and prompt the voter with a choice of filling out a new ballot or submitting anyway. If the second ballot also has an issue, the voter will get one final chance on a third ballot. Poll workers will distribute cards to voters on how to correctly fill in their ballot. Regarding incorrect absentee ballots, Burrows replied that only the oath envelope can be ‘cured’ in absentee voting since the ballot does not have a name on it. Therefore, incorrect votes will not be corrected when voting absentee. Each vote can only count towards one candidate at a time. You can still write in a candidate in ranked choice voting (for any choice). RCV was adopted because it gives people more of a voice in who their elected officials are. RCV elections are audited, and results after every round are displayed at the end of the election. Results of the election may take a couple of weeks. RCV will save the city money by allowing the city to avoid spending on runoff elections. Rodriguez said it is paramount that we vote for candidates that can represent us, and that climate and environmental justice are life-saving policies for her community. She also said she feels that RCV will encourage more people who care about environmental justice issues to vote, citing the appeal of having your vote count even after your first-choice candidate is eliminated. Later, Rodriguez said that advocacy and outreach have helped us reach more people than ever before, but added that a lot more on-the-ground outreach is needed. Burrows said that several municipalities around the Bay Area, as well as the state of Maine, have adopted RCV. Rodriguez said that a lot of education and trust-building must be done to quell voters’ cynicism. Burrows said that if you do not like a candidate, do not rank that candidate.

Click here to start the webinar at the audience Q&A.

We thank our event partners North Brooklyn Neighbors and South Bronx Unite.

We convened New York City Mayoral candidates to share their views on a variety of sustainability issues in a series of taped interviews. We asked questions on issues including air quality, water quality, parks and open space, public transportation, climate adaptation, composting, and green infrastructure. Watch the full video.

Event Recap

NYLCV President Julie Tight kicked off the webinar, saying that we cannot afford to wait anymore on climate change and must act. She added that we need to invest in resilient infrastructure, increase the amount of recycling we do, protect our water supply, invest in parks and green spaces, and green our transportation sector.

Kathryn Garcia

Kathryn Garcia, the former Sanitation Commissioner, said that we need to ensure that Local Law 97 is actually implemented and that we focus on actually decarbonizing the economy instead of fines and fees. She said that we should use a combination of Canadian hydropower and upstate solar, wind, and geothermal power to green our energy. She said that many communities, particularly those of color, have been overburdened by environmental nuisances. Garcia added that we need to ensure a green New Deal for NYCHA, including investing in geothermal energy and heat pumps. 

The need to electrify our school buses and entire city fleet were also talked about by Garcia. She stressed the need to build infrastructure to charge these vehicles. We need to think about a system that incorporates different modes of transportation, including bicycles. The pandemic showed the physical and mental health benefits of parks, says Garcia, who promised to increase the Parks Department share of the City budget to 1% by the end of her first term. Garcia said that we need to invest in communities that do not have parks, promising to build 10 new parks while creating “green boulevards” between our green spaces. She also suggested increasing public access to green spaces around NYCHA housing.

According to Garcia, we must bring back the city’s curbside composting program, expand it to everybody’s doorstep, and make it mandatory. Garcia also said that we need community composting facilities in every borough and that she has committed to a renewable Rikers Island. Under Garcia, Rikers would be used for making not only renewable power but also compost to be returned to our green spaces. She said that we need to make sure we do not site projects in communities that are already overburdened. Garcia said that we should invest money in our parks as well as in turning asphalt schoolyards into green areas. Garcia said we need to use our strong lead laws while also informing parents about the importance of getting their children tested. Agencies need to work together, and spot checks must be performed, especially on properties owned by repeat offender landlords. She added that training people now on how to design and maintain heating and hot water systems will improve equity. She will make sure that we use our CUNY system as well as our trade schools to achieve this. 

Ray McGuire

Businessman Ray McGuire called climate change an existential crisis with which he has lived his entire life, sharing his personal experience growing up across the street from a paper mill that emitted fumes so strong that the refrigerator needed to be open to breathe. He added that his plan looks to build on climate resiliency, focusing on both air and flooding. He said we need to execute our resiliency plan.

McGuire said that it is critical that we deal with congestion and that we should get at least to net-zero emissions by 2050. To achieve this, he suggested the electrification of vehicles in the city, including public school buses. While we electrify our vehicles, we also need to make sure that the charging infrastructure is there, said McGuire. To reduce emissions, McGuire suggested congestion pricing and increased use of solar and wind power. Citing how outdoor experiences inspire our lives, McGuire said that we should open up bike lanes and parks. Lower-income communities have only half the park space that wealthier communities have, says McGuire, who added that all communities are deserving of great outdoor spaces. He added that we need to return to Gordon Davis’s vision of restructuring the parks, mentioning that outdoor spaces are key to the city’s revival.

McGuire added that we need to focus on composting. He also said that climate should be the highest priority and that we have no alternative. We need to start actually addressing the issue of mold in environmental justice communities, stressed McGuire. Buildings would be tested for lead and graded on a scorecard under McGuire, and immediate action would be taken to remediate problems where they are discovered. McGuire promised, if elected, to take every step available to him to immediately address lead poisoning when it is found.

Green jobs are part of McGuire’s infrastructure plan, and he said that he will make sure jobs are being created to address environmental issues. He said that it is important that we have workforce training for green jobs. 

Eric Adams

Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President, said that we need to properly identify the sources of greenhouse gas emissions and use not only man- and womanpower, but also technology to solve the problem. He promised to attack greenhouse gas emissions with a force matching that with which the gases are attacking our planet. Adams wants to end the overconsumption of meat in the city, especially with government-supplied food. Meat isn’t only unhealthy but producing it can also create emissions. He wants to replace the peaker plants with the installation of battery storage and create a greenhouse bond program to put people back to work. Adams said that 1 out of 10 NYCHA developments is located in flood zones and that there is a need to rebuild our parkland.

Adams added that we need to expedite the electric bus rollout and do it based on health figures in communities. He said that he would keep the open streets program, reasoning that there is no need for cars on the streets in high-transit areas. He also promised to ensure a real rapid transit system. Adams also suggested the creation of safe passageways for children to ride their bikes to and from school, as well as bikeways. Adams said we must continue to understand the connection between our health and parks and open space, mentioning the need to make sure everybody is within 15 minutes of a park or open space. Specifically, Adams advocated for investment in spaces surrounding schools and the conversion of parking space to green space. Adams believes that we should allocate 10% of our park spaces to farming, which would help with food deserts and introduce children to healthy food habits at the same time.

Adams said that in addition to generating waste, we are also wasting money when we are shipping it out of the city to be processed. According to Adams, real savings will come from investing in long-term waste-processing infrastructure. He added that we need an organic waste collection program and that we should turn the waste over to GrowNYC. Adams said he will make sure every New Yorker participates in the organics program, starting with schools. We need to analyze waste treatment plants and what kinds of buses we are using in certain communities. There needs to be a partnership between the Department of Education and Health and Hospitals regarding dealing with lead, added Adams. When lead is found in clusters, teams should be brought in to do education and abatement. He added that he stood up when he heard about NYCHA’s lead failures. He will implement a Green Bond Act, which will turn the city into a green economy in which agriculture plays an important role. He will also open more CTE schools to turn the city into a pipeline for green jobs education and will ensure that the city’s children are the ones being educated to hold these new jobs. 

Scott Stringer

Scott Stringer, the current City Comptroller, emphasized the need to stop siting peaker plants and bus garages in communities of color, adding that COVID exposed the environmental racism of land-use decisions made over generations. He said that he will build a solar panel on every rooftop and an electric battery in every basement. Stringer added that we can retrofit all of the dirty buildings in the city and implement Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez’s NYCHA Green Plan by creating hundreds of thousands of jobs. He plans to develop a talent pool in communities of color by accessing workforce development programs for CUNY students and making them free.

Stringer said we need decisive action on greening our buses and fleets. The city is made up of 80% sidewalks and streets, with cars controlling 70% of the latter, but Stringer mentioned alternative use for these areas, saying that we can park 20 bicycles in one parking space and create outdoor dining using just three spaces. Stringer plans to build 35 miles of bus lanes per year while keeping safety in mind. Stringer said that we need to think about a post-Robert Moses New York City, saying that highways such as the Cross-Bronx Expressway have polluted and split neighborhoods. He went on to express the need to invest in our parks, suggesting building 200 playgrounds for children in the next five years. He also shared his support for the LCV’s 1% for Parks proposal (which says that 1% of the city budget should be used for parks). Stringer said that we must implement Local Law 97 and invest in green infrastructure that actually cleans up buildings and streets, creating a green economy for working people.

Stringer also talked about the need to get trash off of our streets. He included an idea of using some parking space to place a dumpster instead. He said that we need to do better on composting as a city and that we should be leading the nation. According to Stringer, we must also think strategically and come up with new ideas about the separation of goods in the recycling process. Stringer also said that we need to stop putting dirty bus depots in disadvantaged communities. He said that the next mayor needs to step up and work with communities to solve health disparities. Stringer pointed out that it made no sense that when a child tests positive for lead in a building, we do not conduct a deeper investigation. He added that we need to appreciate that lead poisoning is something that stays with a child for life and that other agencies should work with NYCHA on lead. 

Shaun Donovan

Shaun Donovan, former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, said he would make NYC the world’s leading city on climate change. He said we will partner with the rest of the country and world, and pointed to the 6000-word climate plan he outlined as part of his Plan for NYC. He added that he is the only candidate capable of making these connections, pointing to his experience in the federal government. He plans to accelerate the implementation of Local Law 97 and give buildings the tools they need to do so. Donovan added that he will make sure public housing is a worldwide model for sustainable green housing. Within his first 100 days, his government will issue an executive order on environmental justice, including increased mapping.

He said he will also appoint a chief equity officer to ensure that the burden of climate change is not unevenly felt. Our streets need to be reimagined, says Donovan, including through the addition of dedicated bus and bike lanes and by giving buses traffic signaling priority. Donovan said we need to make every public vehicle an EV, and suggested using them as a source of stored energy when our next climate disaster (e.g., a hurricane) arrives. Regarding parks, Donovan says his commitment starts at home, being that he is married to a landscape architect. He said that every New Yorker needs access to a park. Donovan said our lack of park space has to change, citing the fact that we have the least green space per person of any city in the country.

Regarding waste, Donovan said that New York City needs to lead the country in recycling by bringing back organics. He would also implement a serious construction waste recycling program. Donovan would measure the real impacts of climate change in every community. Under Donovan, the city would be planned around “fifteen-minute neighborhoods,” which would ensure people have everything they need to live a life of opportunity within 15 minutes of where they live. He said we need to make sure we do not put environmental hazards into communities of color. Donovan highlighted his prior work on lead poisoning, including implementing Local Law 1 and working on the Healthy Homes Initiative under President Obama. He said that he is the only candidate who knows how to work on the federal level to make sure New York is getting its fair share of federal resources. He will use that money to green the city and create jobs for people too often left behind. 

This event was held in partnership with the Alliance for a Greater New York, New Yorkers for Parks, the Riders Alliance, South Bronx Unite, Transportation Alternatives, The Trust for Public Land, Urban Green, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. A special thanks goes to our sponsor, National Grid.

The debut of candidate interviews was followed by commentary from a panel of experts. The commentary focused on the environmental issues explored during the candidate forum.

Adam Ganser is the Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P). He said that NY4P feels very optimistic about where the candidates are positioned on parks. Ganser added that NY4P is hoping for 1% of the city’s budget to be dedicated to parks, as part of the Play Fair campaign which we helped found. NY4P feels that parks are critical to the city’s economic recovery and should be treated like any other essential infrastructure. Ganser said that the Parks Department was gutted over the past year so we need a massive increase in staffing and permanent jobs. Maintenance, especially in underserved areas, will improve. Another platform of NY4P is to increase access to outdoor space within walking distance for New Yorkers. 

Michael Johnson is the co-founder of South Bronx Unite. He was happy to hear the emphasis on waste from candidates, including the overburdened communities in which waste is handled. However, he wishes they said more about listening to the community and working with the community to develop solutions. Johnson described open streets as a good opportunity to get people outside when they really needed to during the pandemic. He also said that the open streets initiative was not done equitably and that we need permeable surfaces. Johnson stressed the need for permeable surfaces to avoid the urban heat island effect and ensure that play spaces are not unbearably hot. Green spaces are also economic drivers and job creators, he said.

Danny Pearlstein is the Director of Policy and Communications at the Riders Alliance. He said that they are very happy to hear the priority given to buses by the candidates, as well as the fact that candidates are not attacking bike lanes. He said that we should roll out 30 miles of bus lanes per year. When city planners consult stakeholders on bus lanes, they consult bus riders from all along the route, so that changes are not based on parochial concerns. Pearlstein then stressed that 75% of bus riders are low-income New Yorkers of color, emphasizing the importance of buses to achieving equity. He also touched on the city’s emissions crisis and pointed out how improved transit leaves fewer cars on the road. Pearlstein said that open streets are incredibly important to our communities, but that we need a plan to make sure that they are distributed equitably. Pearlstein also mentioned the 25 X 25 plan, which would open 25% of city streets by 2025. However, he added that we need to involve the community in the decision-making process.

Chris Halfnight is the Associate Director of Policy at Urban Green Council. He said that nearly 70% of the city’s total emissions come from the energy used in buildings. Halfnight said that we heard from all the candidates that the buildings sector is a top priority. He discussed Local Law 97 and the work that needs to be done to ensure that the law is implemented correctly. He said that replacing peaker plants and retrofits to public housing are also good priorities which the candidates mentioned. Urban Green also has two other priorities which were not stressed: building electrification and strategy for reducing emissions from the city’s smaller buildings. Halfnight said that green jobs in the buildings sector are good, well-paid jobs. There is significant potential for jobs in the buildings sector, especially surrounding retrofits. Halfnight would like to see plans laid out for developing green jobs in the buildings sector. Over the next decade, energy efficiency will provide a $20 billion market opportunity and could stimulate 141,000 jobs.

Don’t forget to cast your vote on Primary Day, June 22nd! One of the most important ways to advocate for climate action is to elect people we know will commit to the environment. Click to see information about deadlines and location.

This year is the first time voters will participate in the city's new Ranked-Choice Voting system. That means instead of just picking one candidate for any given position, you will rank up to your top five choices. Learn more about rank choice voting at our webinar on June 3rd.

View the event slideshow here.

Full candidate interviews:
Eric Adams
Shaun Donovan
Kathryn Garcia
Ray McGuire
Scott Stringer
Maya Wiley
Andrew Yang

Throughout the month of February, we held a series of environmental candidate schools for those running for elected office in New York City.

A full rundown of our panelists for each school can be found here.

Brief descriptions of each school will follow, however detailed descriptions can be found by following the links in the titles below.

On February 8th, we held a Candidate School session on Waste Management and Building Emissions. Our Candidate Schools aim to educate candidates for public office in New York City and their campaigns on key environmental and public health issues in the city. A recording of the session can be watched here. The first part of the session featured a panel focused on waste management, while the second part brought a different panel of experts in the area of building emissions.

On February 11th, we held a Candidate School session on Infrastructure and Transportation. A recording of the session can be watched here. The first part of the session featured presentations focused on transportation, while the second part brought more presentations from experts in the area of infrastructure. Each part was followed by a Q&A session.

On February 18th, we held a Candidate School session on Public Health and Parks. A recording of the session can be watched here. The first part of the session featured presentations focused on lead poisoning, while the second part brought more presentations from experts on the city’s parks. 

On February 22nd, we held a Candidate School session on Resiliency. A recording of the session can be watched here. The first part of the session featured presentations focused on heat resiliency, while the second part brought more presentations from experts on coastal resiliency.

On October 15th, 2020, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF), Citizens Campaign for the Environment, and Students for Climate Action (S4CA) held a candidate forum for New York Congressional Districts 1 and 2, which cover a large part of Suffolk County and the southeastern portion of Nassau County. The forum took place on Zoom ahead of the general election on November 3rd. NYLCVEF regularly holds candidate forums to provide voters with the opportunity to hear directly from candidates about their stance on important environmental issues. 

The forum featured pre-recorded interviews with Congressional District 1 candidates Lee Zeldin (incumbent) and Nancy Goroff. Also featured were pre-recorded interviews with candidates Jackie Gordon and Andrew Garbarino, running for the Congressional District 2 seat soon to be vacated by longtime congressman Peter King. The forum was moderated by Adrienne Esposito, the Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, and featured panelists Julie Tighe, President of NYLCVEF; Melissa Parrott, Executive Director of S4CA; Harrison Bench, Deputy Director of S4CA; Christine Giurcanu, a member of S4CA; and Gordiane Raacke, Executive Director of Renewable Energy Long Island. 

https://youtu.be/kF4BgrHENe0

NY Congressional District 1

Lee Zelden is the incumbent Congressman for NY’s 1st Congressional District, an attorney, and an officer in the United States Army Reserve. During the forum, he advocated for the government to work with the private sector, and mentioned the Carbon Capture Improvement Act, a bill incentivizing corporations to invest in carbon capture and storage equipment, which he co-sponsored. Regarding solar energy, Zeldin acknowledged legislation that he co-sponsored to extend the Solar Investment Tax Credit by five years. Congressman Zeldin acknowledged the importance of water quality testing and transparency of the results, and recognized the need to make incremental progress on the long-term issue of water quality across the country. He advocated for the EPA to set a limit on the level of contaminants in local water supply, mentioned the need for investment in sewer infrastructure to decrease river contamination, and emphasized the need to complete the Forge River Watershed Sewer project. In his closing statement, he emphasized the need for bipartisanship on climate legislation and lauded bipartisan climate action over the past year.

Dr. Nancy Goroff is the chair of the chemistry department at Stony Brook University and has a PhD in Organic Chemistry from UCLA. During the forum, she mentioned the need for climate action as a top priority for her and a major motivation for her entry into the race. She advocated for completely carbon neutral energy production by 2035, and total carbon neutrality as soon as possible after that. She emphasized the need to invest in clean energy infrastructure and research. Dr. Goroff also spoke about her desire to make her office a resource on climate change for every member of Congress, and to challenge climate-denying members. Dr. Goroff mentioned the need for clean energy infrastructure in the next stimulus package, including offshore wind farms for Long Island. She is in favor of increasing solar energy infrastructure however she can, including extending the solar tax credit and working with local governments to ease ordinances that place restrictions on solar power. Dr. Goroff emphasized the need for the EPA to monitor water contamination, and for both the EPA and the Department of Defense to remediate water contamination. In her closing statement, she mentioned the need to re-enter the Paris Climate Accord.

NY Congressional District 2

Jackie Gordon is a U.S. combat veteran who has worked as an educator, a community leader, and a public servant. During the forum, she acknowledged the reality of the climate crisis, recalling the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy, and spoke about the need to re-enter the Paris Climate Accord. She said she would prioritize renewable energy in Congress, and mentioned the need to ensure that renewable energy companies get their products to market. She also recognized the need to secure funding for renewable energy corporations to help them conduct research. Gordon supports extending the solar tax incentive, and envisions partnerships between educational institutions and the solar industry. Gordon said she would prioritize the Bethpage plume, and bring local, state, and federal environmental agencies together to figure out what went wrong. She also mentioned the need to identify who was harmed, and to introduce a bill in Congress to clean up the site and penalize polluters. In her closing statement, she mentioned our collective responsibility to take care of the planet, emphasizing her special responsibility as a leader to do so.

Andrew Garbarino currently serves as a NY State Assemblyman for Assembly District 7. During the forum, he mentioned his personal connection to the environment, having grown up on the South Shore and learning to sail and swim in the Great South Bay. He cited his experience serving on the Environmental Conservation Committee as an assemblyman. Garbarino also acknowledged the importance of protecting the South Shore, mentioning its role as an economic driver for the area. He supports a bill which would provide a carbon recapture tax credit as well as the “Trillion Trees” bill. He emphasized that environmental conservation should be a bipartisan issue. Additionally, he supports the solar industry and extension of the solar tax credit, citing personal stories of its effectiveness. He opposes offshore drilling, and wants to replace coal and oil power with renewables and natural gas. Garbarino also cited his votes for bills banning aquifer contaminants, and advocated for a comprehensive infrastructure bill from Congress to address Suffolk County’s lack of modern sewage infrastructure. In his closing statement, he reiterated his earlier remarks about his personal experience growing up near the Great South Bay and that the climate should be a bipartisan issue.

Harry Burger is a mechanical engineer and the Green Party candidate for NY’s 2nd Congressional District. In his opening remarks, Burger mentioned current natural disasters that are being spurred on by climate change: fires in the west and hurricanes in the east. Burger supports the Green New Deal, and advocates for zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Burger expressed that we need to end new oil drilling, fracking, and fossil fuel infrastructure projects. Burger expressed the need to invest aggressively in renewables and look to lower energy alternatives (e.g. high speed rail as opposed to airlines), which he says will stimulate the economy. With regards to the Bethpage plume, Burger mentioned how if Grumman and the Navy properly disposed of their waste in the 1970s, there would be no contamination in the first place, and that it would have been cheaper for them in the long run. He also stated the huge economic ($558 million) and environmental costs of the plume. To help remediate the situation and avert future disasters, Burger wants to hold Grumman responsible for the full cost of the cleanup. The more immediate concern to Burger, however, is getting the federal government to stop polluting before it reaches places like the Great South Bay. Finally, he emphasized how climate issues are interconnected, and that a disruption in one area of the environment can have a cascading effect on everything else. Harry Burger’s video testimonial can be viewed here. 

Thanks to our partners for helping to make this event a success: Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Students for Climate Action (S4CA), and Renewable Energy Long Island. 

We encourage you to vote in the upcoming election on November 3rd, and to pledge to vote early to help ensure that your vote is counted in a timely manner!

On September 29th, 2020, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) held a candidate forum for New York Senate District 55, which covers parts of Monroe and Ontario Counties, to replace State Senator Rich Funke. The forum took place on Zoom ahead of the general election on November 3rd. NYLCVEF regularly holds candidate forums to provide voters with the opportunity to hear directly from candidates about their stance on important sustainability issues. The Senate D55 forum featured candidates Christopher Missick and Samra Brouk. The forum was moderated by Jeremy Moule, staff writer at Rochester’s CITY newspaper.

https://youtu.be/qWnmqaDrfTM

Christopher Missick is an Iraq War veteran who works as a lawyer, farmer, and winemaker. During the forum, he emphasized that his livelihood is dependent on the environment and cited his use of sustainable farming practices as well as his experience working with regulations as a lawyer. He would support bills to increase funding for wind and solar energy, along with the battery technology needed to store it. He also spoke of the need to protect water quality in the area and move away from fossil fuels, acknowledging renewables as the long term answer to our energy needs. Missick supports nuclear energy as long as it is being produced safely.

When asked what the government can do to cut emissions from the agriculture sector, he suggested planting trees on old farmland and creating incentives to diversify crop selection to improve soil health. Missick believes it is necessary to focus on educating the public about environmental issues. To address climate inequity, he suggested adding community cooling centers and the creation of empowerment zones to help rebuild economically distressed areas. Missick supports providing tax incentives and education on a classroom level to drive composting and food scrap collection. 

Samra Brouk is a former Peace Corps volunteer who currently builds nonprofits and startups. During the forum, she emphasized the importance of taking bold action on climate change and climate justice, stressing the need to improve the quality of life in underprivileged areas in conjunction with climate legislation. Brouk mentioned the importance of working with grassroots organizations and advocated for more public-private partnerships. Brouk recently visited Lake Ontario, where she observed and learned about the local effects of climate change. She cited her experience volunteering in Guatemala and working with local governments to create Climate Smart Communities (CSCs). If elected, she would advocate for increased climate resilience infrastructure and legislation that would make it easier for communities to become CSCs. Brouk would additionally support legislation to incentivize companies to create more green jobs in D55 and recruit graduates from science- and technology-focused university programs in the area.

Brouk also emphasized the need to enforce, tighten, and incentivize building codes. She believes that investing in anaerobic digesters and increasing training and education for farmers will help the agricultural sector combat climate change. To drive composting and food scrap collection, Brouk hopes to pass state level legislation and add local infrastructure. She also plans to move away from fossil fuels through government involvement, invest in clean energy, and increase education. She supports nuclear energy in conjunction with renewables. 

Both candidates support fully funding the EPF and building climate-conscious infrastructure. Missick and Brouk emphasized working with local communities on solar farms and expressed their support for wind power. They each support increased public transportation and bike capacity as alternatives to automobiles. Each candidate supported advancing a bond act and recognized the importance of fighting invasive species.

Thanks to our partners for helping to make this event a success: Citizens’ Climate Lobby Rochester and Rochester People’s Climate Coalition. Remember to cast your ballot for the general election on November 3rd via absentee ballot or at your polling place.