New York: We’re on the Verge of Passing a Bold Climate Justice Bill

Communities of color and low-income neighborhoods have borne the brunt of the impacts of pollution.

The effects of climate change are racially and economically inequitable. Communities of color and low-income neighborhoods have borne the brunt of the impacts of pollution. Due to historic disinvestment and discriminatory zoning and siting, these communities often are at the fence lines of polluting sites like power plants, major traffic thoroughfares, and incinerators. These are the same communities that are most vulnerable to and often bear the worst impacts of climate change.

Climate policy solutions must therefore be grounded in racial and economic justice.

In New York, the state legislature is on the verge of passing the Climate and Community Protection Act (CCPA)—a bill that centers frontline communities, public health, jobs, and justice.

TAKE ACTION TO HELP PASS THE CCPA

• Reach out to your representatives and Governor Cuomo with this tool and let them know we need New York to pass a strong CCPA that reduces 100% of carbon emissions and invests 40% of energy funds in frontline communities.
• Please join Demos and the NY Renews coalition in Albany on Tuesday, June 11, and let Governor Cuomo and our legislators know that time is running out. We need to pass the CCPA now. RSVP here to join us.

The CCPA is a bill that would put New York on a path to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide by 2050, invest 40% of state energy funds directly in disadvantaged communities, and create hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs for New Yorkers.

This bill is supported by over 180 groups in the NY Renews coalition, which Demos is a member of, and who we proudly honored with a Transforming America Award for their bold vision for equity-centered climate solutions.

The CCPA now has the support of the majority of legislators in both the state Senate and Assembly, but Governor Cuomo recently stated that he does not see climate action as a priority for the rest of the legislative session. Scientists tell us we are running out of time for meaningful action to avert the climate crisis. New York can and must do its part by passing this aggressive climate legislation.

With less than two weeks left in the New York legislative session we need your help to get this bill passed. Let's show the country what climate solutions can look like when they center and uplift communities most vulnerable to economic injustice and climate catastrophe.

Please call your New York legislator and, if you’re able, join us in Albany on June 11.