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Sweeney Seeks to Require Certain State Funding & Permits Consider Climate Change

The New York State assemblyman's new legislation provides that certain State funding and permit processes will include consideration of extreme weather events and sea level.

This story was posted by Scott P. Moore. It was written and reported by Barbara Capella Loehr.

New York State Assemblyman Bob Sweeney, D-Lindenhurst and the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation, has introduced new legislation that requires certain State funding and permits to include consideration of the effects of climate change.

“New York State shouldn’t be spending taxpayer dollars or authorizing permits for projects such as waste water treatment plants, or other environmental infrastructure without taking into consideration climate risks including sea level rise projections and the likelihood of future extreme weather events,” said Sweeney in a release about the new legislation he’s introduced.
The legislation provides that certain State funding and permit processes - including the State Smart Growth Infrastructure Policy Act - will include consideration of extreme weather events and sea level rise projections.

It’d also require the development of a model local climate risk law for municipalities.

The bill's the result of hearings that Sweeney held in January to examine issues related to the increasing frequency and devastating environmental impacts of extreme weather events.

“Vital environmental infrastructure failed during extreme weather events such as Sandy, Irene, and Lee. Recent record rainfalls have led to system failures at sewage treatment plants that resulted in discharges of raw sewage into rivers, streams and bays, and took many public water systems out of commission. There was widespread flooding destroying homes and businesses as a consequence of these storms,” Sweeney added.

He continued: “We need to plan to create infrastructure that can stand up to the new altered realities of frequent severe storms and higher sea levels. Additionally we must take action to reduce the risk to homes or critical environmental facilities from sea level rise and extreme weather. The issues related to the effects of the warming of our planet have to be addressed in a way that prevents recurrences and takes into account terrible storms as the new norm.”

The legislation was expected to be taken up before the Assembly during Earth Day proceedings.

“Global warming threatens our lives, our environment and our economy. It doesn’t make sense to keep spending money for long-term projects without more long-term planning,” the assemblyman added.


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