For immediate release: June 10, 2024
Contact: Kia Smith, kia.smith@mothersoutfront.org
Jorge Defendini, jorge.defendini@mothersoutfront.org
Mothers Out Front Statement on Climate In-Action of the New York Legislature
As moms and caregivers, we know that every year that goes by without meaningful climate action directly impacts our children’s lives and future…While we are thrilled that the Legislature passed the Climate Superfund Act to finally make big oil companies pay for the damage they have caused, if the NYS Assembly is serious about protecting New Yorkers from continued climate catastrophe and rising energy costs, they must enact laws that will end our ratepayer-subsidized expansion of fossil fuels and chart an equitable path to clean energy.
New York (June 10, 2024)– June 7th marked the last day of the legislative session in New York. Alongside creating a great deal of uncertainty around Congestion Pricing, the New York Legislature woefully under delivered when it came to passing crucial climate legislation.
“As moms and caregivers, we know that every year that goes by without meaningful climate action directly impacts our children’s lives and future,” said Sarah Smiley, Volunteer of Mothers Out Front New York. “That is why we are greatly disappointed to see the NYS legislative session end without passage of key climate policies like the NY HEAT, PRRIA, and JETA acts. While we are thrilled that the Legislature passed the Climate Superfund Act to finally make big oil companies pay for the damage they have caused, if the NYS Assembly is serious about protecting New Yorkers from continued climate catastrophe and rising energy costs, they must enact laws that will end our ratepayer-subsidized expansion of fossil fuels and chart an equitable path to clean energy.”
The failure to pass the NY HEAT Act this session is deeply disappointing for mothers and caregivers who strive for a better future for our children. Without this crucial legislation, the burden of high utility bills continues to fall on the most vulnerable families, and our progress towards a sustainable future is stalled. We want to make it clear that the climate movement will hold the Assembly Majority accountable for this outcome. We remain committed to advocating for the health and well-being of our children and will continue to push for policies that ensure a cleaner, safer environment for all.
Despite state lawmakers like Senator Hickam and organized communities’ continued advocacy for the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (PRRIA), the legislative session concluded without a vote on PRRIA. We remain committed to radically reducing our plastic use and its harmful impact on our communities and will continue to advocate for PRRIA in the future.
Equally disappointing was the absence of the NY Just Energy Transition Act (JETA) for a floor vote. The refusal to pass NY JETA this year presents a major roadblock to New York closing the book on fossil fuels. Without a serious intention to transition away from fossil fuels in our own state facilities, calls for a full-scale transition to renewable energy remain hollow and empty rhetoric. Until Governor Hochul and NY Leadership find the political will and courage to lead on the effort to transition to renewable energy, we will continue to exacerbate the climate crisis with taxpayer dollars.
While overwhelmingly disappointing, there were bright spots from the closing of session: The passage of the Climate Superfund Act is a crucial win for a renewable New York. For decades, we have known exactly who is responsible for the climate crisis: Big Oil and the fossil fuel industry. Now, New York will hold these polluters – not the taxpayers – responsible for the damage they have caused in poisoning our planet. With the revenue generated from these fees, we will continue to fund the transition towards green, renewable energy for years to come! We urge Governor Hochul to now sign this bill!
On July 18, 2019, New York State enacted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act), one of the nation’s most ambitious climate laws. The Climate Act mandates a 40 percent reduction in economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and an 85 percent reduction by 2050, using 1990 levels as the baseline. This was a landmark in climate legislation and made NY State leaders for the nation. We are heartbroken to see that this law is not being implemented and worry for our children’s future with the continuous delay that adults are causing of climate related legislation. Laws mean nothing unless they are implemented. For our children’s sake, legislatures need to do better. We will not stop the fight.
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Mothers Out Front is a member-led climate justice organization. We are mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and other caregivers coming together to make climate justice a priority issue that our decision-makers can no longer ignore. We are building a powerful grassroots movement to ensure a swift, complete and just transition away from fossil fuels and toward a clean and renewable energy future where our children and families can thrive, not just survive.