WE DID IT! CLIMATE JUSTICE PROTECTION ACT PASSED IN ALBANY

New York is finally taking back its role as a leader of Cities to lead the Nation in putting Climate Justice issue back on the State and Nations mind’s eye. It will be one of the most ambitious climate goals, including reduction in Greenhouse gas emissions, the law will move the State economy off fossil fuels by 2050.

However, there was a weakened version of prevailing wage passage as well as labor standards and the weakening of enforcement of the equity provision for frontline communities. We didn’t get the meteoric war wanted but there were concessions that we could live with rather than not having the passage of anything for another year. This is still a win for People Power and the organizing by more than 170 environmental agencies as well as community activist from across the state. This law gives the state 30 years to wean itself off fossil fuels and transition the state into a more regenerative economy where renewable reusable energy will leave little to know carbon footprint for ther nextt generation of our families. Though we must remember that climate scientist has said that we have 11 years to slow down the worst effects of climate change. We will l still see jobs in the conversion from fossil fuel to cleaner energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal.

There are many folks to thank for this effort is not without a lot of organizing and coordinating so I’d like to thank members of the Senators and Assembly that supported the seriousness of this legislation and not so much those  elected leaders who were only convinced after Senator Chuck Schumer and Senator and Presidential hopeful, Kristin Gillibrand, put their seal of approval on it. And you Politicos know who you are as its on public record your delaying sponsorship. Shame, shame and shame on you all, knowing that your constituents wanted it, visited you in your offices in Albany and still you dragged your butts about it.

Finally, I’d like to thank our local organizers and local friends at PUSH that helped support and spear head this legislation and its community members including like me in stepping up and out to speak at rallies, in front of the Senate and Assembly hearings and office. We All Did It!!! We proved that People and Planet come first and that there is no greater power than People Power!!