Headed by the Reverend John Paarlberg, Chair, Climate and Environmental Justice Task Team
Albany. South End successfully rejected a proposal from Waste Management to dump wet garbage in south end of Albany. Here is the description of what happened to protect the South End.
Hoosick Falls. The community of Hoosick Falls saw significant damage to their wells and drinking water because of PFOA contamination. Saint-Gobain and Honeywell contaminated the aquifer beneath Hoosick Falls with perfluorooctanoic acid, commonly referred to as PFOA, by releasing PFOA into the environment, manufactured by PFOA is used to produce teflon for cookware and is cancer causing. A settlement of 65 million was reached with the companies. For more information about the settlement go to http://www.hoosickfallspfoasettlement.com/frequently-asked-questions.aspx
Cohoes, the community is trying to close the Norlite plant because of it's long time emission of particulate matter deemed to be cancerous. If you wish to join the fight to close the plan, please go to Lights Out Norlite – Hudson Mohawk Environmental Action Network (hmean.org) http://hmean.org/lights-out-norlite/
New York State Council of Churches were one of many signers in support of passing the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (PRRIA) The American Chemistry Council and their corporate allies are conducting a campaign to sow doubt amongst legislators about the (PRRIA) which stands to be the most comprehensive plastics reduction law in the US.
We are pleased to say inspite of opposition, the Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act passed in the NY Senate on Weds, May 28. We now need YOUR voice to ensure it passes in the Assembly before they adjourn.
There are now two actions you can take.
We’re so close to putting people over plastic in NY but Big Plastic’s lobbyists are spending millions trying to convince Assemblymembers to withdraw their support for this critical bill.
They say the bill will raise prices for consumers, result in empty shelves at stores, and raise taxes. Fortunately, none of that is true! Consumer Reports, the trusted independent nonprofit consumer advocacy group supports A1749 and says that the bill will NOT raise prices.
In fact, in-depth research from our allies at Beyond Plastics found that the bill would save billions of taxpayer dollars in just the first 10 years.
To counteract the industry’s misinformation campaign, your Assembly Member needs to hear that you want them to vote YES on A1749 this session. Can you please call their Albany office right now?
Dial the Assembly Switchboard at: 518-455-4100 and ask to be connected to your Assemblymember’s office (if you’re not sure who your Assemblymember is, you can find them here.)
When someone picks up, you can use this short script:
Hi, my name is ____ and I’m calling from _____ to urge the Assemblymember to please VOTE YES on A1749, The Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act to reduce plastic packaging and toxic chemicals and protect NY’s environmental justice communities. It’s important to me that the Assemblymember vote YES to choose people over plastic and get this urgent bill passed before the session ends on June 18.”
New York’s municipalities will save billions of tax dollars by not having to collect, landfill, or incinerate so much wasteful and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging.
This bill will also protect our health by banning 17 of the most toxic chemicals and substances currently used in packaging, including PFAS, phthalates, bisphenols, lead, cadmium, mercury, formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Recent studies have documented the presence of small shards of plastic in the human brain, blood, heart arteries, kidneys, testicles, placenta and breast milk. The Packaging Reduction Act will protect our health and also save money in health care costs by keeping more of these harmful microplastics particles and toxic chemicals out of our bodies.
Please take a minute right now to call your Assemblymember to urge them to VOTE YES on the critical Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act (A1749/Glick). Don’t wait – dial the Assembly Switchboard at: 518-455-4100. (It’s fine to leave a message.)
This bill would reduce plastic pollution, and because plastics are made from fossil fuels, it will also reduce climate pollution. Passing a bill like the Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act is one of the recommendations in the scoping plan for the State’s landmark climate law. And that’s one of the many reasons this bill is supported by the City of New York, the NY Association of Counties, more than 20 towns, cities, and counties, and the solid waste advisory boards (SWABs) of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.
Now that the bill has passed the Senate, we’re so close to getting this crucial environmental, public health, and climate change bill over the finish line in NYS.
But industry lobbyists are fighting hard to kill this bill and your Assemblymember needs to hear from YOU today!
Thank you for calling today. Once you’ve hung up, please forward this email to your neighbors, family and friends in NY and urge them to join you in taking two minutes to call, too.
Thanks for your help.
The Reverend Kathryn Belhke
White House Convenes Faith Leaders on Climate, Clean Energy, and Environmental Justice Issues
On August 13, 2024, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) held a White House Faith Leaders Convening on Climate, Clean Energy, and Environmental Justice. The Reverend Peter Cook, Executive Director of the New York State Council of Churches along with National Council of Churches President and General Secretary Bishop Vashti McKenzie was among the participants, which included faith leaders and representatives of faith-based organizations from across the country.
The group was convened for the first time to discuss opportunities to benefit from and further engage their communities on President Biden’s climate, clean energy, and environmental justice agenda, including through the use of Direct Pay – a novel provision provided through the Inflation Reduction Act that enables tax-exempt entities, including houses of worship, to benefit from federal clean energy tax incentives. Read more here.
Build Back Better Act. Far reaching environmental provisions in the Build Back Better plan are up for critical vote possibly as soon as the week of September 27 to October 1. It's "all hands on deck" to ensure the bill passes the House and Senate with all the climate provisions. We urge everyone to call their member of Congress now and tell them we want the 3.5 Trillion Build Back Better plan with all the climate provisions.
The House Ways and Means Committee did a Mark up on September 23 and voted in all the climate provisions in he Build Back Better bill which include the following: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/what-they-are-saying-green-energy-provisions-ways-and-means-proposal
September 27, 2021. We urge you to call your Congress Member, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and the White House and urge them to pass a fully funded Build Back Better Act---with all the climate provisions. Use this contact tool from Citizen Action.
85 Chestnut Street
Albany, New York 12210
Phone:
Email:
