TESTIMONY OF EARTHJUSTICE BEFORE THE JOINT HEARING OF THE SENATE FINANCE AND ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEES REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY BUDGET PROPOSALS

Earthjustice urges New York State to increase funding for water infrastructure and environmental protection while accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to electricity. The testimony specifically advocates for the NY HEAT Act to downsize the gas system, the RAPID Act to speed up electric transmission, and the Green Transit, Green Jobs bill to electrify bus fleets. It also calls for urgent action on childhood lead poisoning and the reduction of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, while opposing 'false solutions' like hydrogen and renewable natural gas.

• Earthjustice argues that the Governor's proposed $250 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act (CWIA) is insufficient, calling for a minimum of $600 million to address over $80 billion in water infrastructure needs.
• The testimony advocates for the NY HEAT Act to align gas utility regulations with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), specifically by eliminating the "100-foot rule" which costs ratepayers an estimated $200 million annually.
• Earthjustice identifies a critical need for $100 million for the Lead Service Line Replacement Program, noting that the program has not distributed new grants since 2019 and that there are at least 500,000 lead service lines statewide.
• The document supports the RAPID Act to accelerate electric transmission siting, which is described as essential for meeting the state's goal of 70% renewable electricity by 2030.
• Earthjustice opposes the use of hydrogen and renewable natural gas (RNG) as climate solutions, labeling them "false solutions" due to high emissions and inefficiency; for instance, hydrogen combustion can produce NOx emissions at six times the rate of methane.
• The testimony calls for the passage of the Green Transit, Green Jobs bill to phase out new fossil fuel transit bus purchases starting in 2029 to achieve a zero-emissions fleet.
• The document highlights that agriculture is responsible for 6% of New York's total greenhouse gas emissions, with 92% of those emissions coming from livestock.
• Earthjustice opposes proposed changes to greenhouse gas accounting that would shift methane emission tracking from a 20-year to a 100-year timeframe, arguing this would undercount methane's climate impacts.
• The testimony urges the adoption of the Clean Deliveries Act to regulate emissions from e-commerce mega-warehouses, noting that 25% of New Yorkers live within 0.5 miles of such a facility.
• Earthjustice recommends maintaining the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) at $400 million and rejecting a proposal to offload $25 million for agency staffing costs.

APA

Earthjustice (2024). TESTIMONY OF EARTHJUSTICE BEFORE THE JOINT HEARING OF THE SENATE FINANCE AND ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEES REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY BUDGET PROPOSALS. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2.7.24earthjusticebudgettestimony.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. TESTIMONY OF EARTHJUSTICE BEFORE THE JOINT HEARING OF THE SENATE FINANCE AND ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEES REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY BUDGET PROPOSALS. 2024. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2.7.24earthjusticebudgettestimony.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=TESTIMONY OF EARTHJUSTICE BEFORE THE JOINT HEARING OF THE SENATE FINANCE AND ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEES REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY BUDGET PROPOSALS |date=7 February 2024 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2.7.24earthjusticebudgettestimony.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjustice2024testimony, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{TESTIMONY OF EARTHJUSTICE BEFORE THE JOINT HEARING OF THE SENATE FINANCE AND ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEES REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY BUDGET PROPOSALS}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, year = {2024}, month = feb, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2.7.24earthjusticebudgettestimony.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }