Clean+Healthy Praises Governor Hochul’s Climate and Environmental Health Commitments in 2023 State of the State Speech
Pledges to address lead poisoning in children, remediate PFAS contaminated sites, shift the responsibility of waste reduction from consumers to manufacturers, commit to sustainable buildings without reliance on fossil fuels.
Albany, N.Y. - January 10, 2023 - Following Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State Address, Bobbi Wilding, Executive Director of Clean+Healthy, a state-based environmental health advocacy organization issued the following statement:
In the Governor’s State of the State address and accompanying book, we are happy to see the inclusion of:
A program to protect vulnerable children from lead poisoning by requiring inspection of rental properties in the 24 zip codes at highest risk for lead exposure,
A program to provide financial assistance to municipalities to determine the source of PFAS contamination, as well as funds for vital remediation,
A pledge to introduce the Waste Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act which will shift the responsibility of waste reduction from consumers to the manufacturers of products, in addition to a more efficient recycling strategy to reduce the volume of waste ending up in landfills, and
The elimination of on-site fossil fuel combustion in all new construction in a goal toward zero emissions buildings.
“We are thrilled that Governor Hochul is committed to continuing New York’s legacy as leaders in the fight against toxic forever chemicals known as PFAS, and to ensure that sources of emerging contaminants and toxic chemicals are adequately investigated and cleaned up. We urge her to increase staffing at the Department of Environmental Conservation for effective implementation of her vision, and to continue her practice of signing bills that ban PFAS in products as a way to stem the tide of PFAS flowing into our environment. We look forward to seeing further legislative and budgetary commitments to completely eliminating PFAS from use in products in New York, to prevent further contamination of our environment.
“In addition to her proposal to focus lead inspections and renovation resources to the 24 zip codes with the highest rates of lead poisoning, we look forward to working with Governor Hochul on other vital investments, including:
Adequate funding for the 20 counties charged with implementing primary lead prevention activities (the number of counties, but not funding levels, increased from 15 to 20 in 2022),
Increased funding to county health departments to remove lead sources where children already have blood lead levels above the CDC’s reference level of 3.5 ug/dL
Having New York State join 24 other states in co-enforcing the federal Renovation, Repair, and Paint regulations, which prevent lead exposures during home repair and renovation.
“With the Governor’s additional pledges to support renovating low-income homes, these investments in lead poisoning prevention are essential components.
“Similarly, we look forward to working with Governor Hochul and the legislature to ensure that as the much-needed and forward-looking plan for Waste Reduction and Recycling moves forward, so do bans on toxic chemicals. When we plan to have materials in use for longer and longer periods of time - essential for making our society sustainable - to safeguard the health of workers and residents, it is necessary to ensure the initial materials are benign, regardless of their present or future use.
“While gearing toward zero emission buildings, we urge Governor Hochul to ensure that weatherization of sustainable buildings exclude toxic materials like vinyl and address lead in paint and pipes. It is also critical that these homes are furnished with toxic free materials, to prevent families from being vulnerable to cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory illness, hormone disruption and organ damage.
“We look forward to working with Governor Hochul, her staff, agencies, and the legislature to advance a clean and healthy New York for all.”
Image: Governor's website
