On Election Day 2022, New Yorkers across the state voted overwhelmingly in support of the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, paving the way for environmental improvements that will preserve, protect, and enhance our natural resources while creating jobs in the process.
This $4.2 billion investment will benefit all communities across the state, providing resources to help ensure New Yorkers have access to clean water to drink, investing in critical water infrastructure, restoring environmental habitats, reducing flood risks, preserving outdoor spaces and local farms, and investing in climate change mitigation and adaptation projects that will reduce air pollution, lower carbon emissions, and improve the ability of communities to withstand the climate-driven increase in severe weather events and flooding.
Projects and initiatives supported through the Bond Act will create nearly 100,000 jobs. In addition, the Bond Act includes labor provisions to ensure good-paying green careers, as well as the protection of our lands, water, and air for future generations of New Yorkers.
Decades of environmental justice research has shown that certain populations—particularly low-income and communities of color—shoulder a disproportionate burden of negative environmental outcomes such as pollution exposure and lack of access to green spaces. The Bond Act centers on equity and justice by requiring that disadvantaged communities, including those here in the north country, benefit from a minimum of 35 percent of its investments.
Now that the Bond Act has passed, New York state is developing the structures and plans to deliver the funding. To be considered bond-able, projects must have a useful life of at least 10 years and include safeguarding drinking water sources and reducing water pollution. These types of projects include upgrades to wastewater infrastructure, replacement of failing septic systems, investments in municipal stormwater projects, and protecting water quality by reducing farm runoff and improving soil health.
Funding will also be available to reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, the cornerstone of New York’s nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, to combat the harmful effects of climate change. Potential projects include protection of forest lands to store or reduce carbon and methane pollution, purchase of zero-emissions school buses, and increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy generation at state-owned buildings and public schools.
Other climate-related investments are anticipated to include waterfront revitalization and shoreline resiliency, restoring wetlands, streams, forests, and wildlife habitat, and raising or relocating flood-prone roadways and upgrading dams, bridges, and culverts.
The Bond Act has the potential to help make long-term improvements with projects that enhance public access to, and protect, nature. Upgrading state-owned fish hatcheries, restoring and building new, sustainable trails, opening new and improving existing parks, campgrounds, and nature centers are all be among the projects being considered.
The law helped specify what is eligible, now we are working to identify specific projects with stakeholder input in a transparent and effective way. Governor Kathy Hochul recently convened an inter-agency working group that is helping identify needs for environmental funding across the state in a way that promotes collaboration with stakeholders on potential new program development. More information will soon follow.
DEC is excited about the prospects of the Bond Act and what it will mean for the north country. We look forward to working with Governor Hochul and our state partners to advance this once-in-a-generation opportunity to safeguard clean drinking water and modernize our infrastructure.
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