Brooklyn, NY — Today, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered the 2019 State of the State and Budget Address in Albany. In response to his points on climate and environmental justice, Cata Romo, Fossil Free New York Campaigner with 350.org, issued the following statement:
“Governor Cuomo’s support of a Green New Deal is a testament to the pressure from thousands of New Yorkers. While we applaud this commitment, our communities, science, and justice demand rapid and sweeping action on the climate crisis.
“Cuomo said New York has the ‘nation’s leading environmental agenda,’ yet he continues to allow fracked gas pipelines and power plants to wreak havoc on our health and safety. Recognizing the need to move off fossil fuels and accelerate solar, wind, and storage, Cuomo failed to mention concrete legislation or transformative plans to get us from 5% renewables to a 100% renewable-powered fossil free New York.
“In 2019, real climate action means no fossil fuel projects, 100% renewables for all, and making corporate polluters pay for their destruction. That includes stopping fracked-gas projects like the risky Williams Pipeline, and passing sweeping legislation like the Climate and Community Protection Act.
“It’s been over a year since Cuomo claimed his support for divesting the state from fossil fuels, yet he continues to stand idly by while Comptroller Tom DiNapoli negotiates with rogue oil companies and pours billions of public dollars into the likes of ExxonMobil.
“With the leadership of frontline communities, New Yorkers are already hard at work building bold solutions. The door is wide open for Governor Cuomo to heed our calls and make New York a real climate leader.”
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Contact: Lindsay Meiman, [email protected], (347) 460-9082