Leader Stewart-Cousins and Senate Democrats Receive Leading Environmental Scores

Albany, NY - Today, EPL/Environmental Advocates announced that Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins received a perfect score of 100 on their annualEnvironmental Scorecard. Senator Todd Kaminsky, Ranking Member on the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, also received a perfect score. Fourteen other members of the Senate Democratic Conference received perfect scores in total, giving the conference the highest average score in the State Senate with a 93. The scorecard was calculated by how members of the New York State Legislature voted on the most crucial environmental issues facing New Yorkers during the 2017 Legislative Session.

Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “I’m proud that my score and that of our conference highlights our commitment to protecting our environment and natural resources across New York State. While Donald Trump and his Republican allies continue to roll back environmental protections, it is crucial that New York State steps up to protect our environment and serve as an example to the rest of the nation.”

Senator Todd Kaminsky, Ranking Member on the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, said, “I have made sustaining and protecting our environment a priority. We have a responsibility to ensure clean air and drinking water and to promote renewable energy for Long Island’s future generations. I am proud to have supported and advocated for each of these initiatives.”

The 2017 Environmental Scorecard cited that the Senate Majority Coalition advanced 4 “smokestack” bills that would actually harm our environment while the Assembly Majority refused to advance any of these harmful bills. The scorecard also praised the efforts of Leader Stewart-Cousins and Senate Democratic Conference Members from different parts of the state for their continued leadership on environmental issues.

BACKGROUND:

• Republican Leader John Flanagan received a 71 while the Senate Republican Conference received an average score of 70.
• Republican and Environmental Conservation Chair, Senator Thomas O’Mara, received a 68.
• Republican Senator Tom Croci was given the 2017 Oil Slick Award for his poor record on the environment.
• IDC Leader Jeff Klein received a 71 while the IDC received an average score of 85.
• PoliticoNY: New Senate leader questions climate change: http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2015/05/new-senate-leader-questions-climate-change-022076
• In a radio interview on "The Capitol Pressroom," Flanagan, a Republican from Long Island, said, “Based on the winter we just had, you say to yourself, are we really going through climate change." http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/blogs/vote-up/2015/05/12/coming-to-a-town-near-you-senate-leader-john-flanagan/27198767
• Flanagan's comments echo those of State Senator John DeFrancisco of Syracuse, who he defeated to become majority leader. While explaining why the Senate passed an Earth Day resolution that omitted the phrase “climate change,” DeFrancisco said it was a “politically correct term.”
• Senator DeFrancisco explains why the term "climate change" was missing from resolutio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5XvBip1CPs
• DeFrancisco said "climate change" was left out of the resolution "because it's sometimes difficult to follow the politically correct term. It was global warming a few years ago."