PRESS RELEASES

Friday, March 13, 2009
Paulin’s Environmental Bills Pass Assembly

Two environmental bills authored by Assemblywoman Amy Paulin have passed the Assembly. Paulin’s bill (A.626) promotes the use of alternative energy by adding renewable energy resources such as thermal and wind energy to the list of factors a town must consider when creating its zoning and planning regulations. The current list includes safety from fire, flood, panic and other dangers. Adding renewable energy is both environmentally and financially smart.

The second bill (A.779) addresses children’s health by requiring the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to consider the environmental impact of building projects on sensitive populations. Data has shown that contaminates in water, air and soil affect children and other sensitive populations differently than they affect the general public. Adding this provision to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) will help safeguard the health of vulnerable populations and positively impact the environment.

“Promoting clean air, soil and water and reducing or eliminating pollutants is a responsibility we must take very seriously now so that we leave a better, brighter world for our children and future generations,” stated Paulin.