The Environmental Advocates of New York, the state’s government watchdog, today praised the support of Assemblywoman Amy Paulin for her votes on all five of the environmental community’s priority “Super Bills” for 2009.

“Time is of the essence when it comes to passing legislation that protects New York’s environment. I'm proud that my colleagues in the Assembly have worked to pass these important bills, and it is my hope that the Senate will agree that protecting our air, land and water are an urgent priority,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.

“I am proud to congratulate the members of the State Assembly who voted to protect New York’s precious natural resources during the 2009 Legislative Session,” said Robert Moore, Executive Director of Environmental Advocates of New York. “Seventy seven members of the Assembly voted for every one of the environmental community’s priority Super Bills, including legislation to cap global warming pollution, protect our wetlands and drinking water, recycle toxic E-waste, and restore New Yorkers’ right to enforce environmental review laws.”

The 2009 Super Bills include:

• The Global Warming Pollution Cap would reduce New York State’s climate change pollution from all sources until total greenhouse gas emissions are reduced 80 percent by the year 2050;
• Electronic Waste (E-waste) Recycling would remove tons of toxic e-waste from landfills by requiring manufacturers to collect and recycle their products;
• The Environmental Access to Justice Act would restore New Yorkers’ right to enforce environmental review laws; and
• Wetlands Protection would close a loophole in New York law and give the state authority to protect wetlands less than 12.4 acres in size.
• An expansion of the state’s bottle deposit law to include bottled waters was passed in this year’s budget agreement. However, the bottle bill update is delayed by a federal court case.

The environmental community’s priority bills are selected annually by the Green Panel, which is made up of representatives from more than a dozen of New York’s environmental organizations.