Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, who is the only civil engineer serving in the New York State Assembly, received a perfect legislative score from the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) for his continued efforts to advance environmental issues and protect public health. Since 1989, NYLCV has been the only statewide environmental organization in New York that advocates for clean water, clean air, renewable energy and open space. They provide objective information about environmental policy to the public and work with elected officials on environmental issues.

NYLCV scored Assemblyman Santabarbara’s legislative performance on 13 bills that he was a sponsor of during this year’s session, seven of which passed the Assembly. Assemblyman Santabarbara championed all 13 measures, including a bill that was recently signed into law to strengthen the existing Farmland Protection Grant Program and help make farmland more accessible to young farmers (Chapter 158 of 2018).

In an effort to protect the health of our communities, Santabarbara also sponsored a law that requires prescription drug manufacturers to provide a statewide prescription drug take-back program (Chp.120 of 2018). Santabarbara also helped pass a measure that would bring the state’s water efficiency standards for plumbing fixtures and appliances in line with federal safety guidelines (A.5699-B).

In addition to his work at the state level, Assemblyman Santabarbara has fought to protect local families and environmental resources. Following a proposal put forward by Lystek, International, LLC to import 150,000 tons of sewage sludge to a processing facility in Montgomery County each year, Santabarbara, a civil engineer, expressed significant concerns about the unknown environmental and health risks associated with its operation in a letter to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Santabarbara also launched a petition for residents in the Town of Glen and the surrounding areas to voice their opposition to the project and later introduced legislation calling for a statewide moratorium that led to the company withdrawing its proposal.

“Whether it’s fighting to stop harmful proposals like the Lystek sewage sludge facility in the town of Glen or delivering critical funding for water and sewer infrastructure repairs in the City of Amsterdam, we must do everything we can to ensure the health and safety of our families and protect the natural resources in our area of upstate New York,” said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara. “I want to thank the NYLCV for their years of leadership, and I look forward to continuing our work together to protect our environment, the health of our families and the quality of life here in Montgomery County.”

“If we’re serious about safeguarding public health and promoting environmental sustainability, we need legislators who won’t compromise on these critical issues,” said Steve Helmin from The Citizens Against Local Landfills in Montgomery County. “Assemblyman Santabarbara is a tireless advocate for a wide array of environmental policies and a staunch protector of our state’s natural resources. We need more representatives like him in Albany.”