Fiscal Year 2007-08 Budgetary
Funding For The Environment

Provides almost $1.2 billion for the environment that includes:

• $55 million for open space land acquisition;

• $26.625 million for waterfront revitalization projects;

• $21.225 million for municipal parks projects;

• $8 million for zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums;

• $4 million for local recycling programs.

The budget also establishes and provides $2 million in funding for a pollution prevention institute. Other initiatives include funding for a new Climate Change Office and a study to assess New York’s wastewater infrastructure needs.

New State Environmental Laws

Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) Funding
Chapter 258
Increases the State’s Environmental Protection Fund to $300 million. Provides substantial increases in municipal parks, waterfront revitalization, municipal recycling, open space land acquisition, non-point source pollution control and farmland protection, plus new funding for wastewater treatment projects, invasive species management and Ocean and Great Lakes initiatives.

Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act
Chapter 596
Gives municipalities in Westchester and Putnam counties the power to hold a public referendum on funding the creation or protection of open space, historic buildings and properties, town parks, and working farmland. The dollars will be generated by a real estate transfer fee of up to two percent paid by the buyer on the price of a home that is above the town’s median sale price.

Auto Global Warming Labels
Chapter 466
Better informs consumers regarding greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles by requiring global warming index labels to be placed on the windows of new automobiles.

Sea Level Rise Task Force
Chapter 613
Establishes the New York State Sea Level Rise Task Force to evaluate ways of protecting the State’s coastlines and natural habitats in the face of sea level rise brought on by global warming.

Restricting the Use of Hazardous Creosote
Chapter 172
Phases-out the manufacturing, sale and use of creosote and regulates its disposal. The use of creosote has been linked to a number of health problems for workers and the contamination of surface and ground water.

Things You Can Do To Reduce Carbon Emissions

Change a light.
One regular light bulb replaced with a compact fluorescent light saves 150 pounds of CO2 a year.

Drive less.
Walk, bike, carpool to save one pound of CO2 for each mile you don’t drive.

Recycle more.
Recycle half of household waste to save 2,400 pounds of CO2 a year.

Check your tires.
Properly inflated tires improve gas mileage by more than 3% and save 20 pounds of CO2 per gallon of gas saved.

Use less hot water.
Install low flow showerhead (350 pounds of CO2 saved per year) and wash clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year).

Avoid products with a lot of packaging.
Save 1,200 pounds of CO2 if you reduce your garbage by 10%.

Adjust your thermostat.
Move your thermostat down 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer to save about 2,000 pounds of CO2 a year.

Plant a tree.
A single tree absorbs one ton of CO2 over its lifetime.

Turn off electronic devices.
Turn off your TV, DVD player, stereo, and computer when not in use to save thousands of pounds of CO2 a year.

Source: www.theclimateproject.org

Unfinished Environmental Business

	Sandy gets a demonstration from David Gristina of Putnam Valley to learn how to use a smart meter during off-peak hours to save money on electricity bills. Galef bill A0811A/S4969-A allows homeowners to buy smart meters just like business and industry do.

Smart Meter Bill, A08111A/S4969-A
I introduced this bill to give residential electric customers the same option to control their utility costs that large commercial and industrial users have. It allows residents to use “smart metering” to utilize electricity during cheaper off-peak times of the day. Smart metering programs that exist for corporations have proven successful in New York and throughout the country as a way to control costs, conserve energy, and prevent service disruptions. Let’s give individuals the same option.

	Sandy joins local residents (top) Margaret Yonco-Haines of Garrison, Hall Gibson of Brewster, and (front) Judy Allen of Putnam Valley at Bear Mountain State Park for the National Day of Climate Action, to rally Congress to pass legislation to cut 80% of carbon emissions by 2050.

Property Tax Relief for Middle Class Homeowners

Middle Class STAR Rebate. New Yorkers are eligible for a new real property tax rebate passed by the legislature. House, condo and co-op owners have until November 30th to apply. This is not just for seniors and is in addition to the regular STAR program. Rebate checks will be calculated on a sliding scale based on income. In our region, the maximum benefit goes to homeowners earning $120,000 or less with benefits gradually decreasing until a homeowner’s income reaches $250,000.

Go to the Tax Department’s Web site, www.nystax.gov or call 1-877-678-2769.

	Eartheasy.com has tips for doing everyday chores without caustic chemicals.
	Greedimes.com and 41pounds.org gets you off junk mail lists.
	Rbrc.org finds drop-off centers for rechargeable batteries and cell phones.
	Cristina.org finds a home for your used computer.

Source: Newsweek

	Turn off equipment when not in use; turn off lights in empty rooms.
	Don’t print e-mails unless absolutely necessary.
	Reduce fax-related paper waste. Use a fax modem that lets documents be sent directly from the computer and use cover sheets only when necessary.
	Print and copy double-sided documents whenever possible.
	Choose suppliers who take back packaging for reuse.

Sources: About.com, Environmentally Friendly Business, Indianapolis Star research.