According to some environmental advocates, the past New York state legislative session was a big letdown – primarily because the Climate and Community Investment Act didn’t pass. It would have placed a tax on carbon emitters. But Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of Environmental Advocates NY, said the session saw plenty of hurdles to “business as usual."

“I’ve been at this business for about 30 years and this was one of the more interesting and challenging sessions because, as an environmental lobbyist, we weren’t allowed to lobby in the lobby. The state capitol was closed to the public. So, everything else after that you have to put into perspective,” Iwanowicz noted.

One urgent priority that did not pass was the Climate and Community Investment Act. Iwanowicz told Capital Tonight that the idea needs another session for lawmakers to get comfortable with it.

“Sometimes with big pieces of legislation like this, it takes several years for the policy to sort of germinate in the soil of the state legislative process,” he said. “The politics have to come in line as well. It took almost five years to get the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act done. It’s going to take another session to get the CCIA to a spot where people understand the policy and the wisdom of the approach, but also understand the politics and are comfortable with it.”

While Iwanowicz noted that the environmental community didn’t accomplish everything it wanted, it did see some successes.

“We had a great budget. $300 million [for the] environmental protection fund; $500 million in additional monies going to water infrastructure. The legislature did approve an Environmental Bond Act, which will appear on next year’s ballot – that’s $3 billion,” he noted.

Other environmental wins include a law that requires auto manufacturers to only sell electric vehicles and a clean-air-and-water constitutional amendment that will appear on the ballot in November of this year. 

“This fall on our ballots, we are all, as New Yorkers, were given that ability to vote for adding environmental rights to our state’s constitution,” Iwanowicz explained.

The amendment on November’s ballot will read, “…each person shall have the right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment.”