Urge Hochul To Immediately Sign Climate Superfund, Protect Immigrants

The Green Party of New York called upon Governor Hochul to begin delivering on her promise to stand up for New Yorkers after Donald Trump’s election by signing key climate legislation including the Climate Superfund bill and restarting congestion pricing.

The Green Party, which finished third in the national elections, also called upon state lawmakers to hold a special legislative session in early December to pass critical bills, particularly on climate and immigration rights, and to override any gubernatorial vetoes. They also said the Legislature should repeal the draconian ballot access laws passed under Cuomo in 2020 and work on making New York’s laws a gold standard for democracy and choice.

“We need action, not sound bites. Voters rejected VP Harris because they know the Democrats are much better at making promises than they are at delivering them. With Trump poised to withdraw from the Paris climate accords, it is up to the states to provide real leadership. Hochul should make polluters pay by immediately signing the Climate Superfund Act. The Governor needs to speed up climate action, not weaken the already too slow timelines in the CLCPA while embracing false and expensive climate solutions like nuclear and hydrogen,” said Peter A. LaVenia, Jr., Green Party of New York co-chair.

“Legislators need to respond to this political emergency not by jetting over to Somos to party on the beach with lobbyists, but by passing bills to protect immigrants and to curb climate change. Immigrants are a vital part of our community. It was shameful that the Democrats competed nationally with Trump to see who would be the most abusive towards immigrants. We need to ensure that Trump’s deportation efforts are rejected in New York,” added Gloria Mattera, Green Party of New York co-chair.

Other critical bills awaiting the Governor’s signature are the TREES Act on government procurement policy and tropical forests, banning fracking by using carbon dioxide, Good Food NY, utility intervention act, and various PFAS related measures. Among measures lawmakers should pass in a special session are two key environmental bills that the Assembly failed to act on are: the NY Heat Act (to align state agencies policies with the climate law and cap utility bills for low-income New Yorkers); and the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Act to reduce single use plastics and waste.

The Green Party also supports the Renewable Act to convert the capitol complex to 100% renewable energy within three years, and the Stop Climate Polluters Handouts Act to end various state subsidies for fossil fuels. While the Green Party prefers a carbon tax and dividend program, it believes the Governor’s delayed cap and trade program must  have a price on carbon that closely reflects the true social costs of carbon pollution (EPA estimate $190, not the $24 Hochul wants), protects environmental justice communities, prohibits carbon trading, includes electricity producers, and does not exempt the largest polluters (as trade challenged).

The  key immigration measures the Green Party wants lawmakers to approve are:

Access to Representation Act to expand funding for critical immigration legal representation services and guarantees access to lawyers for immigrants at risk of deportation in New York.

New York for All Act prohibits state and local officers from enforcing federal immigration laws, funneling people into ICE custody, and sharing sensitive information with federal immigration authorities. The bill prohibits ICE and CBP from entering non-public areas of state and local property without a judicial warrant.

The New York Dignity Not Detention Act gets New York out of the business of immigration detention.

Finally, Green Party leaders said it was long past time to repeal the draconian ballot access law changes made under Cuomo in 2020. Greens said they make it impossible for independent candidates and smaller parties to gain and maintain ballot status, limiting democracy in New York. Green leaders urged legislators to make New York a gold standard state for ballot access, lowering signature requirements and establishing multiple paths for smaller parties to reach and hold their ballot status, as many other states do.

Governor Hochul was quoted as saying she is ready to fight to defend and protect all New Yorkers. Now is the time for her and the legislature to take action before Trump assumes the Presidency.