NY Governor Paterson, Lawmakers, Environmental Groups Hail Bigger Better Bottle Bill As Earth Day Victory

Lawmakers Honored by Environmental Groups for Bottle Bill on 40th Anniversary of Earth Day; Governor Also Announces Pesticide Reduction Plan to Safeguard Parks and Protect Environment

April 22, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today was honored by New York’s environmental advocates for signing into law the Bigger Better Bottle Bill and maintaining his commitment to the environment through this economic crisis.

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The legislation broke a 9-year struggle to update the 1982 law governing bottle deposits by expanding it to include bottled water. By retaining 80 percent of unclaimed bottle deposits, the State is expected to receive an additional $115 million in annual revenue to help address New York’s fiscal crisis.

Governor Paterson received the Earth Day Award from a coalition of more than 20 environmental groups including the Environmental Advocates of New York, New York Public Interest Research Group, Scenic Hudson, the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter and The Nature Conservancy. The groups also honored Senate Majority Leader Malcolm A. Smith, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senate Environmental Committee Chair Antoine Thompson and Assembly Environmental Committee Chair Robert Sweeney for passing the critical legislation.

“After nine years of hard work, we finally passed the Bigger Better Bottle bill. This new law will reduce litter, boost recycling, and create jobs,” said Governor Paterson. “On Earth Day, it is important to remember that our natural environment is not a special interest. Pollution and waste raise costs and kill jobs. Sustaining a healthy environment is central to creating jobs and rebuilding our economy for the future. Today, we should not have to fight to keep the air we breathe clean. But we do. We should not have to fight to keep the water we drink clean. But we do. We should not have to fight to preserve the integrity of our land. But we do have to. So we fight on, and I thank my colleagues in the Legislature for joining me in this fight.”

The Governor highlighted other environmental victories in the Enacted Budget, such as improvements to the Environmental Protection Fund, to which the budget appropriates $222 million to ensure that programs protecting New York’s water quality, open space, farmland and municipal parks remain intact. For the first time, 40 percent of the parks and waterfront revitalization funding will be targeted to underserved communities, up from 25 percent from previous years.

In his Earth Day remarks, Governor Paterson reiterated his commitment to clean air, clean water, healthy communities, fighting climate change, and promoting renewable energy policies. He remains a vocal advocate for clean water investments and greening State government, and led New York’s historic participation and leadership role in addressing global warming with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Governor Paterson adopted an ambitious but achievable “45 by 15” clean energy goal (45 percent of New York's electricity from renewable sources and efficiency improvements by 2015), setting New York on a path to become the global leader in the clean energy economy, creating green jobs, boosting the economy and protecting the environment.

Governor Paterson today also announced an initiative to substantially reduce pesticide use throughout the State park system. The pesticide reduction plan targets areas frequented by children, such as beaches, playgrounds, picnic areas, baseball fields, campgrounds, and hiking trails.

“New York has a magnificent State park system that is a tremendous resource for all New Yorkers,” said Governor Paterson. “People visiting our parks, particularly children, should not be exposed to pesticides. This effort will reduce or, when possible, eliminate the use of pesticides in our State parks and historic sites, a fitting tribute to our environment and its young stewards on this 40th anniversary of Earth Day.”

Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith said: “Now that the snow has melted, people in every community across this State will begin visiting our parks, and for good reason—they are safe and affordable. The use of some pesticides can compromise that safety because nearly every time a pesticide is sprayed, something other than the target is hit. Limiting their use is a very smart move and will help us avoid any potential health concerns they may cause.”

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said: “New York must always lead the way in preserving and protecting the natural resources our future generations depend upon. By reducing pesticide use in public park spaces, we can ensure a cleaner environment and healthier communities. Today we celebrate Earth Day to ensure that tomorrow we can bring ‘greener’ economic opportunities, smarter use of recourses and sound environmental policies to this State.”

The pesticide reduction policy is an outgrowth of Governor Paterson’s Executive Order No. 4, adopted in April 2008, which established procurement specifications to minimize State pesticide use by State agencies. State Parks policy goes further than the Executive Order requirements by eliminating pesticide use to the maximum extent possible. The goal is to keep parks pesticide-free. The approach is outlined in the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s Sustainability Plan, an agency-wide strategy to improve energy conservation, improve the sustainability of parks and historic sites, improve waste reduction and recycling efforts, enhance green procurement, and incorporate sustainability in education, training and interpretation efforts.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash said: “Patrons should be confident that the beaches, playgrounds, picnic areas and campgrounds where they go to relax and enjoy the great outdoors have not been treated with potentially harmful chemicals. Our efforts to significantly reduce pesticide use will help ensure the well-being of park visitors, especially young children, and will safeguard the long-term health of our parks and the plants and wildlife within them.”

Assemblyman Robert Sweeney, Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee said: “From our health to the economy, every aspect of our life is affected by the quality of our environment. I am pleased to see this initiative will substantially reduce pesticide use in the New York State park system. The Assembly is committed to keeping our parks safe for families to enjoy and protecting the environment for future generations.”

Executive Director of the Citizens’ Campaign for the Environment Adrienne Espositio said: “Parks and pesticides don't mix. This initiative will ensure our parks will remain beautiful and be safer.”

Laura Haight of the New York Public Interest Research Group said: “Parks should be for people, not for poison. We applaud Governor Paterson and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for this initiative to manage New York's parks in an environmentally sustainable way.”

Environmental Advocates of New York Executive Director Robert Moore said: “Governor Paterson and the New York State Legislature are to be commended for the green victories in this year's budget agreement. By expanding New York's most successful recycling program and maintaining the Environmental Protection Fund's stable funding formula, the Governor and State lawmakers recognized the critical relationship between the health of our environment and our economy.”

New York Legislative Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council Richard Schrader said: “Today’s initiative by Governor Paterson to eliminate pesticides in State parks puts New York State in the national leadership of open space protection policy.”

Barbara Warren of the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition said: “Our parks will soon be a toxics-free oasis - this is wonderful for our children and New York's future. I commend Governor Paterson and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for their leadership on this important issue.”

Source: New York Governor