Governor Hochul Kicks Off Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act Listening Tour

 

First Stop Today in Buffalo for Statewide Series of In-Person and Virtual Listening Sessions

Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act was the Largest Environmental Ballot Measure Nationwide in 2022 and is the Largest Bond Act in New York State History

New York City and Virtual Listening Session Dates Announced

 Governor Kathy Hochul today launched the educational listening tour for the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act in Buffalo. The educational listening tour is part of the State's commitment to a collaborative and transparent process in the delivery of Bond Act funds. The tour provides an opportunity for the public and potential funding applicants to learn more about the Bond Act, and for the community to weigh in on the draft eligibility guidelines being developed to identify potential projects. The Bond Act was the largest environmental measure on the ballot nationwide in 2022, and marks the largest Bond Act in New York history and first since 1996.

"The Environmental Bond Act is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fund projects across New York that will protect clean water, create good-paying jobs, protect our beautiful open spaces and promote environmental justice," Governor Hochul said. "This listening tour will connect communities with State agency experts to begin this collaborative and transparent process and lay the groundwork to deliver essential funding across the state."

The session featured presentations on the Bond Act and the opportunity for one-on-one discussion with representatives of New York State agencies and authorities.

The next stops on the listening tour include:

• Central New York: June 8, from 1 to 3 p.m., State University of New York Cortland, Corey Union Function Room
• NEW! Virtual Meetings: June 26, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and July 26, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• North Country: July 14, 1 to 3 p.m., North Country Community College, Sparks Athletic Complex Alumni Gymnasium
• Capital Region: July 20, 1 to 3 p.m., University at Albany, Campus Center Auditorium
• NEW! Brooklyn: August 9, 6 to 8 p.m. Brooklyn College
• Lower Hudson: August 15, 1 to 3 p.m., Westchester County Center, Little Theater
• NEW! Bronx: August 22, 6 to 8 p.m., La Central YMCA gymnasium
• Long Island: August 24, 1 to 3 p.m., Suffolk County Community College, Suffolk Credit Union Arena

To register for any of these sessions, visit www.ny.gov/bondact.

Overwhelmingly approved by voters last fall, the Bond Act prioritizes investments in environmental justice, climate change mitigation, shoreline restoration, flood resilience, water quality, open space land conservation, recreational resources and green jobs.

The landmark Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act is the largest environmental bond in state history and the first in New York since 1996. The Bond Act will make $4.2 billion available for environmental and community projects that also support job creation and a substantial investment in the Clean Green Schools initiative that will serve more than 1,000 under-resourced public schools. Recognizing that vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected by negative environmental and climate change impacts, 40 percent of Bond Act benefits will be directed toward disadvantaged communities.

Specifically, the Environmental Bond Act authorizes:

• $1.5 billion for climate change mitigation;
• $1.1 billion for restoration and flood risk reduction;
• $650 million for water quality improvement and resilient infrastructure;
• $650 million for open space land conservation and recreation; and
• $300 million for other projects not specifically allocated in the Act.

State agencies, local governments and partners will be able to access Environmental Bond Act funding over a multi-year process. An inter-agency working group is currently identifying needs for environmental funding across the state and developing program logistics for Bond Act implementation.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Basil Seggos said, "DEC is excited to join Governor Hochul for today's opening listening session to help foster a better understanding of the opportunities provided by the historic Bond Act and hear from the public firsthand about projects of interest in their communities. We look forward to working with Governor Hochul and our agency partners to share information about the Bond Act across the state and lay the foundation for a successful implementation of this transformative effort."