Priorities for 2016 include: LIRR Third Track, Water Quality, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, and Solar Installations
(Long Island, NY) Today, the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) Long Island Chapter released its 2016-2017 Blueprint for a Greener Long Island. On the heels of last year’s county and municipal elections, NYLCV’s Long Island Chapter worked closely with local advocates to develop an environmental policy agenda for government officials to help guide their work over the next two years.
The Blueprint for a Greener Long Island tackles several key issue areas facing the region and offers more than 70 specific recommendations. Topics include: sustainable & transit oriented development; water quality and aquifer protection; sustainable transportation; open space preservation; natural resource protection; sustainable public asset management; energy; and farms and local food.
The full Blueprint is available here.
NYLCV also identified four achievable goals that it will focus its advocacy efforts on over the next two years:
- Expand Solar Power– Work with municipalities to streamline and standardize regulations that will spur additional large-scale and rooftop solar installations.
- Improve Water Quality– Identify financing mechanisms to replace failing septic systems.
- LIRR Third Track– Ensuring that the Long Island Rail Road completes a planned third main line track from Floral Park to Hicksville will remove a bottleneck in the commuter rail system, making service more frequent and reliable, and thereby reducing highway traffic by getting cars off the roads.
- Expand Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure– A larger network of charging stations will encourage more municipalities, businesses and individuals to switch to EVs in the coming years.
Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters said: “From its failing wastewater systems to its overreliance on a car-dependent transportation system, Long Island has no shortage of sustainability challenges. The good news is we have provided a path for Nassau and Suffolk’s elected leaders tackle them head on at the town and county levels. We look forward to working together to make our recommendations a reality.”
Mitchell H. Pally, Chair of the NYLCV’s Long Island Chapter said: “The thing that separates Long Island is that, on local issues, its leaders put their differences aside and make sure that what’s best for Long Island comes first. The LIRR Third Track, solving our water crisis, and expanding solar power and electric vehicle infrastructure are all good for our economy and for the environment. These are priorities everyone should get behind.”
NYLCV is the only statewide organization that uses the power of endorsements to hold elected leaders accountable for their environmental track records. Progress on these recommendations will factor into NYLCV’s endorsements in local elections in 2017.
The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) is the only non-partisan, statewide environmental organization in New York that takes a pragmatic approach to fighting for clean water, healthy air, renewable energy, and open space. Follow NYLCV on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
