NYLCV Releases 2018 State Environmental Scorecard From Harlem To Hollis

The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) has announced the release of its 2018 Environmental Scorecard, reflecting how State Legislators acted on important environmental and public health issues.

Since 1989, NYLCV has worked to lobby state and local elected officials on environmental issues, provide objective information about environmental policy to the public, and hold elected officials accountable. The organization began issuing a State Legislative Environmental Scorecard last year and has now issued the second annual scorecard for the first time ever in an election year.

The scorecard complemented the organization’s endorsement process – endorsed candidates will be announced later in August.

NYLCV issued memos on more than 30 bills throughout the session and sent a weekly Eco Hot List to policymakers, which included a list of all the bills it issued memos on and their status in each chamber. This year’s scorecard examined 13 key bills that addressed issues of clean energy, public health, and transportation. Of the bills scored, five passed the Senate and seven passed the Assembly. These bills were scored on whether or not a member voted for them on the floor. The remaining bills were scored on whether or not a member is a co-sponsor.

The full document is available here.

Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters, said: “New York’s environment and public health are under assault from a hostile federal government and we need our legislators to fight for robust protections. This scorecard is a reflection of who prioritized our environment and who put personal quarrels first. Unfortunately, legislative leaders often put partisan brinkmanship ahead of protecting their constituents this session and killed multiple bills that would have easily passed had they been given a floor vote.

We encourage voters to use this resource in the Fall 2018 elections when deciding who they want to represent their region and the environment.

We encourage voters to use this resource in the Fall 2018 elections when deciding who they want to represent their region and the environment. NYLCV will continue to fight for bills that failed to pass this session including the prohibition on offshore drilling, requiring disclosure of toxic chemicals in children’s products, safe disposal of paint, and reducing plastic bag waste. We will support legislation and policymakers that prioritize environmental progress, and expect higher scores in 2019.”

Highlights Include:

• 47 legislators earned a perfect score of 100% and 49 others received an 85% or higher.
• Regionally, the average score for state senators was highest in Westchester and the lowest was in the Capital Region, while the average assembly member score was highest in Manhattan and lowest in Western New York.
• 22 State Senators and 62 Assembly members received marks below 70%.

Average Scores by Conference:

• Senate Democratic Conference: 92%
• Assembly Democratic Conference: 83%
• Senate Republican Conference: 60%
• Assembly Republican Conference: 59%
• Perfect Scores of 100

Senate: Uptown’s Marisol Alcantara, Jamaal T. Bailey, Neil D. Breslin, John E. Brooks, Martin Malavé Dilan, Jesse Hamilton, Brad Hoylman, Todd Kaminsky, Liz Krueger, Shelley Mayer, Velmanette Montgomery, Jose Peralta, Roxanne J. Persaud, Luis R. Sepúlveda, Jose M. Serrano, Toby Ann Stavisky

Assembly: Thomas J. Abinanti, Charles Barron, Michael Blake, David Buchwald, Robert C. Carroll, William Colton, Steven Cymbrowitz, Anthony D’Urso, Harvey Epstein, Patricia Fahy, Sandy Galef, Richard N. Gottfried, Ellen Jaffee, Charles D. Lavine, Donna A. Lupardo, William B. Magnarelli, John T. McDonald III, Yuh-Line Niou, Steven Otis, Amy Paulin, Christine Pellegrino, Dan Quart, Linda B. Rosenthal, Nily Rozic, Angelo Santabarbara, Rebecca A. Seawright, Jo Anne Simon, Michaelle C. Solages, Phil Steck, Fred W. Thiele, Jr., Carrie Woerner

High Scores

Senate:

92% – Kenneth P. LaValle, Phil Boyle, Carl L. Marcellino, Elaine Phillips, James Sanders, Jr., Tony Avella, Leroy Comrie, Roxanne J. Persaud, Diane J. Savino, Brian Kavanagh, Jeffrey D. Klein, David Carlucci, Pamela Helming

85% – Michael Gianaris, Kevin S. Parker, Martin J. Golden, Brian A. Benjamin, Terrence Murphy, Pattie Ritchie, David J. Valesky, Rich Funke, Timothy M. Kennedy

Assembly:

92% – David I. Weprin, Andrew Hevesi, Aravella Simotas, Félix W. Ortiz, Walter T. Mosley, N. Nick Perry, Deborah J. Glick, Al Taylor, Carmen N. De La Rosa, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Carmen E. Arroyo, Kenneth Zebrowski, James Skoufis, Billy Jones, Anthony Brindisi, Al Stirpe, Pamela J. Hunter

90% – Aridia Espinal

85% – Melissa Miller, Alicia Hyndman, Brian Barnwell, Kevin A. Cahill, Didi Barrett, Barbara Lifton, Harry B. Bronson, Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes, Raymond Walter

Low Scores

Senate:

30% – Thomas D. Croci

38% – Sue Serino, George A. Amedore, Jr., James Tedisco, James L. Seward, Betty Little, Fred Akshar, Catharine Young, Chris Jacobs

46% – William J. Larkin, Jr., John J. Bonacic, Kathleen A. Marchione, Joseph A. Griffo, John A. DeFrancisco, Michael H. Ranzenhofer

54% – Andrew J. Lanza, Robert G. Ortt

58% – Gustavo Rivera

62% – Joseph E. Robach, Patrick M. Gallivan

69% – Simcha Felder, Thomas F. O’Mara

Assembly:

33% – Dov Hikind

40% – Doug Smith, John K. Mikulin, Nathalia Fernandez, Jake Ashby, Erik T. Bohen

42% – Kieran Michael Lalor, Marc W. Butler

45% – Gary D. Finch

46% – Stephen Hawley, David DiPietro

50% – Marcos A. Crespo, Chris Tague, Christopher S. Friend

54% – Phil Ramos, Andrew R. Garbarino, Michael J. Fitzpatrick, Earlene Hooper, Michele R. Titus, Jeffrion L. Aubry, Nicole Malliotakis, Brian D. Miller, Ken Blankenbush, William A. Barclay, Joseph A. Errigo, Mark Johns, Michael J. Norris, Angelo J. Morinello, Joseph M. Giglio, Andy Goodell

55% – Robin Schimminger

58% – Ron Castorina, Jr., Karl Brabenec

62% – Anthony H. Palumbo, Daniel Rosenthal, Helene E. Weinstein, Maritza Davila, Erik M. Dilan, Latrice Walker, Michael Benedetto, J. Gary Pretlow, Aileen M. Gunther, Mary Beth Walsh, Bob Oaks, Peter Lawrence

67% – Ron Kim, Latoya Joyner, José Rivera

69% – Andrew P. Raia, Edward P. Ra, Stacey Pheffer Amato, Edward C. Braunstein, Michael G. DenDekker, Michael Miller, Peter J. Abbate, Jr., Tremaine Wright, Michael Cusick, Kevin M. Byrne, Dan Stec, Clifford W. Crouch, Philip A. Palmesano, Sean Ryan

Special Recognition

Lifetime Environmental Champion – Assemblymember Richard Gottfried: Assemblymember Gottfried has served in the Assembly since 1971 and, as chair of the Assembly Health Committee, has been a leading protector of public health for decades. He earned a perfect score in 2018 and NYLCV is once again proud to endorse him for reelection this fall. When he is reelected this fall and completes his next term in office, Assemblymember Gottfried will become the longest serving state legislator in New York history. Here’s to 50 more!

Rising Stars – Senators Luis Sepúlveda and Shelley Mayer, and Assemblymember Robert Carroll: Assemblymember Carroll earned a perfect score in each of his first two years in office. As a member of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee, he has been an outspoken advocate for the issues that matter most to NYLCV members, including reducing plastic bag waste and fully funding the MTA. Senator Sepulveda won a special election for his seat in April after serving three terms in the Assembly. He earned a perfect score in his abbreviated first term in the Senate, following a 93 last year as a member of the Assembly. Senator Sepúlveda has been one of the most proactive members of the Legislature in listening to the voices of NYLCV members. Senator Shelley Mayer was also elected to the Senate after three terms in the Assembly. She earned a perfect score in her first term in the Senate and serves as a member of the Environmental Conservation Committee, where she has used her experience as a former legislative staffer to offer shrewd advocacy for NYLCV causes.

Bipartisan Leadership – Assemblyman Fred Thiele & Senator Kenneth LaValle: An independent who caucuses with the Assembly Democratic Conference, Assemblyman Thiele earned a perfect score in both 2017 and 2018 and has consistently taken courageous stands for the environment of the course of his career. Senator LaValle sponsored more of the bills on this year’s scorecard than any other member of the Senate and earned a score of 92 this year and 87 last year, both high scores for a member of the Senate Republican Conference. Assemblyman Thiele and Senator LaValle have partnered on a number of important environmental causes over the years, most recently on legislation to preserve working farms, and their efforts to work across party lines in both houses of the Legislature have benefitted all New Yorkers.

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, and Twitter.