Show Description:

With the midterm elections just one month away, many voters are likely focused on who will control Congress, the economy, or other high-profile national elections. But for a large and growing number of us, the top concern is the well-being of our environment and addressing the climate change emergency. 

Prioritizing environmental protection makes sense since there are few, if any, issues that will more significantly impact our health and the stability of our society in years and decades to come. The challenge for environmental voters is finding candidates who share our concerns about these issues and keeping abreast of opportunities to vote for the passage of environmental laws.

Join HealthyPlanet’s Bob DiBenedetto for an interview with Julie Tighe, the President of the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) and the NYLCV Education Fund. They highlight important environmental issues in NY State and beyond, as well as the extensive benefits of the recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act. They also discuss the NYLCV’s 2022 Environmental Scorecard–an essential voting aid that outlines the environmental issues in NYS, and lists the actual environmental voting records of the candidates on our election ballots! (See link below.)

Finally, you’ll hear about the historic Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Bond Act that will appear on the back of NY election ballots this November. This Proposition 1 is a rare opportunity for New Yorkers to address some of the pressing needs of our communities on a range of issues from water quality improvement, to water and sewage infrastructure, to flood risk reduction, to the protection and expansion of our open spaces, to mitigation of the many impacts of a changing climate and much more. 

Julie Tighe stated, “New York stands on the brink of a historic opportunity to protect our water and air, shore up our water infrastructure, and improve the quality of life in every part of the state — all while supporting thousands of good-paying jobs and investing in disadvantaged communities.”

Voters will have the opportunity to vote on this transformative proposition that has been estimated to create 100,000 well-paying jobs in NY State. One critical component of the bond act is the focus on ensuring that benefits reach environmental justice communities. The measure requires that 35 percent of the $4.2 billion be spent on projects that benefit disadvantaged communities. And all this will take place with no noticeable increase in our state taxes.

Listen in to hear how to become a more empowered environmental voter in 2022 and beyond. And be sure to vote on November 8 or via early voting from October 29th thru November 6th throughout NY State. 

 (SEE BELOW FOR USEFUL “RELATED LINKS AND RESOURCES”)

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