How Voters Said “Yes” to the Environment on Ballot Measures This Year
Sourced from the Environmental Defense Fund
New York voters overwhelmingly approved a $4.2 billion state environmental bond that includes major investments to reduce flood risk.
The vote comes 10 years after Hurricane Sandy smashed into the city, causing $19 billion of damage and taking 44 lives.
The Clean Air, Clean Water and Green Jobs Act will dedicate $1.1 billion to flood resilience measures, including restoring wetlands and streams to absorb flood waters, as well as relocating and repairing flood-prone roads or other infrastructure.
With the backing of a broad coalition of more than 300 labor unions, environmental advocates, farmers, firefighters, construction workers, local government groups and others from across the state, the measure passed with nearly 70% of the vote.
“States rarely dedicate long-term funding for coastal resilience work, and it’s desperately needed,” says Kate Boicourt of Environmental Defense Fund, who led a multilingual campaign to educate voters about the proposal. “This investment will benefit communities across the state for generations to come.”
From the Living Architecture Monitor
