Save New York From Climate Change Impacts

New York communities and governance are not adequately prepared for the multiple threats looming from climate change, including more frequent flooding, storms, and storm surge. New Yorkers are all too familiar with such impacts after Hurricanes Ida, Sandy, and other devastating and “sunny day” flooding.

We need a coordinated and strategic plan for tackling these issues thoroughly and justly. The Climate Resilient New York Act (Harckham S3590) is a pathway to a safer, more resilient New York through strong leadership, government alignment, and long term, proactive resilience planning.

Multiple New York agencies have overlapping mandates charged with building resilience, with disjointed funding sources. S3590 would require a coordinated framework and resilience plan across multiple agencies, led by a Chief Resilience Officer in a newly created New York Office of Resilience.

Proactive planning for climate change impacts saves money. In just a 10-year period between 2011-2021, New York had 16 climate disaster declarations with recovery spending of $1,348 per resident, the second highest in the country. Digging out from the damage of a storm is costly, estimated to be six times higher without proactive resilience measures and planning. 

Long-term climate impacts and acute disasters disproportionately impact low-income people and people of color. S3590 requires a robust analysis of impacts and a plan for ensuring that the state’s disadvantaged and environmental justice communities are prioritized in resilience investments and strategies. 

The bill also includes: requirements for transparency and public availability of information regarding flooding, extreme heat events, storms and other climate risks; and, establish a means of tracking progress toward statewide goals on climate resilience.

Please join us in supporting the Climate Resilient New York Act! Take a few minutes and send your elected official a message about this bill (coming soon)!