Several prominent well-respected national and statewide consumer advocacy groups, including the Consumer Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, NYPIRG, Environmental Advocates of New York and the Fiscal Policy Institute have decried recent proposed legislation in the New York State Senate which would roll back over 2,000 regulations, many of which are aimed at protecting public health and safety, most notably a progressive statewide diesel emissions law which was enacted only seven years ago. The advocacy groups recently issued a press release, "Don't Turn New York Into West Virginia," referencing the recent chemical spill that has garnered national attention, which most experts attribute to lax statewide environmental regulations.
The recent legislation under fire has been spearheaded by recently elected State Senator Kathy Marchione (R - Saratoga County), who was named chairwoman of the State Senate's Administrative Review Commission (ARRC) last year. Most of the regulations to be repealed are in bill S.5166, authored by Marchione, which "seeks to start the process of repealing agency rules and regulations that are an impediment to economic growth and job creation."
Over 50 national and statewide consumer advocacy groups recently composed a letter to the Republican/Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) Majority Coalition, urging them to table any upcoming proposals to weaken public health or environmental laws in the New York State Senate:
January 17, 2014
Senator Skelos
Legislative Office Building, Room 909
Albany, NY 12247
Senator Klein
Legislative Office Building, Room 913
Albany, NY 12247
Dear Senators Skelos and Klein:
The regulatory rollback package proposed by the Majority Coalition is dangerous public policy and we urge you to withdraw the bills in the interest of public health, communities, and the environment. The proposal would undermine longstanding, finely-tuned public interest protections, by creating a fast-track process favorable to commercial interests that is not conducive to fair, informed treatment of environmental, consumer and public health concerns.
Regulations cannot be promulgated on a whim. They often are in response to statutory
obligations. Agencies, comprising practicing experts, follow the science and the law when
adopting standards to protect public health, worker safety, the environment, and our
communities.
State law then requires that agencies follow a rigorous process that provides for public review and opportunity to comment, thereby ensuring public and affected industry involvement in promulgating regulations. Should the Legislature ultimately believe that agencies are not properly interpreting statutory authority, it may amend laws to address any issues.
Special interests complain that regulations cost them too much, but that narrow view discounts well documented benefits to the people, the air, the water, and the lands of New York State. Many of the standards are critical to keeping our air breathable, our water drinkable, and our workplaces safe. Without them, New York would not be an attractive place to live, work, or do business.
We urge that you table these proposals
Adirondack Mountain Club * Adirondack Council * Adirondack Wild: Friends of the ForestPreserve * Advocates for Cherry Valley * American Lung Association of the Northeast * Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy * Catskill Mountainkeeper * Center for Environmental Health* Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY * Citizens Environmental Coalition * CitizenAction of New York * Citizens For Water * City of Buffalo Environmental ManagementCommission * Clean and Healthy New York * Committee to Preserve the Finger Lakes *Common Cause NY * Concerned Citizens of Otego * Concerned Health Professionals of NewYork * Consumers Union * CWA District One * Damascus Citizens for Sustainability *Delaware Riverkeeper Network * Dryden Resource Awareness Coalition * Earthworks * EmpireState Consumer Project * Environmental Advocates of New York * Environmental IntegrityProject * Fiscal Policy Institute * Gas Drilling Awareness for Cortland County * HealthySchools Network * Hudson River Sloop Clearwater * Hunger Action Network * HuntingtonBreast Cancer Action Coalition, Inc * Labor Religion Coalition * Long Island EnvironmentalVoters Forum * Long Island Pine Barrens Society * Long Term Care Community Coalition *Marcellus Accountability Project * Middlefield Neighbors * MoveOn.org * Natural ResourcesDefense Council * New Yorkers for Accessible Health Coverage * New Yorkers for FiscalFairness * New Yorker Lawyers for the Public Interest * New York Public Interest ResearchGroup * NYH2o * NYS Academy of Trial Lawyers * Otsego 2000 * Otsego Neighbors * PoliceBenevolent Association of New York State * Riverkeeper * Residents Opposing Unsafe Shale-Gas Extraction * Shaleshock of Central New York * Sierra Club – Atlantic Chapter * SouthernCayuga Anti-Fracking Alliance * Sullivan Area Citizens for Responsible Energy Development *Tri-State Transportation Campaign *Working Families Party
A good quote from Ron Deutsch, executive director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness:
“Under the guise of helping businesses, the Senate Majority Coalition has put forward a plan that seeks to eliminate thousands of regulations that were put in place for very good reasons. Unfortunately, the types of regulations they seek to eliminate make sure that workers are treated fairly by their employers and that businesses do not destroy our environment. This is a misguided attempt to curry favor with big business interests that will jeopardize the health and safety of our state's residents.”
Perhaps Laura Height, senior environmental advocate at NYPIRG did the best job of putting things into perspective:
“As we saw in West Virginia, there are consequences when you weaken regulations designed to protect our environment and public health. New Yorkers count on our government to ensure that our food is safe to eat, our water safe to drink, and our air safe to breathe. The Senate Majority Coalition’s pandering to special interests is nothing short of reckless.”