Preparing New York for Climate Change

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Vice President Joe Biden already announced a $17 billion plan in January to revamp New York’s infrastructure in preparation for climate change, but environmentalists are also hoping to see legislation pass this year that would require nearly all state-funded projects to account for rising sea levels and future weather projections.

“This legislation looks at where the state is funding projects and says you have to have a resiliency plan, otherwise you don’t get funding,” said Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of the Environmental Advocates of New York. “It will ensure that we’re rebuilding smarter rather than just doing the same old thing—potentially putting up a seawall where we really should be making the hard decision not to rebuild to begin with.” 

But business advocates are concerned the bill could have unintended consequences if passed in its current form.

“The intent is laudable, but we’re concerned about the actual drafting,” said Darren Suarez, director of governmental affairs for the Business Council of New York. “The language of the legislation needs to reflect the intent of the legislation. Right now the two aren’t exactly paired.”

A major concern for Suarez is the difference between mitigation and adaptation, two terms he said are used interchangeably in the current bill. Mitigation involves curbing the magnitude of long-term climate change—reducing CO2 emissions, for example—whereas adaptation involves actively preparing for the inevitable change, such as rebuilding a home further back from the coast in anticipation of future flood levels. A Business Council memo on the legislation calls for adaptation instead of mitigation.

“We think adaptive preparation for sea level rise makes sense,” said Suarez, who said that the Business Council has supported mitigation efforts in other instances. “And it’s important to recognize that we’re not by any means opposed to legislation that addresses climate change, but mitigation is a different thing.”

The bill, which passed the Assembly last year only to die in the state Senate in January, is light on details, leaving it up to appointed officials like New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner to design the assessment process for projects. 

Sponsored by Assemblyman Robert Sweeney and state Sen. Diane Savino, it will be introduced again in early May as part of a package of bills aimed to celebrate Earth Day.

“My hope is they will draft something that meets the intent of the legislators, of the sponsors, and addresses technical concerns that we have and that could be considered by both houses in the legislature,” Suarez said. “If they’re willing to keep to the intent of the legislation, then yes, we will see something that will meet the needs of the business community and the environmental community.”