Regional push is on toward statewide decarbonization

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Ulster County Legislator Phil Erner addresses the group
Members of the Rosendale Improvement Brass Band play outside prior the green gathering

KINGSTON – Environmental justice advocates, elected officials and community members gathered Wednesday in Midtown Kingston for the launching of Climate, Jobs & Justice Package, a legislative roadmap intended to push New York State toward future de-carbonization.

“We are gearing up,” said Melissa Everett, of Sustainable Hudson Valley, “and that’s what matters. In a transformation this humungous, the most important thing is to uncork the imagination.”

Three key elements, a fully funded New York State Climate Act, access to renewable energy and union green jobs, and payment from polluters and the ultra-rich, are part of the coalition’s plan to move the state toward a greener future.

“It’s about having a coherent industrial policy that gives us a framework,” said Everett. “New York State has created a bunch of incentives already, so I think were at the moment to gear it up.”

Everett said her organization works to promote private and public use of green technology. And one sector helped is automobile dealerships, and their conversion to selling and maintaining green cars.

“We also worked with EVs, dealerships and training them because it’s really different,” she said. “What we have seen in the last couple of years is a shift from all the dealers being intimidated to many of them getting in a figuring out their angle.”




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