Toward the end of the 2022 legislative session in June, we saw unprecedented lobbying from fossil fuel companies, real estate developers, chemical manufacturers and cryptocurrency miners.

Combined with chaotic primaries and a general election in the fall, there was danger that the state would not meet its climate goals under CLCPA. After the dust settled during the last few days the legislature was in Albany, it turned out that a decent number of good bills passed, including a cryptocurrency moratorium, which will now need to be signed by the governor. There were some heartbreaking failures to get critical building electrification, green transportation, pollinator protection and extended producer responsibility bills over the finish line.

Read Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter staff's article summarizing the legislative wins and losses this year here.

Through the rest of the year we’ll be monitoring when these bills that got passed go to the governor’s desk for her signature and we might send out alerts to call her office if we think they need a boost. We are also monitoring the state agencies to get them to implement certain regulations, for example a new Maximum Contaminant Level for four more PFAS chemicals and notification levels for 19 more.

Critical this year is to get out the word about the Clean Water, Clean Water and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, on the reverse side of the ballot in November's general election. This historic proposal will finance projects that protect critical habitats, restore wetlands, prevent floods, and safeguard our drinking water.