The fourth ballot measure has statewide reach: the Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Bond Act. I was proud to vote in support of the bond act because it gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to better protect our state against the worst effects of climate change. This bond act would invest a landmark $4.2 billion in environmental projects across New York in four categories: Water Quality & Resilient Infrastructure, Open Space Conservation & Recreation, Restoration & Flood Risk Reduction, and Climate Change Mitigation. These projects will include actions like safeguarding New York’s clean drinking water against pollution; creating good, green energy jobs; reducing lead exposure and increasing energy efficiency in public buildings; improving public health by planting more street trees; conserving wildlife habitats, forests, and wetlands; updating crucial infrastructure across the state, including roads, sewers, and drinking water pipes, and more.

As any New Yorker whose home has flooded in a storm, suffered a sewer back up, lamented the high temperatures on city streets, or experienced issues with their drinking water knows, the projects funded by the Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Bond Act aren’t just about the future of our state: they are about its present, too. The last time New York State enacted an environmental bond act was over 25 years ago; we cannot wait another 25 years to ensure all New Yorkers have access to clean drinking water or life-saving shade in the summer. As the upcoming 10th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy painfully reminds us, we can’t afford to wait to tackle climate change; we must act now to keep our communities safe and healthy from the worst impacts of a changing climate. The bond act will be the first question at the top of your ballot.