2022 Oil Slick Award “Won” by Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay

Assemblymember Pat Fahy Earns Environmental Legislator of the Year

Albany – Today, Environmental Advocates Action (EA Action) released its full 2022 Environmental Scorecard—the definitive guide for New York voters, helping them make informed decisions about their state legislator’s environmental voting record when exercising their right to vote.

In addition to state legislative races, this fall New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote for a $4.2 Environmental Bond act, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect clean drinking water, modernize infrastructure, and improve quality of life across the state.

Peter M. Iwanowicz, Executive Director of Environmental Advocates Action said, “The Scorecard informs voters just who is—and who is not—advancing environmental priorities in Albany. So, when making a plan to vote, make sure to consult the Environmental Scorecard to learn your Legislator’s scores. And make sure to find Prop 1 on your ballot and vote YES for clean water and jobs.”

Oil Slick

Every year, EA Action presents an “Oil Slick Award” to a lawmaker that has repeatedly voted against the environment and put the priorities of polluters ahead of public health. For his embarrassingly bad environmental record, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Pulaski) has earned this year’s dubious “Oil Slick Award”.

Iwanowicz said, “Assemblymember Barclay scored a 34% in the 2022 Environmental Scorecard, a 23% in 2021, a 43% in 2020…. you get the picture. He has consistently stood up for the profit of the polluting industries, ignoring the health of his constituents. He is a reliable voice against a clean energy future and a reliable vote for the fossil fuel industry. For those reasons and more, we award Assemblymember Will Barclay this year’s Oil Slick.

Also receiving “Dishonorable Mentions” this year were Assemblymember Carrie Woerner and Senator Jim Tedisco for their disappointingly low scores.

Legislator of the Year

Each year Environmental Advocates Action also recognizes a lawmaker who has gone above and beyond protecting the environment. This year’s Legislator of the Year is Assembly Member Pat Fahy. For three consecutive years, Assemblymember Fahy has scored a 100% in the Environmental Scorecard and this year she is the lead sponsor of 4 out of the 27 bills rated in the scorecard.

Iwanowicz said, “Since day one, Assemblymember Pat Fahy has been a driving force for nation-leading environmental policy. Thoughtful in her approach, dogged in her advocacy, she has been successful in getting important environmental legislation passed. Environmental Advocates Action is delighted to honor Assemblymember Fahy as our 2022 Legislator of the Year.”

2022 Overview

The 2022 Legislative Session saw several green bills pass, including legislation that would:

  • Protect streams and wetlands to ensure that wildlife habitats are protected and that all New Yorkers can have access to clean water;
  • Address the climate crisis by:
    • Cutting energy waste in our homes and business with new codes and standards for appliances;
    • Requiring all school buses to be zero-emission by 2035;
    • Requiring all vehicles, including the state’s fleet to be electric no later than 2035; and
    • Putting a moratorium on the conversion of shuttered power plants to cryptocurrency “mining” facilities.
  • Reduce solid waste by supporting recycling programs and requiring carpet manufacturers to take responsibility for their products back instead of being disposed in a landfill or burned in an incinerator;
  • Assess the cumulative impacts of projects to reverse the awful history of environmental racism;
  • Clear the air of toxics particularly in low-income communities and communities of color;
  • Increase funding in the state budget for land protection, climate action, children’s environmental health programs, and clean water infrastructure; and
  • Increase the size and scope of the proposed environmental bond act to ensure funding for environmental justice and strong labor standards for the people who will do the work.