Long Island Lobby Coalition gets first bill passed!

The LI Lobby Day Coalition went to Albany in February with over 30 organizations seeking to pass a comprehensive legislative agenda adressing five key issues: transportation, economic development, environment and energy, sewer and infrasructure and human services). Since the LI Lobby Day, coalition members have been diligent in reaching out to legs to ensure progress on a number of our legislative items. as we speak, five bills have passed significant commitees or are very much alive this session in Albany. We are pleased to have our first bill passed and signed by the Governor this Wednesday.

The Long Island Lobby Day Coalition formed in 2009 in response to political chaos in Albany that put politics first and public service second. The groups in the growing coalition represent over 30 Long Island businesses, environmental groups, civics, human services, Smart Growth planners, labor groups and transportation advocates and includes: AARP, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Empire State Future, Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Federation of Labor, Long Island Business Council, Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Software and Technology Network, Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless, Suffolk Community Council, Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Vision Long Island. Participating organizations have included Coram Civic Association, Dowling College, Fair Media Council, Friends of Edgewood Preserve, Friends of Huntington Station, Glen Cove Business Improvement District, Gordon Heights Civic Association, Gordon Heights Chamber of Commerce, Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Huntington, Let there be Lighthouse, Long Island Housing Partnership, Mastic Beach Property Owners, Middle Island Civic Association, Neighborhood Network, New York League of Conservation Voters-LI Chapter, Plainview/Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce, Renaissance Downtowns, Rocky Point Civic Association, Save the Forge River, US Green Building Council and Youth of Ethical Societies-LI Chapter.

Read below for information about our first bill, now a law, and actions you can take to advance other pieces of legislation. Read our documentation on Complete Streets and Smart Growth Infrastructure.

This last week ushered in of a new era of safety for our children as lawmakers were finally able to place a ban on pesticides used in areas where our children play the most:  our schools.

Pesticide ban signed into law!

Advocates for safer school grounds won a victory on May 18th when Governor Paterson signed the Safe School Grounds bill into law.  The bill seeks to severely limit children’s exposure to hazardous toxins by banning the use of almost all types of chemical pesticides on school and day care center playgrounds, turf and athletic or playing fields.

"We are elated and thankful to Governor Paterson for signing the Safe School Grounds bill into law. Children are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of pesticides and exposing them to toxic pesticides in their schools and day care facilities is unacceptable when safe, effective alternatives are available. Senator Foley and Assemblyman Englebright are to be congratulated for their leadership in bringing this historic bill to a successful conclusion. This is the most significant pesticide legislation to be enacted in New York State in many years," said Demosthenes Maratos, Program Director for the Long Island Neighborhood Network.

The ban allows use of pesticides in cases of health emergencies or the protection of children from imminent threat of being bitten or stung by venomous pests. 

Tell lawmakers that Complete Streets and Smart Growth Public Infrastructure bills are priorities!

Last Monday, Vision Long Island headed to Albany in order to show our support for the Complete Streets and Smart Growth public infrastructure bills currently making their way through the New York State Senate and Assembly.  However, we can’t keep the pressure up by ourselves, so be sure and contact your local State Senator and Assemblyman in order to let them know that now is the time to pass these important and necessary bills!

Some notes on Complete Streets (S5711A): The Complete Streets Bill, S5711A, amends the state highway law, enabling safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing Complete Streets design principles. Complete Streets is a policy that ensures all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, children, seniors and individuals with disabilities are able to travel safely and conveniently on and across all roads. The legislation recognizes that bicycle and pedestrian travel are integral to New York’s transportation system, and requires that they are included in the planning and development of state, county and local transportation facilities, plans and programs. These accommodations would include, but not be limited to bicycle lanes, lane striping and paved shoulders suitable for use by bicyclists, shared road signage, crosswalks, pedestrian control signals, curb cuts and ramps. This bill would bring positive change to make our planners, both at the state and local level, consider all non-auto forms of travel as a routine part of project development as well as the planning for automobiles. It will bring more of a balance to our roads and make them safer and healthier for all users.

Some notes on Smart Growth Public Infrastructure (S5560/A8011): The State Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act, S5560/A8011, will sharply curtail the use of new public funds for projects that support or induce sprawl by redirecting some of that funding to efforts that lead to the economic revitalization of our communities. Sprawl exists in New York State in part because of public funding that prioritizes that type of development. However, there are 95 Smart Growth projects and 45 master plans, hamlet studies and vision plans of various size and scale currently underway throughout Long Island that reject sprawl and seek a more livable and sustainable system. Smart Growth has taken hold for Long Island’s local governments, businesses, advocacy groups and residents.

This bill clearly instructs state agencies and corporations to align their infrastructure planning and spending with Smart Growth criteria. The agencies would prioritize funding to the infrastructure and development plans of local governments, as well as create advisory committees that include community and environmental interests to review any proposed projects. The Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act conserves public expenditures for both services and infrastructure, promotes economic development throughout the State where it is most needed, protects open space vital to New York’s economy and helps New York State achieve its energy and climate change goals by reducing auto use.

For more information on these bills, please read Vision’s support memos for Complete Streets and Smart Growth Infrastructure.

You can read the full body of the Complete Streets bill here, and the Smart Growth Infrastructure bill here.

Contact your local State Senator and Assemblyman and tell them that now is the time to pass these important and necessary bills!

SMART GROWTH NEWS

Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Director of Communications
Contributors: Eric Alexander, Executive Director; Tara Klein, Planning Coordinator;
Tawaun Weber, Assistant Director; Elissa Ward, Director of Sustainability; Juliana Roberts Dubovsky, Planning Consultant; Chris Kyle, Program Coordinator

We strive to provide continued quality publications such as this each week. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration.

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For more information about Vision Long Island, visit visionlongisland.org or contact us at:
24 Woodbine Ave. Suite One Northport, NY 11768.
Phone: (631) 261-0242. Fax: (631) 754-4452.
Email: info@visionlongisland.org