New York is Awfully Quiet About Public Input on its Climate Plan

March 9th, 2022

As we’ve previously written about, New York is preparing to unleash a climate plan that comes with big changes and an even bigger price tag. The state’s Climate Action Council (CAC) has released a 341-page draft scoping plan that highlights some of these changes and has an online form where you can comment on that draft plan. You better hurry up though – the public comment period is only open until April 30, 2022.

If you’re wondering why this is the first time you’re hearing about this, you’re not alone. While New York has appropriately spent millions of taxpayer dollars on promoting booster shots, testing and masking in recent months through various forms of advertising, there’s been no comparable effort in promoting the CAC’s draft scoping plan or inviting the public to comment on that plan. This lack of communication is shameful and predictable.

And what if you wanted to go the extra mile and deliver your comments at a public hearing? Surely that information is easily accessible, right? You would think so, but no.

To find the draft public hearing schedule, you’d have to go to the state’s climate website, click on a link, click on another link, download a PDF and then know where to look in that PDF. Not to worry – we’ve got you covered.

The draft public hearing schedule – which is very light on details – is as follows:
April 5: Bronx
April 6: Brookhaven
April 12: Virtual
April 14: Albany
April 26: Syracuse
April 27: Buffalo
May 3: Brooklyn
May 10: Central Adirondacks
May 11: Virtual

It’s worth noting that there are no meetings for the Finger Lakes or Southern Tier regions – in which more than 1 million New Yorkers live and work.

While the CAC’s final plan remains murky, what is clear is that New York just isn’t interested in hearing from the public on its $340 billion green scheme.