For the past few years, it seems New Yorkers have been dealing with one weather-related disaster after another. We have seen heat waves and flooding, and you do not need to tell New Yorkers about hurricanes and tropical storms.
Unfortunately, climate scientists predict that extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy will become even more common if we do not cut our global warming pollution.
As a New Yorker, I expect our legislators to do everything in their power to protect us from another Sandy, but the state Senate, especially Sens. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) and Jeffrey Klein (D-Bronx), failed to reach an agreement to expand clean and renewable solar power in New York. I cannot image how this common sense issue failed to pass.
Just a few months ago, Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out a simple plan to grow solar power that, if passed by the state Legislature, would have kept 120,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions out of our atmosphere and powered electricity in 400,000 New York homes.
Many areas of New York, including Skelos’ district in Long Island, were devastated by Sandy. Why couldn’t Skelos at least agree to pass the governor’s plan for solar?
It is time for our legislators to stop playing politics and start solving global warming.
Natalie Galarza
Intern
Environment New York
Manhattan
