Five Queens City Council members earned a perfect environmental score last year from the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV).
The state organization recently released its annual NYC Council Environmental Scorecard which evaluates all 51 City Council members and their support of various environmental issues in the previous year.
NYLCV scores City Council members based on voting and sponsorship records on 13 key environmental bills that promote clean energy, improve public health and encourage sustainable transportation.
From the Queens delegation, Costa Constantinides (Chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection), Jimmy Van Bramer, Adrienne Adams, Donovan Richards and Eric Ulrich were among the 21 individuals who earned perfect scores for 2018.
Lawmakers were scored based on the “pro-environment” action they took in regards to the following 13 bills:
- Expanding Investigations for Lead Poisoning
- Lead Standards
- Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Outreach
- Mapping Wind Power Generation Potential
- Authorizing Small Wind Turbines
- Vision Zero Street Design Checklist
- Diesel School Bus Phaseout
- Electric Bicycles Conversion Program
- Electric Scooters Pilot Program
- Parks Capital Expenditures Reports
- Establishing an Office of the Waterfront
- Comprehensive Urban Agriculture Plan
- Organics Collection for City Buildings
Those who earned perfect scores took pro-environment action — either voting for or cosponsoring bills — toward all 13 bills. NYLCV said that as the council speaker, Corey Johnson was not graded.
“We are excited that so many Council Members support the environment and have taken pro-environmental actions as part of our scorecard. Kudos to the 44 Council Members who earned high marks this year! With the executive branch in Washington undermining years of environmental progress, it is more important than ever for local governments to fill that void,” said NYLCV’s President Julie Tighe.
The organization reported that the borough average for Queens lawmakers was 92 and ranks third behind Manhattan and Brooklyn lawmakers who earned an average of 94. No Queens lawmaker earned a failing score below 70.
Other Queens officials who earned at least an 85 to 92 are Councilmembers Barry Grodenchik (Chair of the Committee on Parks and Recreation), Paul Vallone, Peter Koo, Rory Lancman, Francisco Moya, Daniel Dromm, Daneek Miller and Karen Koslowitz.
Click here to see the NYLCV’s full report and see how the organization scored State Senators back in August.
