OntheWilderSide

Ask Governor Spitzer to make New York a national leader when it comes to global warming.During his first State of the State address, Governor Eliot Spitzer said we should build on regional efforts to address climate change. While New York State cannot do it alone, there are actions we can take now to turn back the clock when it comes to global warming. Much of the groundwork has been laid in the form of New York’s leading role in the country’s first regional plan to cut climate-altering pollution—the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative—and plans to increase energy efficiency and the amount of clean energy we use.

We can do more. It’s time to ask our new Governor to finalize the plan to cut pollution from power plants as soon as possible and then to expand the initiative to include other sources.

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Governor Eliot Spitzer

Below is the sample letter:

Subject: Let’s Make New York a National Leader in the Fight Against Global Warming

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

I am writing you as a member of Environmental Advocates of New York to thank you for supporting New York’s role in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in your first State of the State Address.

I understand that you are working with other Northeastern states to tackle global warming and I encourage you to finalize the regional plan to cut climate-altering pollution from power plants. I also strongly encourage you to expand the initiative to include sources of pollution other than power plants, such as manufacturing and heavy industries.

New York can and should be a national leader when it comes to addressing the challenges of climate change. Scientists say higher temperatures due to global warming will accelerate smog formation in urban areas, leading to more air pollution alert days and increasing the incidence of asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes and other respiratory ailments. Addressing global warming goes hand-in-hand with improving air quality in cities.

New York State is home to one of the largest economies in the world and our efforts to reduce global warming pollution are integral to the global efforts already under way. New York and its partner states must demonstrate that significant reductions are possible by expanding the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to include additional sources. This will put the region on the right path to achieving emission levels that would cut pollution and possibly stabilize the climate.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,

 
What’s At Stake:

During his first State of the State address, Governor Eliot Spitzer laid a strong foundation for addressing the challenges of climate change by expanding our role in the country’s first regional plan to cut emissions from power plants. We think New York can and should do more.Governor Elliot Spitzer stated that he will take action on several fronts that will aid New York’s efforts to combat global warming, including energy efficiency and encouraging the development of more clean, renewable energy sources. Click here to read the Governor’s first State of the State Address.

New York has played a leading role in creating the regional plan to cut climate-altering pollution—the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative—and our plan to increase energy efficiency and the amount of clean energy we use to 25 percent of the state’s total energy needs.

We can do more. It’s time to ask our new Governor to finalize the plan to cut pollution from power plants as soon as possible and then to expand the initiative to include other sources. Click here to contact the Governor.

Here’s what New York can do:Be a leader. California currently has an economy-wide plan when it comes to addressing global warming and cutting the pollution that causes climate change. It’s time for New York to step up and be a leader in the Northeast.

Environmental Advocates of New York is asking Governor Spitzer to expand the Regional Greenhouse Gas Iniative to include sources other than power plants. This would include manufacturing and heavy industries.

If California can do it, why can’t we?

Stay tuned. We’ll be back in touch soon with updates on the details of New York’s role in the plan to cut climate-altering emissions, also known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

For more information about Environmental Advocates of New York’s campaign to make New York State a leader in the fight to stop global warming, visit www.eany.org.

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