New York Environmental Law
New York State’s FY 2024 Budget Includes Decarbonization and Renewable Energy Investments But Lacks Gov. Hochul’s Housing Plan
On May 3, 2023, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the highlights of the approved Fiscal Year 2024 state budget, including numerous investments in decarbonization programs and renewable energy development. Notably absent from the budget are the elements of Governor Hochul’s housing plan, which included a commitment to build 800,000 new units in a decade…
Recent Developments in PFAS Regulation
The regulation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continues to rapidly evolve at the New York State and federal levels. As further detailed in SPR’s prior blog post on this issue, PFAS are a family of chemical compounds with unique properties allowing them to withstand extreme temperatures, resist degradation, stains, and grease, and adopt nonstick…
Governor Hochul Approves Changes to Environmental Justice Amendments
On March 3, 2023, Governor Hochul approved the New York State Legislature’s “chapter amendment” (S01317/A01286) to the environmental justice law that was enacted in December 2022 (S8830/A2103-D). The original legislation amended the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) process and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYSDEC) permit approval process to expressly incorporate…
Governor Hochul Approves Environmental Justice Amendments to SEQRA
On December 30, 2022, Governor Hochul approved a bill passed by the New York State Legislature (S8830/A2103-D), which incorporates environmental justice concerns into the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) review process and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYSDEC) state permit approval process. Governor Hochul’s approval of the law is subject to…
Gov. Hochul Announces M-Corps Program to Bring Climate Technology to New York State
On November 9, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that more than $3.7 million would be allocated to bring innovative climate technology, manufacturing and products to New York State. According to the Governor’s press release, this initiative, known as the M-Corps Program, “will connect startups scaling goods that lower greenhouse gases or reduce energy consumption with…
Developments in Regulation of PFAS
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continue to emerge, so to speak, as a focus of regulatory attention on many levels: health, environmental remediation, and manufacturing. Below, we discuss some of the more recent developments affecting this ubiquitous class of chemicals. Nicknamed “forever chemicals,” PFAS are a family of chemical compounds with a wide range…