Bill > A05104

This bill amends the Environmental Conservation Law to establish a comprehensive public engagement process for investing resources under the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The bill requires state agencies to invest resources in a way that ensures disadvantaged communities receive between 35-40% of benefits from clean energy and energy efficiency programs across areas like housing, workforce development, and transportation. The public engagement process must maximize involvement of community members through strategies such as coordinating with local community-based organizations, providing sufficient advance notice of public input opportunities, offering fair compensation to participants, implementing a language access plan to engage non-English speakers, accommodating individuals with disabilities, using clear and accessible language, and integrating principles of cultural competence and social justice. The bill mandates that before any resources can be invested, agencies must first go through this detailed public engagement process, which aims to give disadvantaged communities a meaningful voice in developing local clean energy initiatives. Agencies are also allowed to reference an existing report from a 2019 law to help design their engagement strategies. The bill will take effect 91 days after becoming law.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5104