Albany – Monday, the New York State Assembly joined their
Senate colleagues in passing A.1368/S.528, a bill to add environmental rights
to Article 1 of the State Constitution: “Each person shall have a right to
clean air and water, and a healthful environment.” The measure has now passed
both houses of the Legislature during two consecutive sessions, (the bill
previously passed both the Senate and Assembly in 2019) and will be placed on
this year’s general election ballot in November.
The bill is sponsored by Assembly Environmental Conservation
Committee Chair Steve Englebright and Senator Robert Jackson. If approved by
voters, New York will be the third state to align environmental rights with
political and civil liberties, such as freedom of speech and worship (the other
two states are Pennsylvania and Montana).
More than 70 organizations recently sent a letter to the
Legislature voicing support for the measure.
Peter M. Iwanowicz, Executive Director of Environmental Advocates NY said, “Does every New Yorker have a right to clean air and clean water? The State Legislature has again answered this question with an emphatic—YES. With the final passage of the Environmental Bill of Rights by the Assembly, New Yorkers will be able to answer this question for themselves in November. Until then, we look forward to working with all likeminded New Yorkers to ensure the right to clean air and water is finally included in our Constitution.”
