Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Queens) Chairman of the Subcommittee on Renewable Energy had a rewarding year for the efforts he put towards greening up New York State. The EPL/Environmental Advocates 2011 Voter’s Guide, the environmental scorecard for the New York State Legislature, gave Assemblyman Hevesi a perfect score of 105 for his environmental voting record during the previous session. A further boost was provided when Governor Cuomo signed Assemblyman Hevesi’s bill A-7793, a tax credit to encourage the use of environmentally friendly biofuels for home heating, into law on October 14, 2011.

Of the 28 bills EPL/Environmental Advocates graded Assembly Members for their support on, ranging from the Water Resources Protection Act to the Carmans River Protection Act, Assemblyman Hevesi favored all of the bills and was a top sponsor of the Solar Industry Development and Jobs Act. Along with supporting his colleague’s green legislation, Assemblyman Hevesi scored a feat for biofuels this past legislative session with his extension of the clean heating fuel credit. Biofuels, which are formed by the fermentation of crops into alcohol known as bioethanol, or by creating biodiesel from substances such as vegetable oil, have a common characteristic of significantly reduced levels of the environmentally harmful carbons that contribute to climate change. In an effort to sustain the usage of these environmentally responsible fuels, Assemblyman Hevesi extended a tax credit for users aimed at stabilizing the cost of these fuels during peak consumption seasons. The extension of the clean heating fuel credit will continue until 2017.

“I was honored to receive the highest score possible of 105 from EPL/Environmental Advocates placing me as a top advocate for green legislation in the New York State Assembly.” Hevesi said. “Encouraging the use of renewable and environmentally responsible energy and protecting against the contamination of our precious natural resources should always be a top priority for governmental officials in this state. On this message, I would like to applaud my colleagues in the Assembly, supporting members in the Senate, and the Governor for helping to extend the clean heating fuel credit until 2017. The benefits of this act will protect consumers from spiking fuel prices in peak seasons, and in turn encourage the further usage of these environmentally responsible biofuels.”