Assemblyman Santabarbara Invited to Speak at National Press Club in Washington, DC on New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act on the Anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act
Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara spoke today at a National Press Club press conference in Washington, DC, hosted by Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA). The event marked the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, gathering elected officials nationwide. It highlighted the role of environmental consciousness and social justice in shaping policies for a sustainable future. Santabarbara emphasized the Act's impact on New York's landscape and its alignment with the state’s pioneering Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which he helped pass in 2019.
Santabarbara, a longstanding member of the New York State Assembly Committee on Energy, noted that the partnership between the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and the Inflation Reduction Act signifies a commitment to addressing historical disparities and establishing environmental equity. He also stressed the Act's dedication to inclusivity and fairness, citing investments in renewable energy projects for historically marginalized communities, including solar arrays, heat pumps, and wind turbines in low-income housing. Notably, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act mandates that climate action benefits underprivileged communities.
“By collaborating with the Inflation Reduction Act, communities historically excluded and marginalized, enduring substantial exposure to harmful emissions, can be supported,” said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara. “The Justice40 initiatives within the Infrastructure Reduction Act, including the cities of Amsterdam and Schenectady in my Assembly district, in tandem with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, position New York State to enhance equity and health outcomes in these communities.”
Santabarbara concluded that the Inflation Reduction Act's anniversary reminds us of our responsibility to advance towards a world characterized by clean air and true equity.
Video from the Press Conference can be found here: