Mobilizing the Region
Issue 265April 14, 2000


Green Groups Reserved on NY Bond Act - Want to See Highway Project List -

Last week, nine state-wide and regional environmental organizations wrote to Governor Pataki, NY Assembly Speaker Silver and State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, stating that they would not support an increase in the state's 5-year highway program beyond Governor Pataki's executive budget request of $14.3 billion without assurances that the program would not contain major highway expansion elements.

The budget framework deal agreed to by the Governor, the Assembly and the Senate last week would put a $3.8 billion bond issue before NY voters in November to hike both highway and transit budgets.

"We support investment in the state's existing roadway network. However, we are extremely skeptical of highway expansion as a congestion relief strategy, and view highway construction and widening generally as promoting sprawl, air pollution, traffic and other negative impacts," said the letter, which was signed by Environmental Advocates, Environmental Defense, NYPIRG, Scenic Hudson, the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, Sustainable Long Island, the Tri-State Campaign and others.

The groups called for release of a detailed NY State DOT program as soon as possible.




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