Environmentalists and the Democratic Albany County Legislature Majority are applauding after Albany County Executive Dan McCoy signed a local clean air law passed by the legislature in mid-August.
“Local Law B” targets companies like LaFarge, which wants to burn tires at its Ravena cement plant, and Norlite, which was ordered to halt the burning of firefighting foam at its Cohoes incinerator.
McCoy, a Democrat, had the Clean Air Law on his desk since August 13th. Thursday marked the deadline for either signing or vetoing the bill.
"There's people that were not for this, that spoke against it. There's many more people that spoke for it."
Former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck says McCoy made the right decision.
"This will be the strictest county-level air pollution statute in the entire state and I applaud him for choosing to stand with the people and not the polluters."
While McCoy deliberated over signing the measure, his team gauged the county’s legal liability.
"I had to hear from everyone. And I feel as County Executive, and I do this with every local law, I take it to heart. I had to hear what everyone had to say."
LaFarge is expected to take Albany County to court.
