By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-953942.mp3
Albany, NY – On the second anniversary of the passage of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, better known as the "stimulus," An environmental lobbying group has released an original report on how the state spent its share of the economic stimulus package. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
New York is set to receive approximately $33.5 billion in stimulus funds, of which about $5 billion has been or will be directed to projects and programs with environmental benefits. Environmental Advocates of New York fiscal policy program director Alison Jenkins says the green projects are helping the state's economic recovery. Among those projects - a 450-thousand dollar stimulus grant to the Rensselaer County city of Troy.
"Rather than a waste of taxpayers' money decried by some pundits, New York's share of the stimulus is already reducing water pollution, saving energy, and making a significant dent in the state's public transportation infrastructure needs. New York smartly directed stimulus dollars to worthy green projects that are helping the state's economic recovery while protecting our air, land and water," said Jenkins.
According to $timulating Green:
* Almost $500 million was invested in clean and drinking water infrastructure, offsetting the $74.9 billion needed to address New York's aging water infrastructure.
* The state is investing nearly $1.7 billion in energy efficiency and clean energy projects across the state, reducing our dependence on dirty fossil fuels and saving New Yorkers money on energy costs.
* More than $2.6 billion is being invested in transportation projects from Buffalo to the Bronx, not just rebuilding highways, but reducing traffic congestion by improving public transportation and high speed rail projects.
Jenkins notes that the U.S. Department of Energy reported New York received almost $1.7 billion in stimulus funds for green energy projects. According to the Office of the State Comptroller, the Department of Environmental Conservation received $432 million for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which financed 80 projects, including a landfill closure in Plattsburgh.
Stimulus funds aren't always a "given" --- last year the State of California was rejected by the Obama administration in its request for hundreds of millions of dollars in federal education Race to the Top money. Closer to home, a $33-million dollar fiber-optic project that would have brought high-speed internet service to New York's Southern Adirondacks was denied stimulus funding.