New analysis documents taxpayer-funded giveaways, regions missing out on benefits
Environmental Advocates of New York is an affiliate of The National Wildlife Federation .
ALBANY, NY — March 19, 2015 — Environmental Advocates of New York will release “Ripe for Reform,” the organization’s fourth analysis of the state Brownfield Cleanup Program via tele-press conference on Thursday, March 19. Westchester On the Level with Narog and Aris, heard on the BlogTalkRadio platform will speak to Travis Proulx, Communications Director of Environmental Advocates of New York at 10:45am, Friday, March 20th.
With reforms to the program being negotiated by Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders as part of the SFY2015-16 budget, and thousands of toxic sites located in communities statewide awaiting redevelopment, Ripe for Reform documents:
· How taxpayer-funded credits have ballooned to benefit developers of a very limited number of sites;
· That the communities most in need of reform have been ignored because the program provides credits based on the value of the property after development, incentivizing locations like Manhattan or large-scale projects like the Syracuse-area Destiny USA shopping center.
· How most counties statewide have not benefitted from a single project receiving credits.
· The enormous credits being paid out to developers for reasons unrelated to the actual cost of cleanup.
SOURCE: Travis Proulx, Communications Director, Environmental Advocates of New York.
