New York Proposal 1, Environmental Bond Measure (2022)

New York Proposal 1
Election date November 8, 2022
Topic Bond issues and Environment
Status a Approved
Type Bond issue	Origin State Legislature

New York Proposal 1, the Environmental Bond Measure, was on the ballot in New York as a legislatively referred bond question on November 8, 2022. The measure was approved.

A "yes" vote supported issuing $4.20 billion in general obligation bonds for projects related to the environment, natural resources, and water infrastructure, as well as projects classified as climate change mitigation.

A "no" vote opposed this measure issuing $4.20 billion in general obligation bonds for projects related to the environment, natural resources, and water infrastructure, as well as projects classified as climate change mitigation.

Election results

New York Proposal 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		3,522,141	67.62%
No		1,686,300	32.38%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

How would the bond revenue be distributed?

See also: Measure design

Proposal 1 issues $4.20 billion in general obligation bonds for projects classified as climate change mitigation, flood-risk reduction, water infrastructure, and land conservation and recreation. The ballot measure requires that bond issue revenue be distributed as follows:^[1]

• up to $1.50 billion for air and water pollution reduction projects; wetland protections to address sea-level rise, storm surge, and flooding; relocating or retrofitting facilities; green building projects; solar arrays, heat pumps, and wind turbines in public low-income housing areas; zero-emission school buses; street trees and urban forest programs; green roofs and reflective roofs; and carbon sequestration on natural and working lands.

• at least $1.10 billion for flood-risk reduction, coastal and shoreline restoration, relocating and repairing flood-prone infrastructure and roadways, and ecological restoration projects.

• up to $650.00 million for land conservation and recreation plans, programs, and projects, as well as fish hatcheries; and

• at least $650.00 million for projects related to wastewater, sewage, and septic infrastructure; lead service line replacement; riparian buffers; stormwater runoff reduction; agricultural nutrient runoff reduction; and addressing harmful algal blooms.

The ballot measure would require that at least 35% of bond revenue benefit disadvantaged communities.^[1]

How was the bond issue placed on the ballot?

See also: Path to the ballot

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) proposed the bond issue during his State of the State Address on January 8, 2020.^[2] The New York State Legislature referred the $3.00 billion bond issue, titled the Restore Mother Nature Bond Act, to the ballot for November 3, 2020. However, the bond issue was withdrawn on July 30, 2020, due to financial concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, according to Gov. Cuomo.^[3] In April 2021, the state Legislature again passed the bond measure, sending the issue to the ballot for November 8, 2022.^[4]

In September 2021, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) asked legislative leaders to amend the bond issue to include an additional $1 billion.^[5][6] Renamed the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, the change increased the bond amount from $3.00 billion to $4.20 billion. The state Legislature passed the changes on April 8 as part of the annual budget legislation, and Gov. Hochul signed the bill on April 9.^[1]

Measure design

Distribution of bond revenue

The following table shows which projects would have been eligible for funding from the bond issue:

Click show to expand the bond revenue table.

New York Proposal 1 (2022)
Amount	Purpose	Eligible projects
up to $1.5 billion	climate change mitigation projects	not less than $500.0 million for zero emission school buses and supporting infrastructure not less than $400.0 million for green buildings projects on state-owned buildings, state colleges and universities, and public schools not less than $200.0 million for reducing or eliminating "water pollution or air pollution affecting disadvantaged communities" not less than $100.0 million for climate adaptation and mitigation projects, such as: wetland protections to address sea-level rise, storm surge, and flooding; flood-risk reduction projects; land acquisition for "flood mitigation and coastal riparian resiliency; "relocation or retrofit of facilities to address physical climate risk;" "greenhouse gas emission reductions outside the power sector;" "easily-replicated renewable energy projects, including solar arrays, heat pumps and wind turbines in public low-income housing in suburban, urban and rural areas" projects that utilize "natural and working lands to sequester carbon and mitigate methane emissions from agricultural sources," including manure storage through cover and methane reduction technology urban forestry projects, including street trees and habitat restoration projects to reduce the urban heat island effect, including green roofs, open space protection, community gardens, cool pavement projects, projects that create or upgrade community cooling centers, and the installation of reflective roofs where installation of green roofs is not possible projects to reduce or eliminate air pollution from stationary or mobile sources affecting disadvantaged communities projects to reduce or eliminate water pollution affecting disadvantaged communities
not less than $1.10 billion	flood-risk reduction and ecological restoration projects	projects identified in state and regional management and restoration programs and plans, including the Great Lakes Action Agenda, Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda, Ocean Action Plan, Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda, Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, South Shore Estuary Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan, Peconic Estuary Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, Delaware Action Plan, Susquehanna Action Plan, forest management framework for New York City, and New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary Plan local waterfront revitalization plans not less than $100.0 million for coastal rehabilitation and shoreline restoration projects, including nature-based solutions no more than $250.0 million for purchasing properties identified as at-risk to flooding from willing sellers for flood-risk reduction projects relocating, repairing, and changing existing flood-prone infrastructure and roadways removal or alteration of right-size dams, bridges, and culverts ecological restoration projects, including floodplain, wetland and stream restoration, forest conservation, endangered and threatened species projects, and habitat restoration projects to support fish and wildlife
up to $650.0 million	land conservation, recreation, and fish hatcheries	not less than $200.0 million for open space land conservation projects not less than $100.0 million for purchasing conservation easements to preserve farmland recreational infrastructure projects no more than $75.00 million for creating, improving, and maintaining fish hatcheries
not less than $650.00 million	water improvement projects	not less than $250.0 million for municipal stormwater projects not less than $200.0 million for wastewater infrastructure projects, including grants to municipalities for projects that reduce or control stormwater runoff, using green infrastructure where practicable wastewater infrastructure projects, including establishing or extending sewer lines to replace septic systems or cesspools lead service line replacement projects to reduce, avoid or eliminate point source discharges and non-point source discharges to water projects that reduce agricultural nutrient runoff and promote soil health, including nutrient management plans and non-point source abatement and control establishment of riparian buffers to provide distance between farm fields and streams or abate erosion projects that address harmful algal bloom

Terms and definitions

The ballot measure included several terms that were defined in the legislation, including:^[1]

• The Climate Justice Working Group, housed within the state Department of Environmental Conservation, was responsible for defining disadvantaged communities.^[7] The working group was required to consider socioeconomic criteria, pollution and environmental hazard, and areas vulnerable to flooding, storm surge, and urban heat island effects.^[8][9]

• Legislation defined green buildings project to include:
  • "installing, upgrading, or modifying a renewable energy source at a state-owned building or for the purpose of converting or connecting a state-owned building or a public school building, or portion thereof, to a renewable energy source;"
  • "reducing energy use or improving energy efficiency or occupant health at a state-owned building or a public school building;"
  • "installing a green roof at a state-owned building or a public school building;"
  • "installation of renewable heating and cooling systems at a state-owned building or a public school building;" and
  • "emission reduction projects."

• The phrase nature-based solution was defined as "projects that are supported or inspired by nature or natural processes and functions and that may also offer environmental, economic, and social benefits, while increasing resilience. Nature-based solutions include both green and natural infrastructure."

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title was as follows:^[10]

“

To address and combat the impact of climate change and damage to the environment, the "Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022" authorizes the sale of state bonds up to four billion two hundred million dollars to fund environmental protection, natural restoration, resiliency, and clean energy projects. Shall the Environmental Bond Act of 2022 be approved?[11]

”

Ballot summary

The official ballot summary was as follows:^[10]

“

The purpose of this proposal is to authorize the creation of state debt and the sale of state bonds in the amount of up to four billion two hundred million dollars ($4,200,000,000) for certain capital projects for the purpose of making environmental improvements that preserve, enhance, and restore New York's natural resources and reduce the impact of climate change. If approved, the proposal would allow the State to borrow up to $4,200,000,000 to provide funding for capital projects for the following: restoration and flood risk reduction (at least $1,100,000,000), open space land conservation and recreation (up to $650,000,000), climate change mitigation (up to $1,500,000,000), and water quality improvement and resilient infrastructure (at least $650,000,000). The proposal also would allow the State to refund the debt to take advantage of lower interest rates if the opportunity arises. To accomplish this, the proposal authorizes the State Comptroller to issue additional state bonds in sums up to or exceeding the amount of the bonds initially issued to refund, to advance refund, or otherwise to repay part or all of such bonds prior to the scheduled dates of their maturity.[11]

”

Full text

The ballot measure was a provision, Part NN, of Senate Bill 8008C, which was state budget legislation. The following is Part NN of SB 8008C:^[1]

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2022

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state legislature wrote the ballot language for this measure.

The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 17, and the FRE is 28. The word count for the ballot title is 59.

The FKGL for the ballot summary is grade level 22, and the FRE is 20. The word count for the ballot summary is 180.

Support

Vote Yes for Clean Water and Jobs was the organization in support of Proposal 1.^[12]

Supporters

Officials

• Gov. Kathy Hochul (D)

Unions

• NYS Laborers’ Organizing Fund

Organizations

• Environmental Advocates of New York
• New York League of Conservation Voters
• New Yorkers for Clean Water & Jobs
• Riverkeeper, Inc.
• The Nature Conservancy

Arguments

Opposition

Opponents

Political Parties

• New York State Conservative Party

Arguments

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for New York ballot measures

Vote Yes For Clean Water and Jobs was the PAC in support of Proposal 1. The organization raised $4.58 million in support of the ballot measure, and spent $4.56 million in expenditures.^[13]

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$3,916,231.00	$667,847.66	$4,584,078.66	$3,897,685.20	$4,565,532.86
Oppose	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in support of the measure.^[13]

Committees in support of Proposal 1
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Vote Yes For Clean Water and Jobs	$3,916,231.00	$667,847.66	$4,584,078.66	$3,897,685.20	$4,565,532.86
Total	$3,916,231.00	$667,847.66	$4,584,078.66	$3,897,685.20	$4,565,532.86

Donors

The following were the top donors to the committee.^[13]

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
The Nature Conservancy	$975,000.00	$229,651.93	$1,204,651.93
Scenic Hudson Inc	$600,000.00	$39,697.13	$639,697.13
NRDC Action Fund	$0.00	$111,306.62	$111,306.62
WE ACT for Change	$10,000.00	$95,882.00	$105,882.00

Polls

See also: 2022 ballot measure polls

Are you aware of a poll on this ballot measure that should be included below? You can share ballot measure polls, along with source links, with us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

New York Proposal 1, Environmental Bond Measure (2022)
Poll	Dates	Sample size	Margin of error	Support	Oppose	Undecided

Siena College Research Institute	9/16/22-9/25/22	655 LV	± 3.9%	55%	26%	12%
	Question: "Also on the ballot this year is a proposal to authorize the sale of up to $4.2 billion of state bonds to fund environmental protection and clean energy projects. Will you vote yes or no on the environmental bond act, or do you not intend to vote on that?"
Note: LV is likely voters, RV is registered voters, and EV is eligible voters.

Background

Bonds on the ballot in New York

See also: Bond issues on the ballot

Between 1990 and 2021, statewide ballots featured seven bond issues. Voters approved three (43 percent) of the bond issues. Voters rejected four (57 percent) of the bond issues.

Year	Measure	Amount	Purpose	Outcome
2014	Proposal 3	$2.00 billion	Education	a
2005	Proposal 2	$2.90 billion	Transportation	a
2000	Proposal 1	$3.80 billion	Transportation	d
1997	Proposal 3	$2.40 billion	Education	d
1996	Proposal 1	$1.75 billion	Environment	a
1992	Proposal 1	$800.00 million	Infrastructure	d
1990	Proposal 1	$1.975 billion	Environment	d

Path to the ballot

See also: Legislatively-referred state statute

The New York Constitution (Section 11 of Article VII) requires that bond issues, with exceptions, go before voters for approval or rejection. In the New York State Legislature, a simple majority vote in each legislative chamber is required to refer a bond issue. The governor's signature is needed for a bond issue to be placed on the ballot.

2020

On January 8, 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) proposed the bond issue during his State of the State Address. The New York State Legislature approved budget legislation that included the bond issue; however, the bond issue was withdrawn in response to COVID-19 and the pandemic's expected economic impact.^[2]

On July 30, 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that the 2020 bond measure was being pulled from the ballot. "The financial situation is unstable. I don't think it would be financially prudent to do it at this time," said Gov. Cuomo. In April, as part of the state budget bill, the New York Director of the Budget was empowered to remove the bond measure from the ballot should the budget department decide that there would be an adverse effect on the state's finances.^[14]

2021

The ballot measure was proposed again during in 2021 as a provision of Senate Bill S2509C. On April 6, 2021, the New York Senate voted 38-25 to approve SB S2509C. Of Senate Democrats, 38 voted "yes" and 5 voted "no". All 20 Republicans voted "no." On April 7, the New York State Assembly voted 88 to 61 to approve the bill. Democrats were divided 88-18. All 43 Republicans voted against the legislation. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed the bill on April 19, 2021.^[4]

2022

In September 2021, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) asked legislative leaders to amend the bond issue to include an additional $1 billion, thus increasing the bond amount from $3 billion to $4 billion.^[15][16] The budget bill introduced in 2022, Senate Bill S8008C, increased the bond amount from $3.0 billion to $4.2 billion. The bond measure was also renamed as the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act.^[1]

On April 8, 2022, both the Assembly and Senate passed a budget bill that included a provision amending the bond measure. On April 9, Gov. Hochul signed the legislation.^[1]

Vote in the New York State Senate April 8, 2022 Requirement: Simple majority of all members in each chamber Number of yes votes required: 32  a Yes No Not voting Total 48 15 0 Total percent 76.19% 23.81% 0.00% Democrat 43 0 0 Republican 5 15 0

Vote in the New York State Assembly April 8, 2022 Requirement: Simple majority of all members in each chamber Number of yes votes required: 75  a Yes No Not voting Total 113 35 0 Total percent 76.35% 23.65% 0.00% Democrat 101 4 0 Republican 11 31 0 Independence 1 0 0

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in New York

Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in New York.

How to cast a vote in New York

Poll times For primary elections, polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. in New York City and the counties of Dutchess, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, and Erie. Polls open at 12:00 p.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. in all other counties. Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. for general elections. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[17] Registration Check your voter registration status here. To vote in New York, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of the county, city, or village for at least 30 days prior to the election, and at least 18 years old by the date of the election. People who are in prison for a felony conviction and those who have been declared mentally incompetent by a court are ineligible to register to vote. One cannot register to vote in New York while claiming the right to vote elsewhere.[18] Registration applications are available at the county board of elections or any agency-based voter registration center. Forms are also available online, or prospective voters can request the form by mail.[18] Completed forms returned by mail must be postmarked at least 25 days prior to the election. The form must then be received by election officials at least 20 days before the election. A registration done in person must be completed at least 25 days prior to the election.[19] Residents may also register to vote online through the DMV Electronic Voter Registration Application. These applications are forwarded to the board of elections; applicants should allow up to six weeks for processing.[20] New York also offers a conditional type of voter registration, which requires the use of an affidavit or provisional ballot. This type of registration is available until ten days prior to Election Day. Once election officials verify the information provided, the voter's registration is confirmed and their ballot is counted.[21][22] Automatic registration New York automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through a number of state agencies including the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Health, the Department of Labor, and others. Online registration See also: Online voter registration New York has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registration New York does not allow same-day voter registration. Residency requirements In order to register to vote in New York, applicants must reside in the county, city, or village in which they are registering for at least 30 days prior to the election. Verification of citizenship See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States New York does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. Verifying your registration The New York State Board of Elections allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website. Voter ID requirements New York does not require voters to present identification while voting.[23] However, if a voter does not provide valid identification at the time of registration, he or she must show identification at the polling place when voting for the first time[24][25] Voters can present the following forms of identification: A current, valid photo ID, including but not limited to a drivers' license or a DMV-issued non-driver photo ID A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document with the voter's name and address

See also

2022 measures 2022 ballot measures Bond issues on the ballot Environment on the ballot 2022 legislative sessions

New York New York ballot measures New York ballot measure laws

News and analysis Ballot measure lawsuits Ballot measure readability Ballot measure polls

External links

• New York Senate Budget Bill 8008 (2022)

Footnotes

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