Prepare a report on barriers and opportunities for access to or community ownership of certain services and commodities in disadvantaged communities.

Following at least two public hearings, pursuant to the CLCPA the DEC must prepare a report on barriers to, and opportunities for, access to or community ownership of services. The  report must be submitted to the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly and the Temporary President of the Senate and posted on the DEC website. The report shall include recommendations on how to increase access to the following services  and commodities:

  • Distributed renewable energy generation.
  • Energy efficiency and weatherization investments.
  • Zero-emission and low-emission transportation options.
  • Adaptation measures to improve the resilience of homes and local infrastructure to the impacts of climate change including but not limited to microgrids.
  • Other services and infrastructure that can reduce the risks associated with climate-related hazards, including but not limited to: 
    • Shelters and cool rooms during extreme heat events;
    • Shelters during flooding events;
    • Medical treatment for asthma and other conditions that could be exacerbated by climate-related events.


Statutory Language: 

CLCPA §6(1)-(2): “On  or before  two years of the effective date of this act, the department of environmental conservation, in cooperation with the New York state energy research and development authority and the New York power  authority, with input from relevant state agencies, the environmental justice advisory group as defined in section 75-0101 of the environmental conservation law, the climate justice working group  as defined in section 75-0111 of the environmental conservation law and Climate Action Council established in article 75 of the environmental conservation law, and following at least two public hearings, shall prepare a report on barriers to, and opportunities for, access to or community ownership  of the following services and commodities in disadvantaged communities as identified in article 75 of the environmental conservation law:

a. Distributed renewable energy generation.
b. Energy efficiency and weatherization investments.
c. Zero-emission and low-emission transportation options.
d.Adaptation measures  to improve the resilience of homes and local infrastructure to the impacts of climate change including but not limited to microgrids.
e. Other services and infrastructure that can reduce the risks associated with climate-related hazards, including but not limited to:
i. Shelters and cool rooms during extreme heat events; ii. Shelters during flooding events; and
iii. Medical treatment for asthma and other conditions that  could be exacerbated by climate-related events.

2. The report, which shall be submitted to the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the temporary president of the senate and posted on the department of environmental conservation website, shall include recommendations on how to increase access to the services and commodities."