Weekly E-News: Sunday, January 16, 2022

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and we reflect on his legacy of equality, justice, and dignity for all Americans — regardless of their creed, race, or background. This week, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm visited the Port of Albany, which will host the nation’s first Offshore Wind Turbine Manufacturing Tower thanks to investments from New York State and the federal government, and session continued at the State Capitol.

Take 3–5 minutes and complete my new 2022 Constituent Survey, which can be found below.

As always, read on for community updates from around the 109th District and stay safe!

LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND PRESS

• U.S. Energy Secretary, Governor Hochul, Local Elected Officials Visit Port of Albany for Offshore Wind Announcement. 🏗 Welcome to #Albany, Secretary Jennifer Granholm! Thrilled to have you at the Port of Albany this morning to visit the nation’s first Offshore Wind Turbine Manufacturing Tower’s home! Investing in the future of green energy and good jobs is how NYS will continue to lead on #ClimateAction. Thank you to President Biden as well for getting the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act done with Congress this year to help this project move forward!

• My Office Delivers 1,000 COVID-19 Tests and Masks to Our Community. 🤝 This week, my office staff delivered 1,000 test kits and masks to some of our most vulnerable residents, local government partners, food pantries, and broader community. We will continue to combat the winter surge in the #CapitalRegion with all of the resources at our disposal.

• NPR: As Carbon Removal Gains Traction, Economists Imagine A New Market to Save the Planet. 🏭 As these economists point out, we need a market for carbon removal — luckily, New York has an opportunity to lead the way by passing the Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Act (A.8597). Read more from NPR at the link in this section!
• New Bill Introduction: The Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Act (CDRLA). 🏭 Announcing the introduction of the groundbreaking Carbon Direct Removal Leadership Act (CDRLA) with The OpenAir Collective! This bill (A.8597) creates a nation-leading competitive state procurement program to accelerate and scale durable carbon removal. Scientists have warned that once a 1.5C global temperature threshold is reached, our options to combat climate change become severely restricted. Removing tons of carbon from the atmosphere is no longer an if — but a must in the future fight against climate change.

• 2022 is the Year to Pass 30x30 in New York State. 📣 2022 will be the year we pass 30x30 in New York State. Environmentalists and climate justice advocates all agree — we have no time to waste when it comes to the climate crisis. 86 of my colleagues cosponsor this commonsense legislation — let’s get it done.

• New Community COVID-19 Testing Sites Open. To continue addressing the need for testing in the Capital Region, I’ve worked with Governor Kathy Hochul to open new mass community testing sites to help alleviate demand and supply issues. The testing sites can be found in the graphic below (click for more information):

• Governor Hochul Announces Voorheesville to Receive $400K Sewer Grant. 🚰 Thrilled that Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the Village of Voorheesville will receive a $400,000 WIIA grant for the planning, design, and construction of sewer service in the center of the village!
• Governor Hochul Announces New, Multi-Pronged Gun Violence Prevention Effort. Kudos to Governor Kathy Hochul for prioritizing the fight against gun violence in our communities in her vision for New York State this year. Her proposal to triple investments in community-based gun violence prevention like Albany 518 SNUG and create an interstate gun-tracing consortium is needed and welcomed. These types of initiatives are how we make our communities safer and address the root causes of #GunViolence.
• New Affordable Connectivity Program Can Help With Monthly Internet Costs. 🖥️ Did you know the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) can help you pay up to $30 of your monthly internet service bill? Check it out and see if you might qualify for the benefit: acpbenefit.org
• Maya Angelou to be First Black Woman Featured on U.S. Quarter. More than deserved and a historic glass ceiling-shattering moment — Maya Angelou will be the first black woman on a United States quarter.

2022 CONSTITUENT SURVEY

• Complete My 2022 Constituent Survey. As we approach the 2022 legislative session, it is important to hear from you on policies and issues affecting you and the communities of the 109th Assembly District. Your perspective on the complex issues facing our state and nation helps inform my work and helps prioritize what matters most to my constituency. Please take the brief 3 to 5 minute survey to provide your feedback. Your information will be confidential and not shared.

ICYMI: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

• ICYMI: State of the State: Highlights and Full Statement. Please read my full statement on Governor Kathy Hochul’s first State of the State address below:
• “New Yorkers’ collective resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic continues after what’s been another tough year. With vaccination rates continuing to rise and New York State’s economy starting to rebound, there is cause for cautious optimism in our future. Governor Kathy Hochul’s first State of the State address was powerful in two significant ways; it was the first delivered by a female Governor in a glass ceiling-breaking moment, and it laid out a vision to help New York State’s families, small businesses, and workers rebuild–and I applaud her bold proposals.
• I particularly welcome the Governor’s announcements on key policy areas I’ve continued to champion; including investing in a new world-class campus for Wadsworth Labs in Albany, property tax cuts, making alcohol-to-go for bars and restaurants permanent, a $1B fund for small business recovery and assistance, fully funding the Foundation Aid formula, and to creating 100,000 new affordable housing units for New Yorkers and their families. Historic investments in our healthcare system and critical workforce will ensure that we respond more aggressively to the COVID-19 pandemic and expand access to care for all New Yorkers.
• A commitment to aggressively combatting gun violence in New York is needed and welcomed, and I look forward to partnering with Governor Hochul on expanded community-based solutions to do so.
• As we look for innovative and bold ways to combat the climate crisis and transition to a renewable energy grid and green economy, I welcome the multitude of approaches announced by the Governor. A commitment to $1 billion in electric vehicle infrastructure and adoption, electrification of school buses and the state fleet by 2035, $500M for offshore wind investment that will help grow hundreds of good-paying jobs at the Port of Albany locally, increased Environmental Bond Act of $4 billion, and more will ensure that New York State leads not just the nation on real and tangible climate action. Additionally, while not in today’s statement, we will still seek state funding to reimagine I-787 and reclaim the downtown Albany waterfront by working with the Governor to get it done.
• Although daunting, the challenges we face present unique opportunities New York must seize in this year to ensure a comprehensive, just, and effective recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to working with Governor Hochul to move New York State forward and build a more prosperous future for all New Yorkers.”
• ICYMI: Announcing the 2022 Climate Action Agenda (CAA). ⬇ 📢 It’s time to Look Up. The climate crisis is here — and it’s not waiting. Neither can we. This week I’ve introduced the Climate Action Agenda, a package of bills aimed at re-centering our priorities when it comes to combatting climate change. We must be aggressive and bold in our thinking. Read more here or click on the image below: bit.ly/2022caa

COMMUNITY EVENTS + RESOURCES

• ERAP Reopens. 🏠 New York State’s ERAP program has reopened although additional funds have not been secured for the program, however applying will protect you from eviction until your application is processed. Learn more: otda.ny.gov/ERAP
• ‘Piece Together’ Art Exhibit at Pine Hills Library. Make sure to stop by the Albany Public Library’s ‘Pieced Together’ art exhibit at the Pine Hills branch, a collection of artwork that transforms cut and discarded paper into new creations!
• Important SNAP Program Changes. 🥫 New changes to NY’s #SNAP program include providing a new one-page application form, allowing older NYers to recertify their benefits for 36 months instead of 24 months, and eliminating the interview requirement for recertification. Learn more and apply for SNAP here.
• New York State Homeowners’ Assistance Fund Launches. 🏠 Homeowners who are behind on their mortgage and may be facing foreclosure due to COVID impacts are able to access the NYS Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF) to get help staying in their homes! Visit www.nyhomeownerfund.org or call 1–844–776–9423 to apply.

• All New Yorkers 12+ Now Able to Receive COVID-19 Booster Shot. 💉 All New Yorkers aged 12+ are now eligible to receive their #COVID19 booster shot. Capital Region — get yours today at Crossgates Mall in the old Lord & Taylor store or find a community clinic here: www.bit.ly/albanycountyclinics
• Applying for Heating Assistance (HEAP) This Winter. 🏠 The winter months are approaching fast, so make sure you take advantage of New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) application window and see if you’re eligible for financial help with heating costs. Apply here now.

• New York Small Business Recovery Grant Program Reminder. 📣 New York’s small business recovery grant program is open for applications to help cover COVID-19 pandemic-related expenditures. For more information and to apply, visit: www.nysmallbusinessrecovery.com

PODCAST: The Fahy Files: What Makes the NY Capital Work (Or Not!) — Connecting in a Time of Chaos

• To highlight some of the individuals in the Capital Region who exemplify what it means to remain connected within our community and cope with the chaos of the past year, I’ve launched a new series of my podcast The Fahy Files, ‘Connecting in a Time of Chaos’.

Listen to our first 6 (3 of these are featured below) episodes from this year so far on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, or wherever you listen to your podcasts!

If you know someone who might be interested in signing up for our weekly e-newsletter, forward them this e-mail or click and copy and paste the link found here.

For more on my work in the state legislature, please visit my official Assembly website, Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, or Medium to stay updated in 2021 and beyond! As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns during this time at fahyp@nyassembly.gov or (518) 455–4178.

Sincerely,

Pat