Budget Crisis in New York

Posted on Jan 21, 2009

Everyone is feeling the pinch of our worsening economic situation, and especially here in New York where so much of the state's revenue comes from Wall Street.  In light of that, Governor Paterson has proposed drastic cuts to many programs, including environmental programs.  In many cases, it can be said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  

In few cases is it so true - and in fact such an understatement - than when it comes to preventing toxic chemicals from getting into our environment and our bodies.  

The costs of environmentally related diseases is astronomical - as much as $4.65 billion in NYS alone according to Mt. Sinia School of Medice - and the amount of money spent in NYS on cleaning up the legacy of toxic contamination is large - over $100 million each year.

Finding safer solutions can cost far less.  That's why the JustGreen Partnership's budget priorities focus on three things:

• Ensuring ongoing support for the New York State's Pollution Prevention Institute (NYS P2I) ($2 million)  
• Securing funding for New York's participation in a Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse ($50-$100,000)
• Reinstating funding for the Children's Environmental Health Centers of Excellence ($1.2 million)

New York State's Pollution Prevention Institute (NYS P2I) is a partnership of academic institutions and regional technology development centers.  It was created in 2007, with an allocation in the Environmental Protection Fund of $2 million.  Last year, only $1 million was allocated, and again this year, only $1 million was put in the Governor's budget.  It's vital that this resource be well supported. NYS P2I has already worked with a dozen companies to cut hazardous chemical consumption - some as much as 90% - and save money.  As we seek to protect our health and build a green economy, the Pollution Prevention Institute is a critical aid to New York.

The Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse is a new project being designed by agency staff from nearly a dozen states to allow information about chemicals of concern and their alternatives to be shared between states.  As more concern arises about chemicals in products, the "IC2" will be invaluable, saving agencies like the Department of Environmental Conservation time and expense, while providing more research capacity than any state has alone.  For a small amount of money - only $100,000 - New York can fully benefit from work that is already going on in other states, crucial as staff resources are already stretched.

The statewide network of eight Centers of Excellence in Children’s Environmental Health that was established across New York over the past three years represents an efficient and cost-effective approach to diagnosing, treating and preventing lead poisoning and other diseases of toxic environmental origin in New York State’s children. These Centers of Excellence:

• Routinely screen young children for blood lead levels;
• Increase the accuracy of diagnosis of children’s diseases caused by environmental factors;
• Improve the treatment of children’s diseases caused by environmental factors;
• Prevent diseases caused by environmental factors;
• Better quantify and describe the burden in the state of children’s diseases of environmental origin; and
• Strengthen and expand educational programs in children’s environmental health for families and professionals at all levels.

At $1.3 million, full funding for this program is an insignificant figure when compared with the  estimated $4.65 billion in as the annual costs of environmental disease in New York’s children.