The New York Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act Passes Assembly and Heads to Governor
Legislation to End the State’s Funding of Climate Destruction Supported by Bipartisan Majority in AssemblyALBANY, N.Y. – The groundbreaking climate bill, The New York Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act (S.4859/A.5682), passed by a bipartisan majority in the New York State Assembly today and will now head to the Governor.
Sponsored by Sen. Liz Krueger (D-28) and Asm. Kenneth Zebrowski (D-96), the legislation builds on New York’s climate and justice leadership and is based on the state’s decades-long success of implementing commonsense procurement reforms. The bill ensures that state and local government procurement does not fund climate destruction by ending state funding that drives tropical deforestation, tropical primary forest degradation and associated abuses of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local tropical communities. The bill passed the State Senate in late April. Once signed, New York will be the first state in the country to end tropical forest-destroying procurement.
“Passing this legislation sends a message that New York will not contribute to the deforestation of tropical forests, a practice that greatly contributes to climate change and impacts a vast number of species. I am proud to have worked with my colleagues and advocates from around the world to pass this bill, and hope to see it signed into law,” said Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski.
“The New York Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act passing is a shot heard around the world. Climate change and wildlife know no borders. This legislation is a great byproduct of cooperation with partners across the globe, especially Indigenous, Black, and communities of color who are first and worst impacted by climate change and deforestation,” said Marcus Sibley, Northeast director of conservation partnerships for the National Wildlife Federation. “With the leadership of Senator Krueger, Assemblyman Zebrowski, overwhelming and bipartisan senate and assembly votes, we are one signature away from a historic and critical law that will protect NYers from the ravages of climate change and promote justice here and abroad.”
“The New York legislature has taken definitive climate justice action by passing the New York Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act,” said Jeff Conant, Senior International Forests Program Manager at Friends of the Earth. “When the Governor signs this bill into law, it will signal a new era in which public spending can protect our earth’s precious ecosystems rather than allowing them to be destroyed through reckless consumption. We thank the bill’s visionary sponsors and the huge majority of the legislature that voted to bring about this tremendous victory for people and the planet.”
“This is a historic moment in climate action. New York is now poised to become the first state to leverage its buying power to safeguard the Earth’s tropical forests, and we are doing so in a way that strengthens our economy and grows our businesses,” said Bob Rossi, Executive Director of the New York Sustainable Business Council. “We applaud the sponsors and the many legislators from both parties who supported the passage of the New York Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act. We now look to Governor Hochul to sign this bill into law and create a model for other states to follow.”
About S.4859/A.5682
- Requires state contractors who deal in tropical forest-risk commodities to certify that their products don’t drive tropical deforestation or degradation, by providing data to the state and the public demonstrating supply chain due diligence to their products’ points of origin.
- Closes loopholes in existing 30-year-old state law banning the use of tropical hardwoods for government projects.
- Provides a bidding preference for small and medium-sized businesses, minority-and-women-owned businesses, and businesses fulfilling state contracts using New York products.
- Creates a supply chain transparency assistance program to support New York-based small and medium-sized businesses and women and minority-owned enterprises to achieve ethical and sustainable supply chains for forest-risk products. This program will be administered by Empire State Development.
- Requires a minimum of two representatives from indigenous tropical communities within the geographic areas to be part of a Stakeholder Advisory Group.
- Defines “tropical forest-risk commodities” to include soy, beef, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, wood pulp, paper and wood products. Other commodities may be added by the Commissioner of the Office of General Services.
Read more about the fight to stop New York’s funding of climate destruction here.
Communications contact: Brittany Miller, [email protected], (202) 222-0746