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Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D/WF-125) has been named to a new Assembly Climate Change Work Group that will explore policy initiatives on both state and federal levels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat the effects of climate change. The group's formation was announced today by New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

"I'm thrilled to be asked by Speaker Heastie to serve on an Assembly Working Group on Climate Change," said Lifton. "As many of my constituents know, working on the fracking issue has led me to be deeply concerned about the threat of Climate Change, and I am grateful that the Speaker understands the need to put more focus on this critical issue. I greatly welcome the opportunity to work with the new Chair of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation, Steve Englebright, who will head up this working group, and all my colleagues, to help make greater progress on reducing greenhouse gases in New York and adapting to the changes in weather we are already experiencing so as to protect all New Yorkers from the effects of Climate Change."

The Work Group will examine policy initiatives that may be helpful in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a known cause of climate change, as well as recommend potential modifications to existing codes and procedures on both a state and federal level that will help to minimize damage from future extreme weather events.

The economic and humanitarian costs of these weather extremes are growing and evidence is mounting that the longer we delay action on these measures, the harder it will be to prevent further damage. New York is home to one of the most robust agricultural industries in the nation and over the last several years, the state has spent millions of dollars responding to weather-related conditions that have threatened our agricultural economy. Coupled with the ever increasing consumer demand for locally produced goods, this is just one of many ways that extreme weather is having a financial impact in New York State.

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