© 2024 WSKG

601 Gates Road
Vestal, NY 13850

217 N Aurora St
Ithaca, NY 14850

FCC LICENSE RENEWAL
FCC Public Files:
WSKG-FM · WSQX-FM · WSQG-FM · WSQE · WSQA · WSQC-FM · WSQN · WSKG-TV · WSKA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Ithaca Climate Activists Rally For Legislation Targeting Large-Scale Emitters

Ithaca Sunrise Movement Rally WEB

ENDWELL, NY (WSKG) — Environmentally-focused activists called on New York legislators to pass the Climate and Community Investment Act Tuesday.

A few dozen people, many of them high school students, gathered on the Ithaca Commons in support of the state legislation. If passed, it would implement taxes on large-scale greenhouse gas emitters and reinvest that money in environmental projects. Much of that would specifically target low-income communities impacted by environmental degradation.

"Making polluters pay. That's what we want to do,” Eden Lewis, one of the student speakers, told WSKG. “We want to make polluters pay and then reestablish that money into lower income communities."

Assemblymember Anna Kelles (D-125), whose district includes Ithaca, headlined the event. Kelles is a co-sponsor of the bill, which failed to be brought up for a vote in either of the last two sessions. She encouraged the attendees to spread the word about the CCIA and to keep pushing for the measure.

Vaughn Golden has been reporting across New York since 2016. Working as a freelancer while studying journalism and economics at Ithaca College, Vaughn has reported for a number of outlets including the Albany Times Union, New York Post, and NPR among others. Prior to coming to WSKG full-time, Vaughn was a reporter for the Watertown Daily Times. Vaughn now covers government and politics for WSKG.