WASHINGTON–Paul Tonko, Chairman of the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Environment & Climate Change, joined with colleagues in both chambers of Congress to introduce legislation that would extend and strengthen the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program, which helps low-income households insulate their homes from extreme heat and cold and make other cost-effective investments in home energy efficiency upgrades. The legislation, H.R. 2041, The Weatherization Enhancement a... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko slammed the Trump Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today following news that the agency will decline to set national standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), two perfluorinated compounds (PFAS) that have been linked to myriad health disorders including cancer. “If these reports are accurate, the Trump EPA is planning to leave millions of Americans exposed to unnecessary risk of serious and lasting health consequ... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko has just been elected by his colleagues on the powerful House Energy & Commerce Committee to serve as Chair of the Subcommittee on the Environment and Climate Change. This subcommittee has exclusive jurisdiction over the Clean Air Act and will be at the forefront of tackling climate change and carbon pollution. Tonko has been developing a framework for climate action over the past year with input from climate experts and numerous industry, social and enviro... Read more

ALBANY, NY – Congressman Paul D. Tonko resorted to science and facts in his reaction to the Trump Administration today after its release of a proposed rule weakening clean energy standards allowing for more carbon pollution that could lead to as many as 1,400 more premature deaths in the U.S. every year. “This proposal not only ignores the clear and growing threat of climate change, it exposes countless New York families and communities to real dangers from air pollution,” said Tonko. “In New Yo... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko, the top Democrat on the Energy & Commerce Environment Subcommittee, issued a strong rebuke of the announcement this morning that the Trump Administration will roll back previously agreed-upon vehicle emissions standards for Model Year 2021-2026 light-duty vehicles. The new proposal would freeze standards at the 2020 levels through 2026 and seek to revoke California’s waiver, which allows California to avoid federal preemption and set its own vehicle standa... Read more

"[T]he proposed rule will limit transparency and undermine the scientific integrity of EPA’s rulemaking process,” the lawmakers wrote, noting it “would implement an opaque process allowing EPA to selectively suppress scientific evidence without accountability and in the process undermine bedrock environmental laws.” Read more

"With the intensity and frequency of these storms continuing to rise, we must resolve ourselves to move past the drama and denials surrounding climate change and instead shift our focus to managing the long-term costs and consequences of this very real and growing threat. Investing now in mitigation and prevention will serve us far better, and at much lower cost, than waiting for devastation to hit with no plan other than to pick up the pieces.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more

"Since 2002, the Brownfields program has helped put tens of thousands of acres of economically critical land back into circulation, supporting local economies and encouraging greater development in areas that were previously written off. In the process, more than 130,000 jobs have been created and $24 billion has been leveraged from federal investment. Local governments are realizing that through this program we can turn a liability into an opportunity." Read more

"The President’s Executive Order on this issue is more than bad policy, it is a critical failure to respond to a real and proven threat to the lives and livelihood of millions of American families. This bill would stop it in its tracks.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more

"This is not a healthcare plan, it’s a tax on working families and seniors and a tax cut for millionaires and billionaires. Without exception, this is the most harmful, most irresponsible piece of major legislation I have ever seen. Under this plan our middle class and working families pay more for less coverage. Our seniors and those approaching retirement are forced to pay thousands more to stay covered. And 24 million more of our most vulnerable neighbors will be shoved out into the cold." - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more