"The New York governor’s primary challenger, Cynthia Nixon, has emboldened activists frustrated by his ties to the fossil fuel industry and refusal to back serious climate legislation."
"There was a time when New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) fashioned himself as the nation’s most aggressive governor on climate change.
Back in December 2014, Cuomo announced he was banning hydraulic fracturing ― the controversial drilling technique known as fracking ― in New York, a bow to environmentalists who had led months of fierce protests. In October 2015, Al Gore stood by Cuomo’s side as he announced plans to cut the state’s greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030. A month later, Cuomo vetoed a major gas port off Long Island. In February 2016, Cuomo even called for a last-minute risk assessment report and asked federal regulations to halt construction of the Algonquin gas pipeline, despite his administration granting earlier approvals.
When President Donald Trump announced the United States would withdraw from the Paris climate accords in June 2017, Cuomo formed an alliance with California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) to maintain the emissions cuts pledged as part of the global agreement."
Alexander C. Kaufman reports for HuffPost September 1, 2018.
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