In a decisive push to strengthen climate action and environmental safeguards, the New York State Legislature has taken significant legislative steps this session advancing a sweeping environmental package and passing landmark corporate climate disclosure legislation that reinforces the state’s leadership in the face of federal regulatory rollbacks.

Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (S9072A): Transparency at the Core

One of the centerpiece measures moving through the Legislature is Senate Bill S9072A, known as the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act. Sponsored by Senator Pete Harckham, this bill would amend New York’s environmental conservation law to require large corporations operating in the state to disclose annual greenhouse gas emissions across all three scopes — direct emissions (Scope 1), energy-related emissions (Scope 2), and indirect supply chain emissions (Scope 3).

Key elements of the bill include:

• Mandatory annual reporting: Entities that do business in New York and have more than $1 billion in annual revenue would be required to publicly report their emissions, beginning with Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2027 and Scope 3 in 2028.

• Verification and assurance: Reports must be verified by independent third-party assurance engagements to ensure accuracy.

• Public accessibility: The emissions data would be made available on a digital platform for consumers, investors, and other stakeholders.

• Enforcement and penalties: The Attorney General would be authorized to pursue civil actions against noncompliant entities, with penalties for violations.

• Funding mechanism: The bill also creates a Climate Accountability and Emissions Disclosure Fund to manage revenues associated with implementation.

This legislation reflects a growing trend among states to fill the gap left by diminished federal climate oversight, emphasizing transparency and accountability in corporate climate impacts.

Broad Environmental Package: Filling the Void Left by Federal Rollbacks

Alongside targeted corporate reporting, the New York State Senate recently passed a comprehensive environmental protection package designed in large part to counteract weakened federal regulations and protect public health and natural resources.

Highlights of the package include:

• Stricter standards for toxic contaminants: New limits and monitoring for harmful air pollutants and lead, aimed at improving community and environmental health.

• Reduction of “forever chemicals”: Prohibitions on the sale of many consumer products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), long associated with adverse health outcomes.

• Funding to address contamination: Expanded municipal access to funds for remediating contaminated drinking water sites, along with mandated PFAS testing and reporting in wastewater discharges.

• Warehouse emissions oversight: Provisions such as the Clean Deliveries Act require large distribution warehouses to reduce hazardous air pollution and meet air quality standards.

• Environmental justice and permitting reforms: Major environmental permits now include enhanced community engagement requirements to ensure that disadvantaged communities have a voice in decisions affecting their environment.

Senate leadership has framed this legislative push not only as proactive climate policy but also as a direct response to federal rollbacks that state lawmakers argue undermine public health and environmental protection.

Why This Matters

Together, these legislative actions signal that New York is doubling down on climate leadership, even as national regulators shift course. By mandating corporate emissions transparency and strengthening state-level environmental protections, New York aims to safeguard its communities, increase corporate accountability, and reduce environmental harms that disproportionately impact frontline communities.

If enacted into law, these measures would make New York one of the most aggressive states in the U.S. on climate reporting and environmental health standards — positioning the state as a model for sub-federal climate governance in a fragmented regulatory landscape.