Governor Hochul Vetoes Bill to Protect Black and Brown Students from Air Pollution

ALBANY — Following Governor Hochul’s veto of the Schools Impacted by Gross Highways Act (SIGH) Act today, which would have prohibited the construction of schools near major roadways, the New York Civil Liberties Union issued the following statement from Executive Director Donna Lieberman:

“Governor Hochul’s veto of the SIGH Act is an enormous disservice to Black and Brown communities who have suffered most from the devastating health and academic impacts of highway pollution. We hoped the Governor would heed the call of directly-impacted students and residents, who have been organizing for years against this kind of systemic racism. Despite this setback, we will continue to work to right the historic wrongs that ‘urban development’ have caused to Black and Brown communities, particularly young people, so that students and their parents are able to focus on their education without worrying about the quality of the air they breathe.”