Albany Times Union - Hold the bottled water

Speaking before several hundred environmentalists gathered for the annual Earth Day lobby day at the Capitol, the governor said state agencies under his control will phase out purchases of bottled water by May 2010, out of concern over the product's negative environmental effects.

"Taxpayers have spent billions of dollars to ensure that we have clean drinking water supplies," said Paterson. "If we are going to make such significant investments, we should reap the benefits and use that water. Our efforts will serve as an example for local governments, businesses and residents to follow."

New York is the third state in the country to eliminate the purchase and use of bottled water (after Virginia and Illinois), although it appeared the amount of water involved would be modest.

Paterson spokeswoman Marissa Shorenstein said the ban would save the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation about $22,000 a year, the Department of State about $9,400, and the Governor's Office of Regulatory Reform about $1,700 a year.

Not affected, though, are state agencies outside the executive branch, such as the judiciary, the state university system and the Legislature. It also would not apply to any water sold to the public on state property.

Bottled water has drawn increasing criticism as environmentally wasteful. In the U.S., more that 1.2 billion gallons of oil are used to make and ship plastic water bottles, according to the governor's office. Some 80 percent of those bottles — equivalent to four billion pounds — end up in garbage incinerators or landfills.

The governor also announced the state will spend $25 million to fuel development of the next generation of batteries needed to launch and sustain the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle industry.

"Energy is the new currency in the world economy, and New York is positioned to be the national leader in developing new technology and creating the clean-energy economy that will put New Yorkers back to work," Paterson said.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will head up the effort under the newly created New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium, which will bring together scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs.

The effort will include a new battery-testing laboratory to be located somewhere in the state. Part of the money being spent by the state comes from the auction of federal pollution rights.

Environmental groups welcomed the state's pledge to drop bottled water. "Gov. Paterson's announcement not only makes sense when it comes to public health — it will save taxpayers money and cut global warming emissions from the manufacture and transport of bottled water," said Peter Lehner, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Paterson's announces came at a lobbying day for environmentalists, which targets passage of proposed laws on global warming pollution limits; mandatory recycling of computers, televisions and other electronics; increased protection of small wetlands; and changes to the state Environmental Quality Review Act that would make it easier for people to challenge government planning decisions on environmental grounds.

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