Bill Text: NY K00349 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Resolution 349 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the launching of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, and celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Pete Seeger

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-05-06 - adopted [K00349 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00349-Introduced.html


Assembly Resolution No. 349

BY: M. of A. Jacobson

        COMMEMORATING   the   50th   Anniversary   of  the
        launching of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater,  and
        celebrating  the  100th  Anniversary of the birth of
        Pete Seeger, co-founder of the  Hudson  River  Sloop
        Restoration in 1966

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the custom of this Legislative Body to commemorate
those events of historical significance which add strength,  vigor,  and
inspiration  to  the  cultural  diversity  and  quality  of  life in the
communities of the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the launching of  the  Hudson  River
Sloop Clearwater, and to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the birth of
Pete  Seeger,  co-founder of the Hudson River Sloop Restoration in 1966;
and

  WHEREAS, Many events have been planned for this  year  to  celebrate
these  two  milestones,  some  of  which include: Pete's 100th Singalong
Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Society of  Schenectady  on  April
26th;  Public  Sail from Poughkeepsie at Waryas Park Fixed Pier on April
27th; Power of Song-Pete Seeger's 100th Birthday  Party!  at  the  Jacob
Burns Film Center in Pleasantville on May 1st; Happy Hundredth Birthday,
Pete!  at  the Rosenberg Fund for Children in Easthampton, Massachusetts
on May 3rd; Pete Seeger Centennial Open Mike at the Towne Crier Cafe  in
Beacon on May 3rd; Riverkeeper Sweep-Beacon:  Riverfront Park Cleanup at
the  Beacon  Riverfront  Park  on  May  4th;  Pete Seeger Centennial Art
Exhibit at the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon on May 4th; Pete Seeger
Centennial Celebration at People's  Voice  Cafe  in  New  York  City  at
Community Church of NY on May 4th; Musical Tribute to Pete Seeger at the
Franklin  Street Park in South Nyack on May 5th; and Turn, Turn, Turn! A
Celebration of Pete Seeger's 100th Birthday at the Bardavon  Theater  in
Poughkeepsie on May 5th; and

  WHEREAS,  The  100th  Anniversary  of  the birth of Beacon resident,
world-renowned folk singer/songwriter and  environmental  activist  Pete
Seeger falls on May 3, 2019; and

  WHEREAS,  Pete  and  Toshi  Seeger co-founded the Hudson River Sloop
Restoration in 1966, which built the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater  that
was launched on May 17, 1969, with a mission to preserve and protect the
Hudson River, its tributaries and related bodies of water; and

  WHEREAS,  Pete  Seeger and Hudson River Sloop Clearwater helped turn
the tide in favor of enacting the 1972 Clean Water Act  by  sailing  the
Clearwater  to  Washington,  D.C.  in  April  of 1970, and organizing an
historic Capitol  Hill  forum  on  the  need  for  federal  clean  water
protections; and

  WHEREAS,  From  1969 to 1974, Clearwater engaged in landmark work on
the Clean Water  Act,  to  protect  American  waterways  from  polluting
discharges; and


  WHEREAS,  The  Hudson River Sloop Clearwater has provided innovative
environmental education programs beginning in  1970  with  its  on-board
education  program  "Classroom  of  the  Waves"; each year, thousands of
school children participate in learning about local history, navigation,
ecology, natural history and citizen action which has been  supplemented
since 1980 by on-land education programs; and

  WHEREAS, In 1993, the landmark document: Hudson River Angler Survey:
A  report  on  the adherence to fish consumption health advisories among
Hudson River anglers, investigated  and  authored  by  Bridget  Barclay,
Clearwater's  Environmental Action Director, became an important turning
point in Hudson River PCB Superfund  site  case  by  showing  the  nexus
between  PCB  contamination of Hudson River water and sediment and human
health by actively demonstrating that  humans  were  unaware  of  and/or
ignoring health advisories and consuming PCB-containing fish; and

  WHEREAS,  In 1998, the Hudson was named an "American Heritage River"
by President Bill Clinton, and in 2002, Pete Seeger was named  a  "Clean
Water  Hero" by the Clean Water Network for his prominent efforts in the
passage of the Clean Water Act; and

  WHEREAS, In 2004, Clearwater was  added  to  the  National  Historic
Register  for  its  historical  role  in "articulating, publicizing, and
defining the American environmental movement, as well  as  for  directly
fighting   in   some   of  the  nation's  most  important  environmental
conflicts"; and

  WHEREAS, In 2010, as part  of  Clearwater's  Green  Cities  program,
Clearwater  undertook  a  groundbreaking  Community-Based  Environmental
Justice Inventory for the City of Peekskill, identifying  major  sources
of  pollution, disparate impacts on vulnerable populations and offered a
range of suggested solutions; and

  WHEREAS,  Two  years  later,  Clearwater  began  a  Climate  Justice
initiative   in   four   Hudson   Valley   cities  to  assess  potential
environmental, economic, public health, and safety  impacts  of  climate
change on communities of color and low income in Kingston, Poughkeepsie,
Beacon,  and  Peekskill,  each  of  which have waterfronts vulnerable to
sea-level rise along their shorelines; and

  WHEREAS, Clearwater has created and fostered environmental programs,
and musical  celebrations,  including  the  renowned  annual  Clearwater
Festival, to inspire, educate, and expand people's experience, awareness
and stewardship of this magnificent natural resource; and

  WHEREAS,  The  Hudson  River  Sloop  Clearwater  was designed to and
continues to keep alive an important era  of  New  York  State  history,
reminding  us  of the days when commerce, recreation and travel centered
along the waterfront; and

  WHEREAS, Pete Seeger's legacy lives on through  education  programs,
advocacy  work  and  special events like the Great Hudson River Revival,
and  the  Hudson  River  Sloop  Clearwater  is  celebrating   its   50th
Anniversary  as  one  of  New  York  State's most effective, visible and
beautiful sailing vessels; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate  the  50th  Anniversary of the launching of the Hudson River
Sloop Clearwater, and to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the birth of
Pete Seeger; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pauses further to applaud and
commend the contributions of Clearwater in its untiring work to preserve
the Hudson River and its watershed for future  generations;  and  be  it
further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Hudson River  Sloop  Clearwater,  Inc.,  Beacon,  New
York.