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REP leaders at the REP Scorecard press conference: Government Affairs Director David Jenkins, Director Robin Tyner, President Martha Marks, Congressman Boehlert, and Alaska Coordinator Joe Geldhof. (Photo by Zachary Kurz)

"But before we go even one step further
in this ramble, I would like to stop to
 acknowledge a current-day Paul Kroegel,
without whose efforts we would not
be here tonight. Without whose efforts,
I suspect, many Republican
 environmentalists might have left the party.
 While I have a hard time
 imagining Martha Marks expressing
her determination with a shotgun,
the Republican Party owes a debt of
great gratitude to this
quietly indomitable woman.

As most of you know, Martha is the
co-founder and guiding light of
 Republicans for Environmental Protection.
 They are doing a phenomenal job—
and, like good Republicans,
on a shoe-string budget—of giving
the environmentally concerned among us
a forum for our voices and a way to stave
off total disenfranchisement for our party.
 They are doing an absolutely fabulous
job of alerting the Republican Party
to the dangers of continuing to give
 precedence to its
anti-environmental voices."

—from a speech that lifetime REP member
Theodore Roosevelt IV gave
at a REP conference
Click here to read the entire speech.

 

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2009

Chapter President Speaks to Bronx County Conservative Party

Gregory Morris, president of the New York State Chapter, in April 2009 addressed the monthly meeting of the Bronx County Conservative Party on the subject of “Environmental Protection and Economic Development.” Keeping a low carbon footprint, Morris does not own a car, and traveled from his home in Manhattan to the meeting by subway and then foot.

The Bronx is the only New York borough on the North American mainland; the other four are on islands. It has a population of 1.4 million, according to the 2000 census, and a land area of 42 square miles, making the Bronx the third-most densely populated county in the U.S., with 33,000 people per square mile. While there is much open space in the Bronx, including two vast parks, a large botanical garden, and the sprawling Bronx Zoo, the borough also contains some of the most stubborn urban slums and the poorest congressional district in the country.

The overwhelming priorities for the Bronx Conservative Party are economic development and jobs. That singular focus tends to overshadow “niceties” such as environmental protection for these Conservatives. Further, there is a strong libertarian bent to the county party. So Morris had his work cut out for him.

Despite opening with the REP slogan that “conservation is conservative,” Morris ran into some resistance almost immediately. When noting REP’s objectives such as clean air and water, one listener interjected, “What do you consider clean water?” That started a brief side discussion about onerous government regulation—a common theme for the Conservatives. Getting back to the main points, Morris replied that “clean water is what you would want your children to drink.”

The strong message from the Conservatives was that government is presumed to be intrusive and that if it exists at all it should be as small as possible. This is not an unusual message from the McKinley wing of our party. Morris’ reply was that government exists to do the things that we want that we cannot do for ourselves. That is not just fire and police protection but protection of health and natural resources. Far better to have reasonable and workable protections enforced than to have to deal with a disease outbreak or a toxic disaster like Love Canal.

The evening was a sobering example of how far we still have to go in winning hearts and minds, but it was also encouraging in that some of the most hard-line ideologues would listen to a well-reasoned argument.

2008

Chapter endorses Saladino for Assembly. Read the press release.


New York Chapter leaders met with Assembly Member Rob Walker in Nassau County.
From left are Chapter Secretary-Treasurer Joe Habib, Assembly Member Walker,
chapter executive committee member Dave Sgorbati, and Chapter President Gregory Morris. 

Chapter Leaders Meet Assembly Member Walker

On the first full day of spring, the executive committee of the New York State Chapter of REP launched an aggressive outreach program to state and local green Republican officials by calling upon State Assembly Member Rob Walker in his district Ooffice. Young and energetic, Walker was a champion of open spaces and sustainable economic development since his days as a Town of Oyster Bay official. His district encompasses Oyster Bay, Westbury, and Hicksville, the heart of heavily Republican Nassau County on Long Island, and the area around Theodore Roosevelt’s home at Sagamore Hill. The New York Chapter was represented by President Gregory Morris, Secretary/Treasurer Joe Habib, and executive committee member Dave Sgorbati.

“My district has the most open space of anywhere in Nassau County,” said Walker, who is turning his attention to power and energy conservation. “This is a bigger issue than taxes in the long run. The trouble is that it is not on people’s minds until they flip the switch and there is no power.” Walker explained that Long Island gets a substantial portion of its power via feeder cables from New Jersey and Connecticut, which could leave his constituents vulnerable in the future. He is working on easy and simple ways for consumers and businesses to conserve power, and is also supporting alternative energy initiatives. One major push is for an alternative-energy development zone. “It would bring in high-tech jobs, research, and economic diversification.”

Walker also bemoaned the reality that he and other like-minded environmental Republicans rarely seem to get credit for their green credentials. On that front, he was excited to learn about REP’s efforts nationally and within the Empire State. Walker plans to join the organization, and to invite the chapter to participate in events and meetings throughout the year.

At the same time the chapter will be expanding its outreach to state, county, town, and local officials starting on Long Island, then moving up the Hudson Valley and eventually to western and northern New York. In each case the message to each elected official will be simple and direct: please join REP, please mention us in your constituent mailings and on your Web site, please invite us to events and meetings, and please consider us a resource for issue support. In this way, we will drive membership and raise the profile of the organization and its message.

2006

Chapter Held Annual Meeting at TR Birthplace

The New York chapter held its annual meeting on Saturday, October 28, at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site.

Letter Published in NY Times About Governors Island

REP member Mike Boyajian wrote a letter to The New York Times about a management plan for Governors Island National Monument.

Boehlert Honored for Highest Score in REP Scorecard

Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (NY), second from right in the photo above, at an April 4, 2006 Washington, DC press conference where he received an award for earning the highest score in REP's first Congressional Scorecard. Boehlert earned a superlative score of 108.

Also at the press conference were REP staff, board members, and volunteers.

Chapter Celebrated Earth Day With a Get-Acquainted Social

The New York Chapter held a get-acquainted social to celebrate Earth Day on April 28, at the New York Historical Society, Manhattan. The NYHS’s glorious exhbit of Audubon paintings was the perfect venue to appreciate the beauty of nature and the importance of preserving habitat, not just single species.

Chapter took part in "Generation Engage" event

The New York chapter was invited by "Generation Engage," a non-partisan initiative to get young adults involved in politics, to represent the GOP at a July 29, 2006, community discussion and video conference on global warming. Chapter President Gregory Morris reported: We distributed literature, answered questions, and most importantly, showed the flag for REP nationwide. When GenGage announced that REP was present, more than one person was heard to murmur, “I didn’t know there were any environmental Republicans.”

Chapter President spoke to Fighting 69th Republican Club

Chapter President Gregory Morris spoke to the Fighting 69th Republican Club's January 26, 2006 meeting in Harlem. Morris gave a presentation about REP's history, goals, and activities. His presentation was well received by club members. Morris also met with the 69th Assembly District Republican district leader, Lolita Marie Ferrin.

2005

Chapter held Annual Meeting in Manhattan

The Executive Committee held its annual meeting on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2005 in Manhattan.

2004

Congressman Boehlert delivers REP's keynote address

Attendees at REP's 2003 Annual Meeting and Conference roared in delight at New York Congressman Sherwood Boehlert's witty keynote address. (Click here to read his speech.) That year, he received our top award for conservation leadership.

National REP Leader Visits REP members in Adirondacks

REP president Martha Marks and her husband Bernie (on the left in the photo below) and New York REP Ed Costello visited Lake George in the Adirondacks in 2004.

REP launches growth campaign in New York.

Up until the summer of 2004, our New York Chapter was primarily based in Manhattan and Brooklyn, where we held some interesting meetings and events in previous years.

In 2004, however, REP's state and national leaders began working to broaden our base and boost our membership numbers state-wide to be a stronger advocacy force for pro-conservation heroes like Governor George Pataki and Representatives Sherwood Boehlert, Sue Kelly and James Walsh... and the many other New York Republican elected officials who share our desire to protect the land, resources and quality of life.

New chapter leaders—including several from the sportsmen's community around the state—are joining with the state's existing leadership team to make the chapter more relevant to the concerns of people who live far from New York City. We're aiming to take it to a higher level of accomplishment and activism on matters that matter most to Republican conservationists throughout the state... protecting our air and water quality and our state's great parks, forests and other public lands.

2002

REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso published a letter to the editor of the New York Times.

2001

REP President Martha Marks published a letter to the editor of the New York Times.

2000

Joint Dinner with Brownstone Republican Club

Shown below are some of the chapter members who joined national REP President Martha Marks (center) and the Brownstone Republican Club at Pete's On the Waterfront, in Brooklyn.

1999

NY REP member Theodore Roosevelt IV gives keynote speech at REP event

Below left, Ted Roosevelt delivers the keynote speech at REP's "Republican Environmental Summit," held in Orlando, Florida. On the right, Ted shakes hands with another REP member on a field trip to Pelican Island—the very first wildlife refuge set aside by his great-grandfather—the next day.

Click here to read "The Legacy of Pelican Island," Ted Roosevelt's speech at that milestone REP event.

Below, two of REP's congressional heroes—New York Representatives Sherwood Boehlert and Sue W. Kelly—at a 1999 reception REP hosted in their honor in Washington, DC

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