New York Gov. George Pataki (R) plans to give a boost to green building today by proposing a tax break for builders who construct or renovate large buildings so that they produce less pollution, waste, and indoor air contamination and use less energy than conventional buildings. The tax credits would be limited to $25 million over several years, but Pataki aides said that would be enough to boost demand for environmentally beneficial technologies and materials, helping to make them more standard in the construction field. Enviros applauded the proposal, with Ashok Gupta of the Natural Resources Defense Council saying it’s the first of its kind in the country.
