CCFE PROGRAMS

Environmental and Public Health Research

CCFE is committed to disseminating sound science and improving our understanding of environmental problems. To that end, CCFE actively engaged in a number of
projects and programs to advance environmental policy improvements through improved scientific understanding of complex issues.

Pesticides
CCFE worked to increase the public’s science based understanding of the impacts of lawn-care chemicals and pesticides to children, adults, pets, and wildlife through a widespread public outreach program. CCFE disseminated 10,000 copies of the flier: Lawn Pesticides, An Unacceptable Risk. The flier details dangers from exposure to people, pets, wildlife, and the quality of the environment from these chemicals. The flier also outlined safe alternatives to common lawn care problems. 

CCFE chairs the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Suffolk CountyVector Control and Wetlands Management Long-Term Plan.  This committee crafted and published an educational two-page centerfold spread in Suffolk Life Newspapers.   “We Need the Public's Help to Successfully Control Mosquito Populations” was designed to educate the public on the value of our wetlands, basic mosquito facts, tips for personal protection against mosquitoes, and mosquito borne diseases.  Most importantly, the educational piece advised the public how to limit pesticide exposure and protect wetlands.   

Pesticide Neighbor Notification
CCFE has long worked to ensure the public is notified prior to application of toxic pesticides adjacent to their homes.  In Erie County, CCFE educated the public about their rights and responsibilities under Pesticide Neighbor Notification by distributing educational materials to more than 5,000 county residents.  CCFE also evaluated retailer compliance in Erie County and found an overwhelming majority of sampled retailers were in compliance with the law.  CCFE worked with the County to ensure those retailers initially not in compliance, would come in to compliance with the law.

While the Erie County law was set to expire at the end of 2006, CCFE worked with the Erie County Legislature and County Executive to successfully renew the law permanently.  CCFE also worked to educate the public and County legislature in Onondaga County about the benefits of the Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law, laying the groundwork for potential passage of the law in the future.

CCFE staff fights to protect children from pesticide exposure
In 2005, CCFE led the public outcry in New York and Connecticut opposing an ill-conceived EPA study, entitled CHEERS- Children's Environmental Exposure Research Study. This study, funded by the American Chemistry Council, was designed to observe infants and toddlers pesticide exposure in the home.

Responding to overwhelming public outcry to our government approving testing poisons on infants and children, the EPA withdrew CHEERS in the spring of 2005.  Subsequently, the EPA drafted a guidance document to establish standards for human pesticide testing. Released in the fall of 2005, EPA’s draft guidance was laden with loopholes and encourages unethical treatment of human subjects, including prisoners, pregnant women, children, and infants.  CCFE called on EPA to stop all pesticide testing on children and pregnant women.  In February of 2006, EPA issued their final rule, banning studies that intentionally expose pregnant women and children to dangerous pesticides. The final regulations adopt and implement many of the recommendations received from environmental groups and the public during the comment period.

Advisory Committees, Task Forces and Coalitions – CCFE staff continued to serve on numerous advisory committees and task forces involved in studies of environmental problems.  These included

• Erie County Environmental Management Council: The ECEMC was established in the Erie County Charter in 1971.  The ECEMC acts in an advisory role to the County Executive and County Legislature on environmental issues and helps to facilitate environmental programs throughout Erie County.  A representative from CCFE was appointed to the ECEMC for a two-year term in 2005.
• Erie County Water Quality Committee:  CCFE is a member of this committee that coordinates various water quality projects throughout Erie County.
• Wind Action Group – The Wind Action Group was formed to develop information that will allow thoughtful, informed decisions on the future of wind power in the WNY region, and maintains a colorful and informative website.
  www.greengold.org/wind
• WNY Earth Day Steering Committee – This committee works year round to inform and inspire the community to protect and enhance our environment. Projects include an annual earth day expo at the Buffalo Zoo, an earth day insert in Artvoice and an ecumenical speaker event. www.wnyearthday.org
• Friends of Zoar – This coalition of activists and environmental groups is active in protecting the state-owned Zoar Valley multiple use area.
• Buffalo Pest Management Board: The Board works to reduce and eliminate the use of toxic substances used for pest control by the City of Buffalo and all of its departments.  The Board works to identify and utilize preventive measures to deal with pests in the City of Buffalo.
• National Coalition for Pesticide Free Lawns:  CCFE joined the steering committee of this national coalition.  The coalition is a growing popular movement of environmental, consumer, and pesticide reform groups and concerned individuals, coming together on all levels to educate the public, retailers, landscapers and policy makers about the hazards of lawn chemicals and the viability of safe alternatives.
• Healing Our Waters Coalition: CCFE is one of more than 80 organizations representing millions of residents in the Great Lakes have joined a new coalition whose goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Led by the National Wildlife Federation and the National Parks Conservation Association, the coalition seeks to secure a sustainable restoration plan and the billions of dollars of state and federal funding needed to implement it. www.restorethelakes.org
• Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) – Appointed to the Board of Directors in June 2005, CCFE staff was elected as vice chair of the agency in 2006 and chairs the recycling committee.  A public benefit corporation charged with the solid waste management of 33 of the 35 municipalities in Onondaga County, OCRRA operates the popular Household Hazardous Waste Days, coordinates Operation Separation, a countywide recycling program with a 65% recycling rate, and oversees the operation and energy generation of an incinerator.
• Westchester County Healthy Air Task Force – The task force comprised of a variety of environmental and health groups, was designed as an advisory committee to the Westchester County Legislature.  The Task Force sought solutions for the county government to improve local air quality in the near term.
• Brookhaven National Laboratory Citizens Advisory Committee: This committee evaluates and advises BNL on the ongoing environmental remediation efforts at this important laboratory.
• Suffolk County Vector Control Long Term Management Plan Citizens Advisory Committee and Technical Advisory Committee: These committees are conducting review and public education as to the best mosquito and wetlands management practices.
• Suffolk County Pesticide Phase Out Committee – CCFE serves as a voting member of this committee which is responsible for phasing out the most toxic pesticides from being applied on Suffolk County properties.
• Nassau County Environmental Bond Act Committee:  CCFE was appointed to Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi’s Environmental Advisory Committee. This committee is charged with reviewing and evaluating projects that will be funded from Nassau County’s $100 million Environmental Bond Act that passed in November 2006. The committee has held three public hearings to obtain input from citizens and worked to prioritize the list of environmental projects that will become the basis of the bond ordinance.
• Chair, Citizens Advisory Committee for the South Shore Estuary Reserve - The Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) of the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council was established in 1994 to make recommendations and provide guidance to the Council in the preparation of the Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP). Since the adoption of the CMP in 2001, the CAC has focused on implementation of CMP recommendations. It is authorized to prepare reports, recommend studies, and submit findings and recommendations to the Council.
• Citizens Advisory Committee for Long Island Sound - The Long Island Sound Study (LISS) Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) provides ongoing advice to the Federal, state, and local government Management Conference partners working on implementing the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for the restoration and protection of Long Island Sound.
• WindWorks Long Island - WindWorks Long Island is a unique partnership of local, regional, and national environmental, civic, health, business and faith-based groups working to bring the environmental, economic and public health benefits of offshore wind energy to the LI region.
• Additional Committees include:

Freedom Lawn Coalition in Syracuse
Peoples Environmental Network of New York (Penny)
ACE New York – Alliance for Clean Energy.
Alliance for Informed Mosquito Management
Partnership to Reduce Mercury in Schools
Albany County Soil and Water Conservation Committee
Agriculture Environment Management Steering Committee
DEC CAFO workgroup
Suffolk County Planning Commission
BayShore MGP Task Force