Climate Change “Communi-TEA” Meetings

Join us as we spill the “TEA” on climate change!

Long Island is already experiencing the effects of climate change, from rising temperatures, flooding, extreme weather and much more. It’s more important,  now more than ever, to get the facts and hear the truth! 

We will deliver an informative, science-based presentation in which we will dive into local environmental issues and explore the inspiring work happening across Long Island to transition to renewable energy and strengthen our climate resiliency. We will conclude with a community Q+A discussion.

These events are FREE and open to the public. Register here. 

Dates and Locations:

August 12 @ 6:30pm | Centereach
Middle Country Public Library
101 Eastwood Blvd
Centereach, NY 11720

August 21 @ 6:30pm | Brentwood
Brentwood Public Library
34 Second Ave
Brentwood, NY 11717

November 18 @ 7:00pm | East Northport
Elwood Public Library
1929 E. Jericho Turnpike
East Northport, NY 11731 

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely, 
All of Us at CCE

Demand a Stronger Environmental Review of Micron’s CHIPS Manufacturing Project!

Micron’s draft plan puts water, health, and climate at risk for all New Yorkers. Call for stronger protections before the August 11th deadline!

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Micron’s proposed semiconductor facility in Onondaga County, NY is available for public comment through August 11th, but it’s lacking critical protections for our water, health, and climate that will impact all New Yorkers.

This is one of the largest industrial projects in New York State history, backed by billions in public subsidies. The Proposed Project—as is—poses serious environmental risks that could impact not only Central New York but communities and waterways across the state. The DEIS fails to adequately address the use of toxic PFAS chemicals, the destruction of over 200 acres of wetlands and streams, and the need for robust renewable energy planning. We need your voice to help demand a stronger, safer plan. Submit your comment before the public comment period ends on August 11!

Background

Micron is proposing a massive semiconductor chip manufacturing campus in Onondaga County, NY, with the promise of job creation and economic growth. However, the current DEIS raises serious concerns:

• Toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” will be used extensively in manufacturing, with little commitment to replace them with safer alternatives. These chemicals don’t break down, bioaccumulate in our bodies, and are linked to serious health issues including cancer, thyroid disease, and developmental harm.

• PFAS-contaminated wastewater from the facility would be discharged into local waterways. The DEIS lacks a clear plan for on-site pretreatment, and local wastewater facilities cannot remove PFAS, putting our rivers, lakes, and drinking water at risk.

• Over 200 acres of wetlands and thousands of feet of streams would be permanently filled and destroyed. Wetlands are essential for flood control, wildlife habitat, and protecting drinking water sources yet Micron’s current mitigation plan is insufficient and fails to meaningfully compensate for this extensive loss of high value wetlands.

• The facility would require massive amounts of energy—increasing energy demand by 10% statewide—but offers only a minimal amount of on-site solar generation. It’s suggested the facility would rely on new or “advanced” nuclear power to meet its energy needs—an option that is too costly, too slow, and too risky.

What Needs to Change

We’re calling on the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA) to strengthen the final Environmental Impact Statement by requiring:

• A phase-out of PFAS chemicals wherever safer alternatives exist, and full transparency around their use;

• On-site pretreatment of wastewater to remove PFAS to the lowest technically achievable levels before discharge;

• Stronger wetland protections, including a scientifically supported mitigation plan with at least a 10-to-1 replacement ratio for destroyed wetlands and streams;

• A real clean energy commitment, including solar, geothermal, and battery storage—not unproven new nuclear power.

Submit your comment TODAY and show OCIDA that New Yorkers are paying attention and won’t accept half-measures when it comes to clean water, environmental health, and climate action.

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of Us at CCE

Federal Clean Water Programs Facing 90% Cut

Tell Congress to Stand Up for Clean Water and Oppose Proposed Cuts!

New York and Connecticut’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure is aging and failing, putting our economy, health, and environment at risk. Regrettably, the President has proposed to slash critical clean water infrastructure programs by nearly 90%, which if adopted, would severely worsen NY and CT’s clean water challenges. Significant funding cuts would hamper our ability to stop sewage overflows, treat drinking water for toxic emerging contaminants, make drinking water affordable to all, and create good-paying jobs. 

While the administration has proposed massive cuts, Congress has the power to fully fund these programs in the federal budget. We need NY and CT’s Congressional Delegations to reject these draconian cuts and protect clean water funding! Contact your two U.S. Senators and Representative in the U.S. House today and urge them to support full clean water funding! 

BACKGROUND

A look at New York and Connecticut’s clean water challenges:

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are at least 494,000 lead drinking water service lines in New York and over 146,500 in CT. Lead is a toxic heavy metal—there is no safe level of exposure to lead in drinking water, especially for infants and children. All lead pipes must be replaced.

• According to reports generated by New York’s Sewage Pollution Right to Know law, there are 5 overflows of raw or partially treated sewage into New York waters every day. According to reports generated by Connecticut’s Sewage Right-to-Know law, approximately 2.8 billion gallons of raw or partially treated sewage were discharged into waterways in a single year.

• Across the nation, there is a water main break every two minutes, and an estimated six billion gallons of treated water is lost each day. Water main breaks not only threaten access to clean drinking water, but also close schools and businesses, cause sink holes that damage roads, and hurt local economies.

• The American Society of Civil Engineers gave New York and Connecticut’s drinking water infrastructure and wastewater infrastructure grades of C- and D+, and C and C-, respectively. 

• While repairing and replacing New York and Connecticut’s clean water infrastructure is imperative, it is also costly. The EPA conservatively estimates that it will cost nearly $90 billion and $12 billion to upgrade NY and CT’s wastewater and drinking infrastructure over 20 years, respectively. 

Federal Clean Water Infrastructure Programs are Essential to Protecting Clean Water  
Congress created the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) in 1990 for the construction and repair of sewage infrastructure, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) in 1996 to upgrade drinking water infrastructure and ensure safe water at the tap. Since the inception of each program, New York State has financed $37.1 billion in CWSRF projects and $10.1 billion in DWSRF projects. Connecticut has financed approximately $4.6 billion in CWSRF projects and $488 million in DWSRF projects. These programs have helped to support the construction of thousands of projects across NY and CT that have reduced harmful sewage overflows, protected drinking water from toxic contaminants, created thousands of good-paying jobs, and more! 

President Proposes Massive Cuts to both Clean Water Programs
The President recently issued his budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. He has proposed draconian cuts to both programs, which would nearly eliminate them. His budget request includes a:

• 90.5% cut to the CWSRF ($1,483,861,000 cut)

• 86.7% cut to the DWSRF ($976,101,000 cut)

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of Us at CCE

Turn Off the Tap to Dangerous PFAS Chemicals Now!

Photo by Netaly Reshef: https://www.pexels.com/photo/kitchen-cookware-piled-up-on-brown-wooden-rack-187083/

New York State Must Ban PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in Everyday Products

In recent years, communities across NY and the nation have discovered their drinking water sources are contaminated with harmful PFAS chemicals. PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are very persistent, meaning they build up in our bodies and don’t break down in the environment. New science indicates that there is no safe level of exposure to PFAS in our drinking water and we must do more to protect public health from this growing threat.

In the 2025 NYS legislative session, the New York State legislature introduced legislation that would ban the use of PFAS chemicals in a host of everyday products—textile articles, rugs, fabric treatments, cookware, ski waxes, architectural paints, children’s products, anti-fogging sprays and wipes, dental floss, and cleaning products. This bill targets products in common use for which there are ample alternatives, and in most cases, restrictions already exist in other states or countries. The use of PFAS in these products is unnecessary, contributes to harmful PFAS pollution, and threatens public health. While the NYS Senate passed this important legislation, the NYS Assembly failed to act. We will continue to work to ban PFAS in consumer products in the 2026 legislative session.

Background

What is PFAS and where does it come from?

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products for many decades, due to their non-stick, grease-resistant and waterproof properties. PFAS is used in cookware, packaging, textiles, furniture, adhesives, paint, and numerous other products. According to the U.S. EPA, there are 3,500 industrial sites across New York State that may be handling or using PFAS chemicals.

PFAS Threatens our Health

Studies show that human exposure to PFAS is widespread—it’s estimated that 98% of people in the U.S. have PFAS compounds in their blood. Exposure to PFAS can lead to higher rates of kidney and testicular cancer, higher cholesterol levels, thyroid problems, adverse developmental effects and decreased immune response in children, and other adverse health impacts.

PFAS Pollutes our Environment and Drinking Water

Due to widespread use of PFAS chemicals in numerous products and industries, PFAS chemicals have become ubiquitous in the environment, including our soil, air, and drinking water. Testing has revealed some levels of PFAS in approximately 50% of public water systems across NYS, with about 250 water systems exceeding NY’s drinking water standards for two PFAS chemicals—PFOA and PFOS. EPA adopted stronger drinking water standards for several PFAS chemicals, which will cause an estimated 296 additional communities across NYS to exceed standards and have to treat drinking water for these harmful chemicals.

It’s Time to Turn Off the Tap to PFAS!

As we make important progress to remove PFAS from our drinking water, it does not make sense to continue using more PFAS and allow more contamination to occur! New York must get serious about limiting further PFAS contamination by banning unnecessary uses of PFAS in products. New York has already enacted laws to limit PFAS in firefighting foam, food packaging, carpets, and apparel; however, there are numerous other products that continue to use PFAS unnecessarily.

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

PROTECT HORSESHOE CRABS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

  Urge Governor Hochul to Sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act into Law!

Horseshoe crabs have existed for over 350 million years, having shared this planet with the dinosaurs. Sadly, the species is now vulnerable to local extinction unless action is taken soon. Horseshoe crab populations have been depleted largely due to commercial fishermen who catch them and chop them up for use as bait. Horseshoe crabs are an essential species in the food web—a decline in their population is harming the ecosystem and threatening bird species that depend upon the crabs for food. Currently, New York is woefully lagging in horseshoe crab protection.

In order to save the horseshoe crab, and the species that depend upon them, the New York State Legislature introduced a bill to ban harvesting of horseshoe crabs. The NYS Senate and Assembly passed this critical legislation during the 2025 legislative session. Next, the bill will be delivered to the Governor’s desk—email Governor Hochul today and urge her to sign this important bill into law! 

Background

Why are Horseshoe Crabs Important?
Horseshoe Crabs are an integral part of the ecosystem and act as a keystone species in the food web. Each spring, horseshoe crabs travel from deep Atlantic waters to the shore for their breeding season. Beaches are stormed with mating horseshoe crabs, with females laying tens of thousands of eggs at a time in clusters buried under the sand. Every year, horseshoe crabs lay their eggs on beaches at full and new moon high tides from April to June.

Millions of shorebirds stop along our Atlantic beaches to nourish themselves on horseshoe crab eggs. These eggs are the single most important food source for migrating shorebirds, including threatened birds, such as the Red Knot. Experts predict that the Red Knot may become extinct in the coming years, unless more protective measures are undertaken to protect horseshoe crabs. Furthermore, sharks, sea turtles, sportfish and other species also feed on horseshoe crabs, making them a critical component of the food web.

Biomedical Uses
The blood of horseshoe crabs contains a critical component, Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate, known as LAL. This unique compound clots when exposed to bacteria or bacterial endotoxins. Some medical equipment and devices such as IV tubing are also tested with LAL. Currently, scientists have found synthetic compounds that reproduce LAL, which are now being used by Pfizer, Eli Lilly and other leading pharmaceutical companies. There have been NO permits issued in over a decade for the harvesting of horseshoe crabs for medical uses in NY waters. All the permitted harvesting of horseshoe crabs is for fishing, not biomedical purposes. However, as other states prohibit taking for biomedical uses, pressure to permit the practice may increase in NY if action is not taken to protect horseshoe crabs.

Horseshoe Crabs Under Threat
For decades, horseshoe crabs were looked upon as unimportant to our waters. They are slow to mature and therefore are susceptible to harvesting pressures. Horseshoe crabs were once used as fertilizer and livestock feed, which almost led to their populations being wiped out in the 1940s. In the 1970s, the populations recovered only to see resurgence in their use as bait for eel, conch, and whelk fisheries. The horseshoe crabs are chopped up and used as bait by commercial fisherman.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission reported horseshoe crab stocks have been in decline for at least 15 years. Horseshoe crab populations were rated as “good” in 2009 but declined to “poor” in 2019. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has listed horseshoe crabs as vulnerable to local extinction in our region. The importance of horseshoe crabs to our ecosystem and the growing threat to the survival of the species had led other states, including Delaware, Connecticut, and New Jersey, to implement policies banning the taking of horseshoe crabs. 

New York State Needs a Ban on Horseshoe Crab Harvesting
This year, the New York State Senate and Assembly introduced and passed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.4289 / A.4997), which prohibits the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial and biomedical uses. This legislation will allow New York to restore the population of horseshoe crabs and ensure the survival of this species for future generations. Neighboring states, including Connecticut, have already enacted similar legislation. It is time for NY to step up and ban the harvesting of horseshoe crabs—Governor Hochul must sign this important bill into law! 

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

Reduce Waste and Increase Recycling in New York

Hold manufacturers—not taxpayers—responsible for their waste! 

New York State is suffering from a solid waste and recycling crisis—recycling costs for municipalities and taxpayers have skyrocketed, recycling rates have declined, and our environment and health are suffering from pollution caused by excessive plastic packaging. Currently, corporate brand owners bear no responsibility in managing the product packaging waste they have created. 

To help address this solid waste crisis, the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S.1464/A.1749) has been introduced in the NYS Legislature. The policy requires product manufacturers—not taxpayers—to be responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling the packaging they create. If passed into law, this legislation will reduce packaging waste, increase recycling, eliminate toxic chemicals in packaging, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save local governments across the state over $300 million annually!

While the NYS Senate passed the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act in 2025, the NYS Assembly failed to follow suit. We will work to advance this critical policy in the 2026 NYS legislative session.

Resources

• Recording of the Packaging Waste Reduction Forum: This one-hour zoom presentation (held 4/10/25) includes PRRIA bill sponsors and expert panelists discussing the importance of passing PRRIA and answering frequently asked questions about the policy.  View the PowerPoint Presentation from the Forum here.

• Frequently Asked Questions: Two-page fact sheet addresses frequently asked questions about PRRIA and the experience of packaging EPR policies around the globe

• Studies demonstrating that packaging EPR policies have not had any discernable impact on the price of packaged consumer goods:

• Columbia University study: “Economic impacts to consumers from extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulation in the consumer packaged goods sector.

• RRS study: Impact of EPR Fees for PPP on Price of Consumer Packaged Goods

BACKGROUND

Plastic packaging and paper recycling are in crisis: New York generates more than 17 million tons of municipal solid waste annually. An estimated 40 percent of that waste is composed of product packaging and paper products, such as plastic containers, steel cans, plastic film, glass bottles, paper, and cardboard. Unfortunately, less than 20% of this waste is being recycled properly. Instead of being recycled, much of this waste ends up as litter in our communities, shipped to landfills, or burned in trash incinerators. 

Costs to local governments—and taxpayers—have skyrocketed: Municipalities were once getting paid for recyclables, but now they must pay to recycle. Instead of generating revenue from recyclables, many municipalities face recycling costs in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars per year. The solid waste and recycling crisis is estimated to cost New York’s local governments $300 million annually. Local officials are now forced to consider raising fees on residents and/or reducing the recycling services provided to their communities.

New York’s waterways are suffering from increased plastic pollution: All too often, plastic packaging is littering our communities, ultimately making its way into our treasured rivers, lakes, bays, and ocean. Plastics do not biodegrade once they enter the environment—instead they break down into tiny pieces known as microplastics, which are frequently mistaken for food and ingested by fish and other aquatic wildlife. Recent research indicates that Lake Erie contains 381 metric tons of plastic—more than 50 times greater than the previous estimates at the surface. In NY/NJ Harbor Estuary, there are an estimated 165 million plastic particles floating in the water at any given time. In Long Island Sound coastal communities, voluntary clean ups report finding over 110,000 pounds of marine debris on beaches over the course of 8 years.

Large Brands are Failing to Take Responsibility: Currently, manufacturers bear no responsibility for recycling the packaging waste they create. Large brands have externalized the cost of disposing of and recycling packaging onto our municipal recycling programs and local taxpayers. For example, an estimated 165 billion packages are shipped in the U.S. every year, and yet companies currently bear no responsibility for managing any of this packaging waste that their businesses create. Instead, taxpayers and local governments are shouldering the financial burden of packaging disposal and recycling—the cost to New York State’s local governments is estimated at $300 million annually. 

The Solution to Reducing Waste and Saving Taxpayers Money: Hold Manufacturers Responsible for their Waste! The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (often referred to as Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR) would require manufacturers to take responsibility for their products throughout their entire product life cycle, by bearing the cost of properly recycling their packaging. Not only does this provide relief to taxpayers, but it also requires producers to minimize packaging materials, improve recyclability, and reduce the toxicity of their products. These policies have existed in Canada and the EU for decades and resulted in recycling rates upwards of 80%.

Thank you for taking action. Together we make a difference!

Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE

Protect Drinking Water from Dangerous “Forever Chemicals”

Image by Henryk Niestrój from Pixabay 

In recent years, many communities across New York State discovered their drinking water sources are contaminated with harmful PFAS chemicals. PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are very persistent, meaning they build up in our bodies and don’t break down in the environment. New York State has taken some important steps to address PFAS, however, new science indicates that we must do more in order to protect public health from this growing threat!

What is PFAS?
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products for many decades, due to their non-stick, grease-resistant and waterproof properties. PFAS is used in cookware, packaging, clothing, furniture, adhesives, paint, firefighting foam, artificial turf, and other products. According to the U.S. EPA, there are 3,500 industrial sites across New York State that may be handling or using PFAS chemicals.

PFAS Pollutes our Environment and Drinking Water
Due to widespread use of PFAS chemicals in numerous products and industries, PFAS chemicals have become ubiquitous in the environment, including our soil, air, and drinking water. Testing has revealed PFAS in water sources in hundreds of communities across New York State, from Western New York to Long Island.

PFAS Threatens our Health
Studies show that human exposure to PFAS is widespread and that nearly all people in the United States have some PFAS compounds in their blood. Exposure to PFAS can lead to higher rates of kidney and testicular cancer, higher cholesterol levels, thyroid problems, adverse developmental effects and decreased immune response in children, and other adverse health impacts.

EPA Adopts Strong National Drinking Water Standards, But is Now Moving to Roll them Back
In 2024, after establishing that there is no safe level of exposure to certain PFAS chemicals in drinking water, the U.S. EPA finalized a rule to establish the first nationwide enforceable limits on the amount of six highly toxic PFAS chemicals allowed in drinking water. For PFOA and PFOS, EPA adopted individual drinking water limits (known as Maximum Contaminant Levels or MCLs) of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) per chemical. This is much stronger than New York’s current drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS, which were set at 10 ppt in 2020.

The EPA also established MCLs of 10 ppt for PFHXS, PFNA and Gen X; and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures containing two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, Gen X and PFBS (designed to address those chemicals’ combined effects as a mixture). While we want to ultimately eliminate PFAS in drinking water, EPA’s standards represent the strongest standards that are currently technically feasible.

In 2025, the EPA, under a new federal administration, indicated that they intend to roll the PFAS drinking water standards back. The EPA announced its intentions to delay implementation of its drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS back an additional two years and to rescind and reconsider the drinking water standards for the four additional PFAS chemicals. 

Peer-reviewed science has made clear that there is no safe level of exposure to PFAS in drinking water, and delays in taking action will put public health at risk to serious health impacts, including cancer. According to recent analysis by the Environmental Working Group, rolling back these standards would put at least 1.3 million New Yorkers, the majority of whom are on Long Island, at risk to higher levels of dangerous PFAS chemicals in their drinking water. CCE continues to advocate that the EPA moves forward with implementation of the drinking water standards it established in 2024.

It’s Time to Turn Off the Tap to PFAS!
As we make important progress to remove PFAS from our drinking water, it does not make sense to continue using more PFAS and allow more contamination to occur. New York must get serious about limiting further PFAS contamination by banning unnecessary uses of PFAS in products. New York has already enacted laws to limit PFAS in firefighting foam, food packaging, carpets, and apparel; however, there are numerous other products that continue to use PFAS unnecessarily. Learn more about our campaign to ban PFAS in a range of household products in New York State.

Plastic Free July Webinar

Please join CCE and our partners in the Coastal Watershed Network, including The Nature Conservancy and Save the Sound, for an educational webinar to kick-off Plastic-Free July. The free webinar will address plastic pollution on the shoreline and in our oceans, microplastics in our soils and food system, and the use of visual art to communicate the issue of plastic waste.

We look forward to hearing from experts in our region about this pervasive issue impacting the environment and public health. There will be a discussion at the end and an opportunity to get your questions answered!

When: Tuesday, July 8, 12:00pm-1:00pm

Where: Online via Zoom, register here.

Speakers: 

• Dr. Katharine Owens, Professor at University of Hartford, National Geographic Explorer and Fulbright Nehru Fellow

• Dr. Jason White, Professor at Yale School of Public Health, Director of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

JOIN US FOR A PUBLIC FORUM: UPDATE ON THE BAY PARK CONVEYANCE PROJECT

Please join Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Operation SPLASH and The Nature Conservancy for an important update on the Bay Park Conveyance Project!  Nassau County, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and Veolia will present on the status of the project at the annual Operation SPLASH meeting on Tuesday, July 1st at 7:30 pm at Operation Splash headquarters in Freeport. 

We have been working hard to restore the Western Bays water quality, and it is working! The Bay Park Conveyance Project is a monumental effort led by New York State and Nassau County that has created an aqueduct under Sunrise Highway to connect the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant and Long Beach Sewage Treatment Plant to an existing ocean outfall pipe at the Cedar Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. This would reroute treated sewage from entering into Reynolds Channel and divert it into the ocean instead. This project is nearly complete and is in the final stages! In addition, upgrades to Bay Park have been underway and are helping to improve water quality in the bays. 

We are excited to hear from project leaders and experts who will provide an overview on the Bay Park Conveyance Project and the upgrades. There will be a panel discussion at the end to answer your important questions!

When:  

Tuesday, July 1st, 7:30pm -9:00pm

Where:

Operation Splash
202 Woodcleft Ave Freeport NY 11520

Speakers:

NYS Senator Siela Bynoe (invited) 
Michael Kwaschyn, Commissioner, Nassau County DPW (invited)
Andy Fera, NYS DEC
Vince Desiderio, Veolia
Delphine Lannel, Veolia
Lauren Sternberg, Veolia
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, CCE
Robert Weltner, Executive Director, Operation Splash
Carl Lobue, Senior Marine Scientist, The Nature Conservancy 

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Reduce Packaging Waste, Increase Recycling, and Save Taxpayers Money in New York

Photo by Tom Fisk from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/bird-s-eye-view-of-landfill-3181031/

 The New York State Assembly has just two weeks remaining to take action to help solve our solid waste crisis!

New York State is suffering from a solid waste and recycling crisis—recycling costs for municipalities and taxpayers have skyrocketed, recycling rates have declined, and our environment and health are suffering from pollution caused by excessive plastic packaging. Currently, corporate brand owners bear no responsibility in managing the product packaging waste they have created. 

To help address this solid waste crisis, the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S.1464/A.1749) is being considered by the NYS Legislature. The policy requires product manufacturers—not taxpayers—to be responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling the packaging they create. If passed into law, this legislation will reduce packaging waste, increase recycling, eliminate toxic chemicals in packaging, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save local governments across the state over $300 million annually!

The New York State Senate already passed this critical legislation—now we need the NYS Assembly to follow suit and pass the bill before legislative session ends on June 17th. 

Email your Assemblymember and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie—urge them to support this legislation and bring to the Assembly floor for a vote this legislative session!

BACKGROUND

Plastic packaging and paper recycling are in crisis: New York generates more than 17 million tons of municipal solid waste annually. An estimated 40 percent of that waste is composed of product packaging and paper products, such as plastic containers, steel cans, plastic film, glass bottles, and cardboard. Unfortunately, less than 20% of this waste is being recycled properly. Instead of being recycled, much of this waste ends up as litter in our communities, shipped to landfills, or burned in trash incinerators. 

Costs to local governments—and taxpayers—have skyrocketed: Municipalities were once getting paid for recyclables, but now they must pay to recycle. Instead of generating revenue from recyclables, many municipalities face recycling costs in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars per year. The solid waste and recycling crisis is estimated to cost New York’s local governments over $300 million annually. Local officials are now forced to consider raising fees on residents and/or reducing the recycling services provided to their communities.

New York’s waterways are suffering from increased plastic pollution: All too often, plastic packaging is littering our communities, ultimately making its way into our treasured rivers, lakes, bays, and ocean. Plastics do not biodegrade once they enter the environment—instead they break down into tiny pieces known as microplastics, which are frequently mistaken for food and ingested by fish and other aquatic wildlife. Recent research indicates that Lake Erie contains 381 metric tons of plastic—more than 50 times greater than the previous estimates at the surface. In NY/NJ Harbor Estuary, there are an estimated 165 million plastic particles floating in the water at any given time. In Long Island Sound coastal communities, voluntary clean ups report finding over 110,000 pounds of marine debris on beaches over the course of 8 years.

Large Brands are Failing to Take Responsibility: Currently, manufacturers bear no responsibility for recycling the packaging waste they create. Large brands have externalized the cost of disposing of and recycling packaging onto our municipal recycling programs and local taxpayers. For example, an estimated 165 billion packages are shipped in the U.S. every year, and yet companies currently bear no responsibility for managing any of this packaging waste that their businesses create. Instead, taxpayers and local governments are shouldering the financial burden of packaging disposal and recycling—the cost to New York State’s local governments is estimated at over $300 million annually. 

The Solution to Reducing Waste and Saving Taxpayers Money: Hold Manufacturers Responsible for their Waste! The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (often referred to as Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR) would require manufacturers to take responsibility for their products throughout their entire product life cycle, by bearing the cost of properly recycling their packaging. Not only does this provide relief to taxpayers, but it also requires producers to minimize packaging materials, improve recyclability, and reduce the toxicity of their products. These policies have existed in Canada and the EU for decades and resulted in recycling rates upwards of 80%.

Thank you for taking action. Together we make a difference!

Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE

Support Propel NY – We need you to speak up to support this important energy transmission project

The NY Public Service Commission is holding a public comment period for the Propel NY Energy transmission project to create a cleaner and more reliable energy grid—submit your comment before the May 23rd deadline!

Submit a Comment through the Online Form Today

Long Island, New York City and Westchester need to improve the reliability and resiliency of our energy grid to ensure capacity during high demand times. Our summers are getting hotter, and storms are increasing in intensity. We need to upgrade our antiquated transmission infrastructure to ensure that energy is delivered reliably and in a timely manner. The Propel NY Energy transmission project is part of the solution, strengthening the electric grid with increased transmission capacity and helping inject more clean energy into the statewide grid—while reducing our dependence on dirty fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. This project is critical to ensure New York’s interconnectedness throughout the state. 

The New York Public Service Commission is holding a public comment period for the Propel NY Energy Project through May 23rd. Your voice can help ensure that this project moves forward. Submit your public comments through the online form today. Please feel free to copy the comments below and paste them into the online form. 

Cut and paste from below

I am writing as a New York resident to support Propel NY Energy. This project is necessary for our sustainable energy future and an important project to modernize our energy grid. Climate change is here and is impacting New York. We have documented increasingly hotter summers, increased rainfall events, rising sea levels, shoreline flooding and stronger storms. At the same time, New York's energy demand is growing. We need a modern grid to ensure we have enough power, especially as we electrify homes, vehicles, and businesses. We need to upgrade our transmission grid to meet our increased energy needs and ensure we can deliver energy reliably to downstate homes.

Propel NY Energy will help create a sustainable, reliable grid and deliver clean energy where it’s needed most. This project will also protect public health and the environment by reducing our reliance on outdated, polluting fossil fuel plants. Modernizing our energy grid is a smart investment that will lower costs, create jobs, and boost energy security for all New Yorkers. I urge the NYS Public Service Commission to approve the Propel NY Energy project.

Tell EPA to Protect our Drinking Water from Dangerous PFAS Chemicals—Don’t Roll Back these Critical Public Health Protections!

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has until May 12th to decide—either side with polluters or move ahead with strong, science-based drinking water standards for PFAS and protect our health

In recent years, communities across NY, CT and the nation have discovered their drinking water sources are contaminated with harmful PFAS chemicals. PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are very persistent, meaning they build up in our bodies and don’t break down in the environment. Exposure to PFAS is linked to higher rates of cancer and other serious health impacts. The EPA has found that there is no safe level of exposure to PFAS in our drinking water. 

In April of 2024, EPA adopted strong, science-based drinking water standards for six PFAS chemicals—limiting the toxic chemicals to the lowest level feasible in drinking water. Regrettably, a lawsuit has been brought by water utilities and the chemical industry, attempting to block this much needed drinking water standard. The EPA has until Monday, May 12th to announce its intentions for the PFAS standards – whether to continue defending their adopted standards, weaken the standards significantly, ask for more time, or scrap them altogether. If they do not move forward with the standards, more than 1.3 million New Yorkers and many Connecticut residents will lose critical protections from the toxic “forever chemicals.”

Tell the EPA that the public’s health is more important than the chemical industry’s profits. Email Administrator Zeldin today and urge him not to roll back the science-based drinking water standards for PFAS and protect our health!

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Missed our Climate Change Symposium?

Watch the recording of our recent Climate Change Symposium, featuring expert speakers that discussed the latest science and impacts of climate change 

We recently held a free Climate Change Symposium in Babylon, Long Island for Earth Month. A huge thank you to everyone who came out and contributed to a great discussion. This forum was designed for everyone wanting the facts about climate change, its impacts to our communities, and climate change solutions. 

We were excited to welcome Dr. Paul Shepson, Dean of The School for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, as our keynote speaker. We also heard a fantastic presentation from Dr. J Bret Bennington, Professor and Chair of the Department of Geology, Environment, and Sustainability, Hofstra University. While we are facing an increasing amount of misinformation on climate change and climate science, it was more important than ever to get the facts from the experts.

If you missed the event, be sure to watch the video here.

Thank you for watching!

Sincerely,
All of Us at CCE

Join a Virtual Public Hearing on Propel NY Energy—We Need You to Speak Up in Support of this Important Energy Transmission Project!

Photo by Amanuel Flores from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hand-touching-a-light-bulb-16036409/

On April 29th, the NY Public Service Commission will be holding two virtual public hearings on the Propel NY Energy transmission project to create a cleaner and more reliable energy grid

Long Island, New York City and Westchester need to improve the reliability and resiliency of our energy grid to ensure capacity during high demand times. Our summers are getting hotter, and storms are increasing in intensity. We need to upgrade our antiquated transmission infrastructure to ensure that energy is delivered reliably and in a timely manner. The Propel NY Energy transmission project is part of the solution, strengthening the electric grid with increased transmission capacity and helping inject more clean energy into the statewide grid. This project is critical to ensure New York’s interconnectedness throughout the state. 

The New York Public Service Commission will hold two virtual public hearings on the Propel NY Energy Project. Join us and testify in support of Propel NY during a virtual hearing. Your voice can help ensure that this project moves forward.

Propel NY Energy Public Hearings
Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Times: 1:00 PM and 5:30 PM
Register here

Suggested Talking Points:

• New York's energy demand is growing. We need a modern grid to ensure we have enough power — especially as we electrify homes, vehicles, and businesses.

• The project protects public health and the environment by reducing our reliance on outdated, polluting fossil fuel plants.

• Propel NY will improve grid reliability and deliver clean energy where it’s needed most — especially in downstate communities.

• This is a smart investment that will lower costs, create jobs, and boost energy security for all New Yorkers.

If you can’t attend a virtual hearing, you can still help! Submit written comments here.

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely,
All of Us at CCE

Stop the Attacks on our Environment and Health

Reject Federal Cuts to Clean Water, Clean Air, and Healthy Communities

It wasn’t that long ago that contaminated rivers caught fire, lakes were too polluted to sustain life, and air in cities was choking us with smog. This was just over 54 years ago, prior to the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since that time, the EPA has played an indispensable role in making our water safe to drink, our air clean to breathe, and our communities safe places to live. 

Despite progress achieved by the EPA to protect our environment and health, the President has proposed to slash the EPA budget by 55%. If this draconian cut is adopted, the agency would lose thousands of staff that serve critical functions and decimate the agency’s ability to address a broad range of significant responsibilities, including protecting drinking water, fighting climate change, cleaning up toxic contamination, restoring waterways, and much more.

Our representatives in Congress have the power to STOP these ill-advised and life-threatening cuts. Will your representative’s side with polluters, or will they side with the people they represent who need clean air to breathe and clean water to drink? 

Email your federal representatives in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate today!

Background 

EPA has played an indispensable role in making our water safe to drink, our air clean to breathe, and our communities safe places to live. EPA success stories from New York State, Connecticut, and the nation include:

• Fighting Acid Rain: Acid rain—largely derived from power plants in the Midwest—decimated forests, destroyed monuments, killed hundreds of lakes in the Adirondacks, and increased nitrogen pollution in Long Island Sound—causing algal blooms and harming aquatic life. EPA has since led efforts to slash power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, the precursors to acid rain. New York and Connecticut’s waters, forests, and monuments are no longer plagued by acid rain like they once were.

• Restoring the Long Island Sound (LIS) and the Great Lakes: EPA formed the Long Island Sound Study, a NY-CT partnership that has led a successful bi-state effort to restore the Sound. Over the last 25 years, this program has restored 3,000 acres of habitat and tidal wetlands, reduced nitrogen pollution entering the Sound by 50 million pounds annually, and vastly improved both water quality and the health of local fisheries. EPA leads the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), which was established in 2010. The GLRI has invested billions of dollars in over 8,100 projects to clean up toxic hot spots, fight invasive species, restore habitat, and more.

• Protecting Clean Air to Breathe: Since 1970, EPA has led implementation of the Clean Air Act. Emissions of common air pollutants decreased 77% while our economy more than tripled. These pollution reductions prevented more than 2.3 million premature deaths, 200,000 heart attacks, millions of cases of respiratory problems (e.g. asthma attacks), and 135,000 hospital admissions. They also prevented 17 million lost workdays and 5 million lost school days.

Federal Efforts to Turn Back the Clock on Environmental Protection

Despite progress achieved by the EPA to protect our environment and health, the President has proposed to slash the EPA budget by 55%. In New York State and Connecticut, this would threaten EPA’s ability to address a host of issues, including:

• Protecting Clean Air: EPA leads efforts to prevent out-of-state air pollution. As much as 96% of air pollution impacting Connecticut on high ozone days originates from outside the state. High ozone contributes to respiratory problems such as asthma, with disproportionate impacts on the developing lungs of children. In New York State, studies show that approximately 60% of air pollution-related early deaths are from out-of-state emissions.

• Restoring Long Island Sound and the Great Lakes: Efforts to protect and restore Long Island Sound and the Great Lakes are funded through the EPA budget. Major cuts to these successful programs would undo years of progress, causing harm to fishing, water quality, public health, and tourism in New York and Connecticut.

• Fighting Climate Change: EPA conducts research and takes action to fight climate change. Major cuts to the EPA would eviscerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, protect vulnerable coastal communities, and adapt to climate change locally. Connecticut and New York are on the front lines of global climate change, with increased severe storm events, flooding, and rising sea levels threatening our coastal communities.

• Protecting Drinking Water: EPA sets and enforces standards to protect drinking water from toxic chemicals. EPA is leading efforts to remove toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” from drinking water, which has been found in numerous drinking water systems across New York and Connecticut. 

HELP PROTECT OUR LONG ISLAND SOUND

Congress Needs to Pass the Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025

As an Estuary of National Significance, the immense value of the Long Island Sound (LIS) cannot be overstated. Twenty million people live within 50 miles of the Sound’s beaches. Residents of New York and Connecticut depend on the Sound for recreational opportunities, including fishing, sailing, and swimming. LI Sound is a critical component to our regional economy, generating $8.25 billion annually.

Despite the Sound’s immense value, it has been degraded by pollution, toxic algae blooms, and other threats. However, we are making progress in the fight for clean water!  Funding provided by the Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act helps to advance restoration, however, problems persist. The Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act authorization expired in 2023—Congress must act immediately to reauthorize this critical legislation to maintain progress in restoring the health of the Long Island Sound.  Email your two U.S. Senators and representative in the U.S. today and urge them to support the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025, which will provide up to $65 million annually through 2029.

Background

History of the Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act
In 1985, Congress created the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) to identify and address the major environmental problems affecting the Long Island Sound. The LISS is authorized at $40 million annually through the LIS Restoration Act. The LISS is a collaborative effort, which includes government agencies, not-for-profits, and individuals, all working to restore and protect the Sound and its watershed. Through the LISS, a bi-state Comprehensive Management Plan has been developed and is being implemented.

In 2006, Congress passed the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act, which is authorized at $25 million annually. This important legislation identifies key areas surrounding the Sound and provides funding for preservation and public access improvements.

These critically important acts were later combined to create the Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act, which provides up to $65 million annually in federal funding for LIS restoration. The Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act expired in 2023—it is critically important that Congress act now to reauthorize this important program!

Progress Has Been Made, but More Work Remains
Federal funding spurred progress in restoring the Sound—reducing nitrogen pollution, reducing hypoxia (low levels of oxygen that cannot sustain marine life), improving water quality, and restoring habitat throughout the LIS watershed. There have been 2,239 acres of coastal habitat restored, 5232.35 acres of ecologically important habitat preserved, and 432.9 miles of new fish passage created. Pods of dolphins can be spotted in the Sound during summer months, which is another key indicator of progress.

Although progress has been made, more needs to be done. Hypoxia still persists in summer months, toxic algae blooms are found in harbors and bays, nitrogen from antiquated septic systems are polluting waters, and polluted stormwater runoff continues to contaminate waters and close beaches.

LIS Funding is in Jeopardy
The Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act authorization expired in 2023, putting future funding for critical programs to protect and restore the Sound in limbo. Reauthorization of the LIS Restoration & Stewardship Act is needed to provide adequate funding to continue programs needed to protect public health, our local economy, and quality of life.       

The Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025, which would reauthorize the program at $65 million annually through 2029, was introduced in the House and Senate. Congress must pass this legislation immediately and fully fund the LIS program!

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Watch: Whale Tales and Real Facts

We had a very informational webinar with whale experts who provided the most recent science on whale populations off our shore and how you can help protect whales. Missed the webinar? Watch it here.

Humpbacks, Minke, Right Whales, oh my! There are many species of whales that inhabit our waters throughout the year. Watch the video to learn more about these whales off New York’s coast and threats they are facing. This virtual forum features whale experts who have decades of experience in tracking individual whales, conducting necropsies on deceased whales, and monitoring growing threats to whales and other marine mammals.

In 2016 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared an Unusual Mortality Event for Humpback whales, Minke Whales, and North Atlantic Right Whales. These endangered species are highly vulnerable to ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, plastic pollution and climate change. Scientists are closely monitoring whale populations and working on solutions to offer more safeguard of these critical marine animals.

Check out our webinar to learn more about whale populations and data in the summer of 2024 and the current threats off New York’s coast.

Whale Tales and Real Facts
WHO:

• Marianne McNamara, Vice President and Naturalist, Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island

• Rob DiGiovanni, Founder and Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society

Watch Whale Tales and Real Facts here.

Thank you for watching!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

Help Save Connecticut’s Environmental Protection Laws

Photo by Ysabella Ray on Unsplash

Urge the CT General Assembly to OPPOSE Rollbacks to Connecticut’s Environmental Protection Laws

The CT General Assembly’s Environment Committee is considering several bills that would roll back the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and other long-standing environmental and public health protections. CEPA allows the public to have a voice in environmental decisions and guarantees the state takes public input into account. It also ensures that state agencies do not allow practices that would unreasonably pollute or destroy natural resources. CEPA is vital to protect Connecticut’s environment and public health.

Key environmental regulations are under attack at the federal level and there are significant  funding cuts proposed for federal environmental programs. We cannot afford for Connecticut to also weaken the state’s environmental protection laws. We need Connecticut to step up, not backtrack, on fighting for our environment and public health.   

Email the members of the Environment Committee today. Tell them that you oppose H.B.6249, H.B.6868, and all other bills that would roll back environmental protection measures and limit the public’s ability to have a say in decision-making that impacts our air, water, land, and health.

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

Support Clean Water and a Healthy Environment in NYS

Support a $500 million Environmental Protection Fund in this year’s final New York State budget

Since 1993, the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) has invested in projects to protect and restore our land, air, and water resources in every community across the state. EPF programs help to create jobs, support tourism, protect clean water, conserve open space, save family farms, bolster recycling programs, revitalize waterfronts, build community parks, and so much more. The EPF supports 350,000 jobs across the state, and EPF-supported industries generate approximately $40 billion in economic activity every year. 

As we combat harmful algal blooms from nitrogen pollution, a solid waste crisis, climate change, and water pollution across our state, it is more important than ever to make crucial investments in environmental protection this year. Funding for the EPF has been stagnant in recent years and an increase is long overdue. 

While the Governor proposed maintaining a stagnant funding level in this year’s budget, the NYS Senate and Assembly budget proposals both included an increase to $500 million! We need $500 million in the final budget, with increases to specific programs in the EPF—specifically, we’re calling for at least $25 million for Ocean and Great Lakes program and at least $5 million for the South Shore Estuary Reserve program. 

The final NYS budget is due on April 1. Email Governor Hochul and legislative leaders today and urge them to provide $500 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, including increases for the Ocean and Great Lakes and for the South Shore Estuary Reserve, in this year’s final budget!

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

Long Island Sound Summit

The Long Island Sound Coastal Watershed Network (LIS CWN) is focused on bringing together communities, groups and individuals working to reduce pollution loads entering Long Island Sound and its rivers, harbors, and bays. Our goal is to increase the pace and number of clean water projects by sharing the latest science, technology, policies and practices, spotlighting lessons learned, and building new opportunities for collaboration and partnerships across Long Island Sound geographies.

This year’s Summit will be an opportunity to explore the power of collaboration in advancing clean water solutions. Informed by each other’s perspectives and experiences and guided by resources like the updated Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), we will focus on building strong partnerships, sharing knowledge, and exploring communication approaches.

We hope you can attend the 2025 LIS Summit as we explore the benefits of partnerships in targeting and reducing local sources of pollution entering the Sound, mainly consumer plastics and debris, fecal bacteria, and nitrogen entering the Sound through stormwater, sewage, and groundwater.

Join us to:

• Connect with Network members and clean water professionals across the Sound.

• Learn about tools and resources for clean water project design and implementation and tips for communicating about your work.

• Share personal experiences and lessons learned.

• Discover new collaboration opportunities to advance key projects.

Event Details:
Date: Thursday, March 27 
Time: 11am – 2:45pm
Location: Beacon Hall, Housatonic Community College, Bridgeport, CT
Cost: $25 Registration Fee (covers your lunch)
Register: Limited spaces! Register Now!

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE