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Highlights
Victory! Governor Hochul Signs Bill to Save the Horseshoe Crab
After years of hard work, we successfully advocated for a NYS law that will phase-out the taking of horseshoe crabs over a three-year time frame—completely banning the antiquated practice by 2029. Horseshoe crabs are a keystone species in the food web that have walked the earth for 350 million years, but have become vulnerable to local extinction due to unsustainable harvesting. Thank you to Governor Hochul, our Senate and Assembly champions, and the thousands of you who signed petitions and sent emails in support of protecting the horseshoe crab!
Victory! New York State Bans Harmful Chemicals in Menstrual Products
In December, Governor Hochul signed a nation-leading law that bans toxic chemicals in period products. Period products have been known to contain PFAS, lead, formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates, and more. These toxics are known to either cause or contribute to serious health issues such as infertility, cancer, and more. We thank the bill sponsors—Senator Nathalia Fernandez and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal—and Governor Hochul for signing it into law!
Celebrating the 2025 South Shore Estuary Reserve Awards
In December, we hosted the South Shore Estuary Reserve 2025 Stewardship Awards at the Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center. This year we had the pleasure of honoring Mrs. Tara Schneider-Moran, Senior Conservation Biologist with the Town of Hempstead and Veolia—North America for their contributions to the protection and restoration of the South Shore Estuary Reserve! Thank you to NYS Deputy Secretary of State Kisha Santiago, NYS Senator Steve Rhodes and Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages for their thoughtful remarks and leadership in championing the SSER!
Happenings
Great Lakes Restoration Bill Takes Important Step Forward
In December, the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee advanced a critical bill that will reauthorize the successful Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) for another five years. The GLRI has helped to clean up the toxic “area of concern” in the Rochester Embayment, fight invasive species, and support the cleanup of the Buffalo River, all while creating jobs and supporting economic development. While we’ve made progress, we still have a great deal of work to do to restore the lakes, which is why the GLRI must be extended. Now we need the full U.S. House and Senate to pass this legislation as soon as possible!
Helping Long Island Communities Access Environmental Bond Act Funding
We gathered at the historic Cedarmere Estate for our second NYS Environmental Bond Act Roundtable of the year on Long Island. Huge thanks to Suzanna Randall, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Chief Resiliency Officer, for returning to lead an informative presentation! We welcomed Nassau County municipalities, NYS Assemblymembers, and nonprofits to discuss Environmental Bond Act programs and funding pathways. Together, we’re working to identify and elevate project ideas that will help Long Island secure critical funding and strengthen our communities for the future.
Fighting to Get PFAS Out of our Drinking Water
We headed to the NYS Drinking Water Quality Council meeting last month to urge New York to move ahead with implementing more protective drinking water standards for PFAS “forever chemicals”. In May of 2025, U.S. EPA announced a plan to rollback drinking water limits on six PFAS chemicals that were finalized by the Biden administration. This federal rollback will mean that 1.3 million New Yorkers will continue being exposed to toxic PFAS in their drinking water. We testified at the Council meeting and urged NYS to implement the stronger federal PFAS standards originally adopted by EPA in 2024, in order to protect public health.
Federal Judge Strikes Down Halt on Offshore Wind Permits
Big news for clean energy and climate progress! A federal judge ruled last month that the Trump administration acted unlawfully when it froze permitting for new offshore and onshore wind projects — calling the halt “arbitrary and capricious” and fully vacating it. This ruling is a major win for states, workers, and communities who are counting on offshore wind to deliver clean power, lower energy costs, and thousands of family-sustaining jobs. It reinforces what experts and advocates have said all along: efforts to block offshore wind have no legal or scientific basis and only threaten economic growth and energy reliability.
Shortly after Federal Judge Stops Unlawful Halt of Wind Permits Nationwide, Trump Moves to Recklessly Halt Offshore Wind Leases for 5 Projects Under Construction
Two offshore wind projects are nearly completed off Long Island: Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind 1. These projects would power over a million homes, employ thousands of New Yorkers, and bring billions of dollars in benefits to local communities. Thousands of Americans, including New Yorkers, woke up with their jobs terminated when President Trump decided to halt 5 projects, including two off of NYS. We will fight against President Trump’s petty personal attacks on these projects, which jeopardize a growing, thriving industry that can deliver needed clean energy within the year.
Fighting for Battery Energy Storage
As part of NY’s transition to renewable energy, especially offshore wind, we will need to use battery energy storage systems (BESS). BESS systems store energy from renewable energy sources and deliver it when electricity demand is greatest, helping to create a more reliable grid. This month, New York implemented the most stringent, protective fire code in the country for BESS to ensure they can be built safely and sited responsibly. However, several Long Island towns persist with moratoriums on BESS. In December, the Town of Babylon unfortunately voted to extend their moratorium. We were there to urge them to work quickly to create codes allowing BESS in the town as soon as possible.
Thank You Nancy Seligson for 30 Years Protecting Long Island Sound
After more than 30 years of dedicated service to the Long Island Sound Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), Nancy Seligson retired as New York Co-Chair in December. We were proud to celebrate her at the December LIS CAC meeting. Her unwavering commitment strengthened collaboration across CAC member organizations in New York and Connecticut, supported the development of the new Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), and advanced advocacy efforts in Washington, DC, where she met with federal leaders to sustain momentum in protecting Long Island Sound. We proudly recognize Nancy’s exceptional leadership and lasting contributions to the restoration of the Sound, leaving a meaningful legacy for the communities throughout the Long Island Sound watershed!