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Highlights
Pushing for our New York State Budget Priorities Our Executive Director, Adrienne Esposito, was in Albany several times in January to fight for our 2026 budget priorities and testify at the Environment and Energy Budget Hearing. We are pushing our state budget to include:
$700 million for clean water infrastructure, which will allow us to upgrade antiquated sewer and septic systems, replace lead pipes, remove emerging contaminants from drinking water, and more.
At least $425 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, including significant funding to protect our Ocean, Great Lakes and South Shore Estuary Reserve.
$1 Billion Sustainable Futures Program, which plays a critical role in reducing climate emissions and saving ratepayers money.
The Accelerated Solar for Affordable Power (ASAP) Act, which would significantly expand rooftop and community solar power and save ratepayers a billion dollars annually when fully implemented.
Victory! New York and Connecticut Benefit from Federal Clean Water Funding
The FY 2026 Federal Budget has been approved, and it includes good news for New York and Connecticut’s waters. The President’s original proposed budget included severe cuts to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), which funds construction and repair of sewage infrastructure, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which is used to upgrade drinking water infrastructure and ensure safe water at the tap. We have been pushing our Congressional leaders to fight back against these proposed cuts and thousands of NY and CT residents have reached out to their elected representatives in support of continued clean water funding. In the final budget, the CWSRF and DWSRF maintained funding from last year and avoided any cuts! In addition, the Great Lakes received a $1 million increase ($369 million for 2026) while Long Island Sound received a $500,000 increase ($40.5 million for 2026). These programs fund crucial efforts to restore and protect our vital water resources, and we thank our Congressional leaders in New York and Connecticut for fighting to ensure the SRFs, Great Lakes, and Long Island Sound receive robust funding this year.
Educating the Next Generation of Stewards to Protect Long Island Sound!
Great news this month! We received $100,000 in federal funding to continue our educational efforts on Long Island Sound protection. We will be working with the next generation of Long Island Sound stewards to empower communities to protect and restore this Estuary of National Significance. A huge thank you to Senator Schumer for securing this funding and for your continued work to protect the Sound!
Happenings
Updates on Our Work to Advance Offshore Wind:
Opposing the Trump Administration’s Stop Work Orders on Offshore Wind
In December, the Trump Administration decided to halt 5 offshore projects, including Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind in NYS, leaving thousands of workers without jobs just before the holidays. We joined Governor Hochul and our union partners for a massive rally in support of offshore wind and the good, local jobs it creates. We have also been urging our Congressional Leaders to oppose the stop work orders and support offshore wind. Thank you to Governor Hochul, U.S. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Congressional Representatives Garbarino, LaLota, Lawler, and Goldman for standing up for New York’s offshore wind projects!Victory! A federal judge has allowed Empire Wind 1 to resume offshore wind construction. Empire Wind, which will power 500,000 homes in NYC, is back on and construction can continue. This is an exciting win for New York just days after Revolution Wind, an offshore wind project in CT, was granted a preliminary injunction allowing that project to also continue. This is a huge victory for offshore wind and clear sign that President Trump’s ill-advised stop work orders on these offshore wind projects is not legal and should not be allowed to prevent our emerging “wind-ustry” in New York.
Fighting for Clean Water in Albany
CCE, as the lead of the NY Clean Water Coalition, joined with our coalition partners as we hosted the 8th Annual Clean Water Legislative Forum in Albany last month. Governor Kathy Hochul and NY Senator Pete Harckham provided great opening remarks, followed by a discussion of urgent water quality challenges and solutions with elected officials and advocates from across New York State. The Clean Water Coalitions 2026 priorities include stopping PFAS pollution at its source (banning products that contain PFAS), replacing lead pipes, upgrading sewer and drinking water infrastructure, protecting source water, and more!
Whale Tales and Real Facts 2026
We hosted a fantastic virtual Lunch and Learn forum featuring presentations by whale experts who have decades of experience in tracking individual whales, conducting necropsies on deceased whales, and monitoring emerging threats to whales and other marine mammals. A huge thank you to our presenters:
Dr. Artie Kopelman, Co-Founder and President, Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island
Rob DiGiovanni, Founder and Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society
Carl Lobue, New York Oceans Program Director, The Nature Conservancy
Thank you to the 200+ people who joined and participated in a very informative Q & A. If you missed it, check out the video here.
