State officials plan to boost funding for the Clean Vessel Assistance Program, a grant initiative that helps marinas install and upgrade boat pump-out stations that reduce water pollution.
Preserve Plum Island Coalition Applauds Suffolk County’s Plan for Plum Island
Let Them Build, but What Kind of Housing?
The Let Them Build agenda that is aimed at expediting construction of housing, a component of New York State’s fiscal year 2027 budget signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul last month, is drawing negative reviews from environmental advocates on the South Fork, while the legislation was quickly followed by the Long Island Builders Institute’s formation of a council dedicated to construction in the five East End towns.
Environmental groups, alongside County Executive Ed Romaine, call for Long Island Sound protection funds
On May 14, the Farmingdale-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) released a report of Long Island Sound water quality restoration projects it would like to see funded through the New York State Environmental Bond Act. The list was composed following meetings with village, town, county, and state representatives from across Long Island and shared digitally following a press conference at Northport Yacht Club.
Lee Zeldin's EPA moves to roll back standards on toxic chemicals in drinking water
Harckham, Glick, Advocates Call for Passing of Packaging Reduction Bill
Legislators joined by colleagues, environmental organizations and advocates in support of bill that will reduce packaging 30% over 12 years and save New Yorkers $1.3 billion
Albany, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Deborah Glick, along with other state legislators and a large group of environmental, consumer, public health and municipal advocates from across New York, called today for support of the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (PRRIA) at a press conference in the New York State Capitol.
Why offshore wind, solar energy and battery energy storage are the future for New York
New York’s energy debate is often framed as a question of transition. But for many experts, environmental advocates, labor leaders and utility officials, the more immediate issue is one of necessity.
Electric demand is rising. Infrastructure is aging. Customers are grappling with utility costs. The need to combat climate change has long been discussed. And the state must determine how to add new power while reducing pollution and preparing for future growth.
Adaptation was supposed to be safe under Zeldin. It didn’t turn out that way.
Lee Zeldin introduced himself to EPA staff last year as someone who had experienced first-hand the risks some U.S. communities face from climate change.
In his first speech to agency staff in February 2025, the newly confirmed administrator said his home town on Long Island “got crushed” during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
SEQRA reform splits New York lawmakers, snagging budget talks
Efforts to revamp New York State environmental laws to lower barriers to building housing more quickly threw the state’s annual budget process into limbo.
Negotiations blew past an April 1 budget deliberation deadline, with a proposed overhaul of the State Environmental Quality Review Act emerging as a point of impasse.
Long Island coalition seeks $1B from Albany for region’s needs
The Blueprint:
The Long Island Lobby Coalition requested over $1 billion in funding from Albany to address regional needs.
The coalition includes small business owners, civic leaders, labor, environmental groups, and transportation advocates.
Funding requests include support for chambers of commerce, wastewater, solar power, affordable housing, and transportation improvements.
The coalition met with bipartisan state senators, assembly members, and Governor Hochul’s policy team.
Offshore Wind Is Already Working for Long Island — and the Opportunity Is Just Beginning
Off the coast of Long Island, a new chapter in the region’s energy future is already spinning.
The South Fork Wind project — the first utility-scale offshore wind farm serving New York — is now delivering electricity to the East End, demonstrating that offshore wind is no longer theoretical. It’s operating infrastructure.
Long Island Youth Climate Summit Inspires Local Students to Be Leaders
SOURCE:
March 12, 2026
More than 200 middle and high school students from across Long Island gathered at Stony Brook University for the 2026 Long Island Youth Climate Summit, an event designed to motivate and empower the next generation of climate leaders.
Held on March 10 in the Student Activities Center Ballroom, the summit brought together students from 13 schools across Nassau and Suffolk Counties for presentations, panels and sessions focused on climate science, activism, careers and solutions.
The event was hosted by Students for Climate Action and Renewable Energy Long Island, two local nonprofit organizations that promote clean and sustainable energy use across the region, and supported by partners including Stony Brook Workforce Development and Collaborative for the Earth (C4E).’
Melissa Parrott, executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island, welcomed students and addressed the purpose of the event.
“Our theme of the day is climate optimism, and we have a wonderful guest speaker that’s going to really motivate and change the way we think,” Parrott said. She introduced Adrienne Esposito, executive director and co-founder of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, who opened the summit with a talk about activism and the growing problem of misinformation surrounding environmental issues. “By being here, you are also acting as activists,” Esposito told the audience. “What does that mean? Activism gets a bad rap, but it simply means someone who desires change, and that is a good thing.”
Esposito encouraged students to recognize the power of participation and civic engagement.
“You matter. Your voice matters,” she said. “If you ever have a chance to go to a community meeting or a public meeting, even if you’re not the type of person who wants to stand up and speak, that’s fine. Just show up. Just being there in numbers causes elected officials to take notice that people care.
She also urged students to be aware of misinformation, especially on social media.
“Reading it doesn’t mean it’s true,” Esposito said. “Facebook is not a belief system. It’s just a social media tool. It’s really hard right now to fight climate change. But you are the generation we’re fighting for.”
Throughout the morning, students heard from advocates, researchers and industry leaders about the challenges of climate change and the many ways young people can become involved in solutions.
The keynote address was delivered by Heather White, an author, environmental policy expert and founder of One Green Thing, an organization focused on addressing climate anxiety through everyday action.
“Hope and joy are not naive,” White said. “They are defiant. Because we are the ones that are going to get us through this. No one is coming to save us. It’s up to all of us.”
White spoke about the emotional toll climate change can take on young people, a phenomenon often called eco anxiety, the title of White’s book on the topic.
“The American Psychological Association defines this as a chronic fear of environmental doom,” she said. “And in my view, eco anxiety is just a generalized anxiety about the future that my generation is leading you all and the future that you’re leading the next generation.
To help students feel empowered rather than overwhelmed, White introduced a concept she calls a “service superpower,” encouraging individuals to identify the strengths they bring to climate action.
“The fact is, you do matter, because every single one of us are culture change agents,” White said. “You are influential in your family, in your community, in your schools.”
Students then participated in an exercise to identify their own “superpowers,” and joined breakout groups with those who share their superpower to discuss how they could apply their strengths to environmental advocacy community engagement.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine spoke to students about issues critical to the Long Island area, including solar energy, the removal of garbage off Long Island and railroad infrastructure.
The summit also highlighted career opportunities in climate and clean energy fields through a panel discussion featuring industry leaders, advocates and educators.
Chad Marvin of the Long Island Clean Energy Hub encouraged students to begin building experience early.
“When you get to the point when you come out of college, if you’re going to pursue a four-year degree, you are looking at job descriptions that are already requiring X years of experience, and you can fulfill that through the opportunities that are available for youth, which are volunteering and internships,” Marvin said.
Caroline Grattan of Applied Energy Services advised students not to become overwhelmed by the number of career options available.
“So many options are ahead of you, but if you have a bunch, just go with it, explore your options and you’ll figure it out,” she said.
Ryan Stanton of the Long Island Federation of Labor emphasized the importance of growth and learning through new experiences.
“Look at the New York State Department of Labor website for apprenticeships for unions and be coachable,” Stanton said. “Stay humble and put yourself in spaces and places that make you uncomfortable.”
Sydney LeGuillow of the Haugland Group encouraged students to follow their interests.
“Stick to your passions but don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” she said. “That will come over time. Just pursue what you’re passionate about.”
Adam Charboneau, lecturer in Stony Brook’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, offered more general guidance.
“I say that to slow down, enjoy the moments and see the world,” Charboneau said. “Do it as a child would. It’s a set of gifts. Don’t get over-transactionary or over-transactional.”
Parrott emphasized the importance of collective action.
“This has been such an opportunity to show students that there’s a way forward,” she said. “It could be through education, it could be through passion, it could be through motivation that they’re not alone.”
Parrott also reminded students that the work ahead will require commitment and collaboration.
“There’s a lot of work to do,” added Parrott. “It’s going to be hard, but we can do it.”
— Beth Squire
Environmental leaders join Rep. Tom Suozzi in legal fight against EPA’s greenhouse gas emissions rollback
U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi stood along the waterfront in Glen Cove on Tuesday, Feb. 17, warning that Long Islanders cannot afford to ignore what he described as a sweeping rollback of federal climate protections.
“Climate change is real,” Suozzi repeated several times during the news conference, held just days after President Donald Trump and the Environmental Protection Agency rescinded the 2009 “endangerment finding,” a policy that concluded greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.
Lead in school water: 3,000 fixtures above state limit on Long Island, Newsday finds
Nearly 3,000 drinking water fountains, ice machines, classroom sinks and other fixtures in Long Island schools exceeded the state's standard for lead, a Newsday review of school testing reports found — more than twice as many as reported in a state database.
Districts said these noncompliant fixtures, tested over the past three years, were immediately shut off, replaced or marked for hand-washing only, following state law. But the results, according to public health experts, show that thousands of schoolchildren could have been exposed to water with harmful lead levels for years.
Wake up, Long Island! Wake up, New York! Climate Change is Real
Suozzi Calls Out Administration’s Disastrous Rollback of Bedrock Environmental Policy, Stands with Conservationists in calling for the reinstatement of 2009 ‘Endangerment Finding’
Glen Cove, NY— Today, Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Long Island, Queens) held a press conference to call out the Administration’s revocation of the ‘Endangerment Finding’ that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare—a move widely seen as a major setback to U.S. efforts to combat the climate crisis.
Environmentalists discuss the future of water quality in Stony Brook Harbor
Improved wastewater infrastructure and healthy shellfish populations are the keys to improving the water quality of Stony Brook Harbor. On Tuesday, Feb. 3, environmental activists and scientists gathered at the Stony Brook Yacht Club for a water quality forum, specifically focusing on Stony Brook Harbor.
Endowed Chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation and Distinguished Professor at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Christopher J. Gobler spent the last two years monitoring water quality and shellfish populations in locations throughout the Stony Brook Harbor watershed. “We wanted to understand, what is controlling the growth of algae in Stony Brook Harbor?” he said.
Conservation groups split over Hochul’s plan to roll back parts of environmental law
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to fast-track certain housing projects by peeling back some environmental regulations is dividing some of the state’s most prominent climate advocacy groups.
The State Environmental Quality Review Act, or SEQRA, is intended to make sure projects don’t harm sensitive lands and waters, but developers have long criticized the process, saying it slows down construction times and drives up costs. Hochul said she’s trying to bring down housing costs amid New York state’s ongoing housing affordability crisis.
Long Island’s fragile drinking water system
Experts explain what lies beneath the surface, and detail the threats to our crucial aquifers
Long Island’s drinking water supply is solely dependent on aquifers. Sarah Meyland, a retired professor at the New York Institute of Technology, spoke about the impacts of chronic water depletion on the region’s water supply.
Proposed SEQRA reforms draw fire at regional roundtable
LIPA, Suffolk County partner on industrial solar analysis
SOURCE:
https://www.amityvillerecord.com/articles/lipa-suffolk-county-partner-on-industrial-solar-analysis/
By CAROLYN JAMES - January 22, 2206
The Long Island Power Authority and Suffolk County have launched a new partnership to evaluate large-scale solar energy opportunities across major industrial areas in the county.
One study is to evaluate different business models, including traditional behind-the-meter systems and front-of-the-meter models where rooftop space is leased to developers, and to identify which structures best balance benefits for property owners, businesses, and the broader grid.
The project, announced Jan. 14 by LIPA CEO Carrie Meek Gallagher and Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, will analyze rooftop solar potential, grid capacity, and permitting processes in key commercial zones. A consultant will be selected through a newly developed Request for Qualifications process.
Target areas include the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge, Route 110 Corridor, Heartland Business Center in Brentwood, MacArthur Business Park, Brookhaven Rail Terminal, and Wyandanch.
The analysis will use geospatial and engineering data. The plan is reach out to municipalities, property owners and industrial associations to identify regulatory barriers.
For property owners and tenants, benefits can include:
•Lower electricity costs if the solar serves on-site load behind the meter.
•Lease revenue if a property owner leases rooftop space to a solar developer.
•Increased property value and marketability from hosting clean energy infrastructure.
•Potential participation in programs that recognize the system value of solar in constrained areas.
For the electric system and customers more broadly:
•Reduced peak demand and stress on local infrastructure.
•Improved reliability in constrained or high-load areas.
•Potential long-term cost avoidance by deferring or reducing the need for grid upgrades.
“We have the largest industrial parks east of the Mississippi; the second largest in the United States,” Romaine said as he discussed the benefit of solar energy at a recent Long Island Association breakfast. “That’s a lot of flat rooftops that can be used to collect solar energy, so we want to provide incentives.”
He added that the collaboration with LIPA “will help unlock the potential of our industrial areas to support clean energy, reduce business costs, and create a more resilient energy future.”
The Request for Proposals was issued January 16 with final proposals due February 6. A LIPA spokesman said the award is expected to be made around mid March.
Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer said he has spoken to the county and LIPA about the plan which, would include businesses in Wyandanch, primarily along Wyandanch Avenue between Straight Path and Belmont Avenue.
“Solar residents have been very happy with the success of having solar panels on their homes and it has not only saved them money but also provided additional energy for the grid,” said Schaffer. “I believe our local businesses would also save money with these solar leases and also help provide the additional energy we need here on Long Island. now and into the future.”
Environmental and clean energy groups praised the effort.
“Industrial rooftops are among New York’s most underused solar opportunities,” said Noah Ginsburg of NYSEIA. Julie Tighe of the New York League of Conservation Voters called it a “scalable, cost-effective model” for development. Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaign for the Environment said the effort could help reduce reliance on aging power plants.