Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the Montauk Lighthouse over the weekend to sign new protections for whales into law.
Called the Whale Awareness Act, the legislation is centered on education and integrates marine mammal protection into both New York State boater safety courses and the vessel registration process.
For immediate release: Monday, August 31, 2026
For more information, contact:
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, 631-384-1378, aesposito@citizenscampaign.org
Farmingdale, NY—New York waters are home to several whale species; Humpbacks, Fin, Minke, and the endangered North Atlantic Right Whales. The endangered Right Whale has less than 400 individuals remaining and only approximately 70 breeding females. In 2024, scientists from the New England Aquarium recorded 82 Right whales – including 56 in one day – just forty miles south of New York’s coastline. This represents nearly a quarter of the total population.
Federal policies are in place to protect Right Whales; however, Congressman Lawler is spearheading legislation to delay new protections that are essential for survival of the species. H.R. 9436, the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act of 2026, is expected to go to the House floor for a vote any day. Led by Representatives Lawler (R-NY) and Golden (D-ME), the bill allows another delay of critical new commercial fishing gear regulations for lobster and Jonah crab fisheries from going into effect until the end of 2035, extending an existing moratorium that expires at the end of 2028. This would once again delay protection for the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale for seven additional years, shielding northeast commercial fisheries from new regulations at the expense of whales.
The science is undisputed: accidental entanglement by vertical fishing lines is one of the primary causes of injury and death for whales. Eighty-six percent of living Right Whales carry scars from past entanglements. Ropeless gear is a new fishing method that is already being used several fisheries to protect whales without restricting access to fishing grounds. Fisherman who voluntarily adopt it can gain access to areas that are seasonally closed to traditional gear at high-risk times for whales. New regulations are needed to advance the use of ropeless gear in the Northeast, making a meaningful difference to Right Whales and the several other whale species that frequent New York waters including Humpback, Fin, Mienke, and Sperm Whales.
According to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society in Massachusetts there have been entanglement reports of 10 large whales between June and August of 2026. This included 7 Humpback, 2 Minke and 1 Fin Whale. They were entangled in gear confirmed as Trap Pot or line consistent with rope used in Trap Pot fisheries.
“Whales are one of our planets most majestic and loved creatures. We may lose the endangered Right Whale forever if we don’t implement important protection measures. A new poll demonstrates that in Congressman Lawler’s district, public support is high for protecting whales. Over 60% of his constituents support Congressional action to protect Right Whales. Yet, Congressman Lawler is working to undo protective policies that would prevent tragic whale deaths. We are calling on Congress to do the right thing and vote no on this devasting bill,” stated Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
“At AMSEAS, when we respond to a stranded or injured animal on our beaches, we see the end of a story that began in the ocean. Across our 2017–2025 whale stranding records in the New York Bight, approximately 42% of cases documented human interaction, including vessel strike, entanglement, and interactions with marine debris and fishing gear, during the examination. These findings underscore the importance of understanding and reducing the human-caused threats facing whales in the waters we share.
As North Atlantic right whales are increasingly documented in our waters, every sighting is cause for hope—and a reminder of our responsibility. We cannot welcome these whales’ home and then fail to protect them,” stated Robert A. DiGiovanni, Jr., Executive Director, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS)
A new poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling and commissioned by Citizens Campaign for the Environment, shows strong support for protecting the Right Whales within Congressman Mike Lawler’s district. By nearly 2-to-1, NY-17 voters oppose Lawler’s anti-whale bill (45% oppose vs. 21% support), and the gap widens once they hear it locks in until 2036. Sixty-three percent want Congress to act now to protect whales, just 11% are satisfied with waiting seven more years. Nearly four times as many constituents say his stance makes them think less of him than more (38% to 11%). "North Atlantic right whales are our most vulnerable neighbors. This bill goes against what we know: people care about whales, and delays on whale-safe fishing gear regulations are pushing them closer to extinction . These animals need a lifeline, and we can’t wait any longer to give them a fighting chance. Right whales used to be one of the most common coastal whale species in New York, and their decline in our waters, including from entanglement in fishing gear, is on human hands. We must do what we can to advance protections for these animals from ongoing threats to ensure that they can have a future here," stated Chris St Lawerence, Director of Communications, Gotham Whale.
“A healthy economy is linked to healthy waters. We have technology for lobsterman to transition from harmful vertical fishing lines and other management tools to reduce the risk of entanglements. We can do both--protect whales and our lobstermen. Delaying effective policies is not the answer and will make the situation more serious in the long run. We are calling on all our congressional leaders to stand up to SAVE our WHALES,” stated Esposito.
As a tidal estuary, the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean are intimately connected. The Right Whale has been severely impacted by entanglements, reducing their populations. We strongly oppose Congressman Lawler's legislation to handcuff NOAA from issuing protective regulations to help save the remaining North Atlantic Right Whales. We join our colleagues in urging members of Congress to vote 'no' and strongly urge Congressman Lawler to withdraw this bill that could have devastating impacts on one of the nation's most beloved animals," Stated Tracy Brown, President, Riverkeeper.
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In response to increased collisions between boats and marine mammals off New York’s coast, state lawmakers want better training for boaters to protect dolphins and whales. We discuss this issue with Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
A U.S. Navy official made a stunning admission last month, one that residents and Suffolk County officials had already suspected. For over a year the Navy withheld from the public test results that found dangerously high levels of the chemical PFOS in fish and the waters in Swan Pond near the former Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Calverton.
In the wake of pressure from Suffolk County to clean up numerous environmental issues emanating from the former Grumman plant in Calverton, consultants for the U.S. Navy have unveiled a plan to capture a groundwater plume of the emerging contaminants PFAS that is believed to be spreading toward a nearby lake and the Peconic River.
The Environmental Protection Agency has come under fire for staff firings, climate and deregulation controversies, but Administrator Lee Zeldin, who is from Long Island, returned to his home turf Friday to spread the word on what is right with the EPA.
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.
This is a tale about unintended consequences in science, governmental malfunction affecting Suffolk County, and a mammoth spread, globally, of poison.
It began in 1938. As the website Health Brief related last week: “A chemist at the DuPont company accidentally discovered an exciting new polymer. It repelled water, it was chemically stable and nonreactive, and nothing stuck to it. The material — brand name: Teflon — has been used in countless consumer products since then to reduce friction between surfaces. Among its best-known applications is in nonstick cookware. … In the past few decades, however, the chemicals that go into nonstick surfaces have been linked to certain health issues and environmental pollution.”
Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine fired a shot across the U.S. Navy's bow last week.
At a community meeting in Calverton, Romaine threatened to sue because two toxic plumes at the former Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant are spreading forever chemicals, or PFAS, and endangering the region's water. The Navy has delayed cleanup, Romaine said.
Suffolk County officials are pointing to the Navy’s cleanup of the Bethpage plume as a precedent — and warning they expect the same urgency in Calverton, where county testing shows contamination from the former Navy-owned Grumman manufacturing site continues to move through groundwater, surface water and fish habitat while federal cleanup efforts remain largely in the study phase.
After the U.S. Navy refused to allow the Suffolk County Health Department to present the results of its testing of wells surrounding plumes of contaminated groundwater from the former Navy-owned Grumman plant in Calverton at the February meeting of the Calverton Restoration Advisory Board (RAB), county representatives and members of the RAB took matters into their own hands Tuesday evening.
Long Island waters are threatened by runoff from hundreds of thousands of cesspools, harmful algae and even flesh-eating bacteria, but opportunities for cleanup are "unprecedented," a prominent ecologist will tell residents, advocates and elected officials in an address Friday.
Stony Brook University Professor Christopher Gobler, whose laboratory monitors water quality across the region, will host the annual State of the Bays symposium at the Stony Brook Southampton Avram Theater on Friday at 7 p.m. He gave a preview at a news conference Tuesday in Riverhead.
The South Fork Wind project is marking its first full year of operation, and new data released this week shows the nation’s first utility‑scale offshore wind farm is performing even better than expected. Leaders from LIPA, labor unions, environmental groups and the offshore wind industry gathered on Long Island to highlight the results, which show the 12‑turbine project generated electricity on 99% of days last year and reached a 50% capacity factor—a level comparable to traditional power plants during key demand periods.
