The state legislature passed a bill on Tuesday allowing commercial cultivation of sugar kelp in two bays east of Long Island.
Bottle bill hailed as ‘long overdue’ legislative achievement
Biden Budget Proposals Would Support NY Great Lakes Protection Efforts
From 2009 to 2017, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative spent $134 million on more than a hundred projects.
Groups working for clean, affordable water are supporting President Joe Biden's proposed budget and American Jobs Plan, which would invest billions into the Great Lakes region.
Environmentalists blast Navy's handling of remediation survey for Grumman plume
State passes kelp bill that could pave way for commercial cultivation in 2 LI bays
Navy, under fire for groundwater pollution in Manorville, may use unpublicized survey to justify dissolving Grumman cleanup advisory board
Lack of responses to the 'environmental concerns survey' may lead Navy to dissolve 23-year-old advisory board due to 'insufficient interest' in the Grumman cleanup effort — but the Navy's outreach is 'a farce,' critic says
The Navy is conducting an “environmental concerns” survey it says will be used to update its community involvement plan for the cleanup and restoration of the former Grumman site in Calverton.
Oxygen levels increasing in LI Sound due to nitrogen cuts, study finds
NY lawmakers pass ban on coal tar as driveway sealant
ALBANY (TNS) — Homeowners in a few years could be seeking alternatives when they want to patch or seal their driveways.
Lawmakers this week passed a bill that, if signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, would ban the use of coal tar, the dense, acrid-smelling goo that is used in domestic and commercial pavement sealing.
Lawmakers approve bottle bill that would increase state's deposit fee
Biden's Budget Would Increase Funding For Great Lakes, Water Infrastructure
Advocates for the Great Lakes see President Biden’s budget and jobs plan as an opportunity to boost funding for restoration projects and outdated water infrastructure in the region. But, the president’s proposals face significant hurdles from Republicans and some moderate Democrats over plans to increase taxes and spending.
Biden's budget promises big spending for Buffalo – and a big deficit
Victories in New York State!
Legislature passes laws to protect public health and our environment
While some important bills fell short, there is a lot to celebrate about the recently concluded New York State legislative session. The following CCE priorities passed in the legislature (most still need to be signed by the Governor):
Testing drinking water for emerging contaminants: Ensures that the drinking water for 2.5 million New Yorkers that are served by small water systems test for dangerous emerging contaminants.
Banning coal tar sealcoat: Coal tar sealcoat, which contains a known carcinogen, scrapes off roads and parking lots and ends up polluting our waterways and in our homes. Safer alternatives to “beautify” asphalt are readily available.
Keeping drinking water lead-free at schools: Sets a more protective standard for lead in school drinking water and increases the frequency of testing. There is no safe level of exposure to lead, especially for our children.
Environmental Bond Act: The $3 billion bond act will protect waterways, make our communities more resilient to climate change, and create jobs. The bond act will be considered by voters on the ballot in November of 2022.
Banning small plastic toiletry bottles at hotels: Hotels in NYC alone use an estimated 27 million of these unnecessary plastic bottles every year. The plastic bottles often end up in landfills, incinerators, or in our waterways.
Protecting our health and environment from fracking fluids: Bans fluids from oil and gas development from being spread on roads or on fields. Fracking fluids contain toxic chemicals and can be radioactive.
Thank you for your support—we could not have achieved this without you!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
NY, CT, and the Nation Deserve Clean Water
Photo by Lisa Fotios: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-drinking-glass-1346155/
Tell Congress to Invest in Clean Water Infrastructure!
We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity!
Congress is currently developing next year’s federal budget while also considering a major infrastructure package. This provides our nation with a critical once-in-a-generation opportunity to finally address our long-standing clean water needs! We have solutions to our clean water challenges, and it’s time to use them. Congress must act to:
Upgrade sewage and drinking water systems: The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a program to provide support to municipalities for the construction and repair of sewage infrastructure, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a program to upgrade drinking water infrastructure and ensure safe water at the tap. Congress should fund each program at $10 billion annually.
Replace Lead Service Lines: Between 6 -10 million homes nationwide continue to receive their drinking water through lead service lines, posing a serious risk to their health and disproportionately impacting low-income households. Congress should fund the Lead Service Line Replacement Program at $4.5 billion annually, which will provide grants for the full cost of replacing lead service lines.
Background Information
Aging and failing sewage infrastructure discharges raw or partially sewage into local waterways, jeopardizing human health, closing beaches, harming fish and wildlife, and damaging local economies. Our drinking water infrastructure is also in need of critical upgrades, with communities facing ever-increasing water main breaks every year and continuing to rely on lead service lines that threaten public health. Our water infrastructure has been ignored for far too long, causing needed repairs to pile up due to lack of sufficient funds. As the Congress looks to address the nation’s infrastructure needs, we need to ensure clean water infrastructure is an essential component of that effort.
The Costs of Inaction in New York, Connecticut, and the Nation: Antiquated sewage and drinking water infrastructure threatens our environment and our health, while compounding economic struggles.
There are an estimated 360,000 lead water service lines throughout New York (an estimated 6 -10 million homes nationwide) that pose a serious risk of leaching lead into our drinking water.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave NY & CT’s infrastructure poor grades (NY drinking water infrastructure: C; NY wastewater infrastructure: D; CT drinking water infrastructure: C-; CT wastewater infrastructure: D+). We deserve better!
There are 5 overflows of raw or partially treated sewage into New York waters every day. More than 1 billion gallons of raw or partially treated sewage enter CT waterways each year.
Between 1.8 and 3.5 million Americans become ill annually from contact with recreational waters contaminated by sewage.
Clean Water Infrastructure Needs in NY & CT
While repairing and replacing NY & CT’s clean water infrastructure is imperative, it will also be costly. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) estimates that over $36 billion is needed to repair and upgrade sewage infrastructure, while the New York State Department of Health estimates drinking water infrastructure needs exceed $38 billion. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than $8.6 billion worth of investments are needed over the next 20 years to maintain, repair and upgrade sewage infrastructure in Connecticut.
We Need Federal Investment in Clean Water Infrastructure
The federal government’s contribution to investments in water infrastructure fell from 63% in 1977 to 9% in 2014. The lack of federal investment has left communities unable to keep up with the large maintenance costs for aging systems. Many projects get delayed, and, in other cases, the costs of large infrastructure projects are passed on to ratepayers—leading to skyrocketing water bills. In some communities, water bills have tripled over the last 10 years.
A major federal investment in water infrastructure will protect our environment, help ensure safe, clean, and affordable drinking water is available to everyone, and set the stage for economic revitalization in towns and cities across New York.
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
ELIMINATE TOXIC PFAS IN FOOD SERVICE PACKAGING
Tell House Leadership to Call S.B. 837 for a Vote Today
With fewer than three days remaining in the Connecticut legislative session, we are running out of time to eliminate PFAS chemicals in our food packaging. We urgently need your help to get legislation (S.B. 837) called for a vote in the House so we can pass this important bill into law!
S.B. 837 restricts the use of takeout containers, fast food wrappers and other food packaging treated with toxic PFAS. These “forever chemicals” persist in our bodies and our environment for decades, and they contribute to serious human health issues, including developmental impacts and certain cancers.
The bill also authorizes the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to establish a take-back program for firefighting foams that contain PFAS and contaminate our environment and drinking water sources. This legislation brings CT in line with many neighboring states and has already passed the CT State Senate unanimously.
Why we are emailing you: we need your help today!
With so many important bills and limited time left in the session, we need to call on leadership in the House to call the bill and get it passed. Please take a moment to email House Speaker Matt Ritter and ask him to ban PFAS in food packaging today.
Thanks for taking action. Together we make a difference!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
Highlights and Happenings: May 2021
Image by Ben Scherjon from Pixabay
Help CCE build on our success, and support our campaigns to protect public health and the environment in NY and CT. Make a contribution today.
Highlights
Hosting the First Ever Long Island Sound Student Summit
We were thrilled to joined students from Brentwood, Northport, Smithtown, and Rocky Point High Schools on Long Island for the first Long Island Sound High School Summit. These future Long Island Sound leaders presented research projects on a variety for important topics, including water quality testing, storm drain monitoring, plastic pollution, and marine life in the Long Island Sound. Thank you to our partners AMSEAS, to Congressman Tom Suozzi for his inspirational opening remarks, and to the Long Island Sound Study and the Long Island Sound Futures Fund for their generous support of this project. These exceptional students are our future leaders and we are in great hands!
Bee-ware! Ban Toxic Neonic Pesticides in NY
We have been working aggressively over the last few years to address one of the biggest threats to pollinators—neonicotinoid pesticides (a.k.a neonics). These toxic pesticides are linked to the global decline of bee populations and are detected in water supplies in New York and across the nation. A law proposed in NY (Birds and Bees Protection Act) would ban certain unnecessary and harmful uses of neonics, including neonic treated corn, soybean, and wheat seeds, as well as ornamental, lawn, and garden uses. This would eliminate at least 85%-90% of all neonics used in the State! Help us pass this critical legislation and send an email to NYS Senate and Assembly Leadership. Want to know how you can protect pollinators at your own home? Take a look at CCE’s educational factsheet!
Victory! Southampton Sand Mining Permit Ruled Illegal
Sand Land, a 50-acre sand and gravel mine in Southampton, has long been controversial and is linked to groundwater contamination in the sole source aquifer of Southampton. We have been working for a decade with the Town of Southampton, Group for the East End, and the Noyac Civic Association to stop the expansion and close down the mine. In a landmark ruling in May, the NYS Supreme Court Appellate Division ruled in favor of aquifer protection and against the existing sandmining operation. Sand Land and the NYS DEC lost this critical court case and the courts ruled that DEC broke the law by issuing a permit extension and expansion to the sand mine located in the middle of a Special Ground Water Protection Area in Southampton Town.
Happenings
Pushing for the CT Bottle Bill
We are fighting to pass legislation to improve and modernize Connecticut’s bottle bill (S.B. 1037) and we are making real progress. In May, we held a series of stakeholder and community meetings in New Haven, Hartford, Bridgeport and Waterbury to bolster support for this critical bill. We also participated in a number of litter cleanups across Connecticut to help clean up our communities and open spaces and talk to members of the public about the bottle bill. One of these great events was a workshop at the Reservoir Farm in Bridgeport to educate community members about our ongoing efforts to improve recycling in Connecticut. The program included a briefing from CCE’s Lou Rosado Burch and a litter cleanup around the farm. Thanks to everyone who participated and a big thank you to the Green Village Initiative for inviting us.
Combatting PFAS: Long Island’s Toxic “Forever Chemicals”
The EPA’s failure to regulate PFAS is causing tremendous health and economic damage on Long Island. In May, we joined expert panelists Phil Brown, University Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Health Sciences from Northeastern University; Tim Whitehouse, the Executive Director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility; and Kyla Bennett, the Science Policy Director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility for a virtual event to discuss the danger PFAS poses to Long Island’s environment and health and what needs to be done to combat these forever chemicals. The event, moderated by Christopher Sellers, the Professor of History at Stony Brook University, had a great turnout. If you missed it, - check it out here.
Tackling NY’s Solid Waste Crisis
New York State is suffering from a growing solid waste and recycling crisis. Recycling markets in China and elsewhere closed their doors to the U.S., forcing us to start managing our long-standing solid waste problems. We are fighting for the Extended Producer Responsibility Act in NY, which would minimize waste, improve recycling, prevent plastic pollution, reduce toxins in products, and save municipalities money. In May, we had productive meetings with our Senate and Assembly leaders and have continued to lobby in support of EPR, but we still need your help to make sure this bill passes this year. If you haven’t yet, send an email to your representatives in support of Extended Producer Responsibility in NY.
Be on the Watch for Harmful Algal Blooms
As the weather begins to get warmer, and we start spending more time outside and lakeside, it is important to be aware of dangerous harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs pose an immense threat to our communities’ drinking water, public health, outdoor recreation and wildlife! HABs are erupting across NY more frequently and more aggressively—in 2020, over 900 HABs were present in NY waterbodies. If you see a HAB in a lake or waterbody (looks like spilled green paint or pea soup), be sure to avoid it and report it using the DEC Suspicious Algal Bloom Report Form!
Long Island Sound: Driving Local Actions to Tackle Water Pollution
In May, we joined our partners at Save the Sound and The Nature Conservancy to host a collaborative workshop series to advance local actions for cleaner waters and healthy watersheds in Long Island Sound. Thank you to everyone who joined us to hear from scientists and practitioners about approaches to combat pollution and clean up coastal waters in communities around Long Island Sound. This 3-week workshop series brought folks from across the Sound together to learn about advancements in technology and policy that tackles our biggest water quality challenges—including fecal bacteria, nitrogen, and plastic pollution.
Upcoming: High School Presentation Series on Climate Change and Offshore Wind
Recruiting all High School teachers! We are providing FREE zoom presentations on Combating Climate Change by Investing in Offshore Wind Energy. Reach out to our Project Coordinator Olivia Del Vecchio (odelvecchio@citizenscampaign.org / 516-390-7150) to set up your Climate & Wind presentation. Don’t delay, schedule today!
Honeybees must be protected, not exterminated: Support the Suffolk County Honeybee Protection Bill
Help us pass important legislation ensuring beekeepers can rescue honeybee hives before they are exterminated in Suffolk County
Honeybees are an integral component of our food web, but global populations of honeybees have declined since 2005. Massive bee die-off events and colony collapse disorder are putting our ecosystem and food production at risk. In honor of National Bee Day on May 20th, we worked with Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski to craft and introduce an important bill to prevent exterminators in Suffolk from destroying honeybee hives without first calling a beekeeper to rescue the hive!
This bill would require homeowners, pesticide applicators, and exterminators who want to address unwanted honeybee infestations first call a beekeeper, who can safely relocate the hive. To learn more about the importance of protecting honeybees and the Suffolk County honeybee protection bill, check out this video with CCE’s Adrienne Esposito and Legislator Al Krupki.
There are two important ways you can help!
You can also join us virtually for the Suffolk County Public Hearing on the Honeybee Protection Bill and submit supportive comments. Details for the public hearing:
Date: Tuesday, June 8
Time: 2:00pm
How to Submit Public Testimony
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
Protect Our Pollinators!
Ban Dangerous and Unnecessary Uses of Neonic Toxic Pesticides in New York!
Pollinators, such as honeybees, beetles, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds, are essential components of our food web. Massive bee die-off events and colony collapse disorder are putting our ecosystem and food production at risk. This rise in bee deaths has been largely linked to the explosive growth in the use of neonicotinoids (A.K.A. “neonics”) and other harmful pesticides.
Neonics are pesticides that attack the nervous system of insects. These pesticides largely added as a seed coating to plants, such as corn, wheat, and soybeans, and used as a spray for ornamental plants and turf. As a seed coating these chemicals persist and spread as the plant grows, making the entire plant toxic to bees and other pollinators.
Neonics are also threatening New York’s waters. A 2018 U.S. Fish and Wildlife study found neonics in New York’s streams “in excess of toxicity and regulatory thresholds.” Additionally, extensive testing of New York’s surface waters by the USGS in 2016 found the neonic imidacloprid in nearly 40% of samples. Neonics are persistent in our water and environment, posing a serious threat to health and pollinators.
Corn, soy, and wheat treated seeds account for an estimated 73% of all neonics used in New York, while lawn, garden, ornamental, and turf (aka cosmetic) uses make up an additional 15%. A 2020 report by Cornell University found that neonic treated corn, soy, and wheat seeds provide "no overall net income benefits" to farmers yet pose significant risk to bees and other pollinators. Likewise, cosmetic uses posed some of the highest risk to pollinators but are easily replaced with safer alternatives.
The Birds and Bees Protection Act (S.669B/A.7429) would ban these low benefit/high risk uses of neonics in NY. This will eliminate at least 85% - 90% of all neonics used in New York, protect water quality, and ensure we are not poisoning our birds, bees, and other pollinators with this toxic pesticide.
How You Can Help! Email NYS Senate and Assembly Leadership!
Send an email to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and tell them to pass the Birds and Bees Protection Act (S.669B/A7429) to ban neonic treated corn, soy, and wheat seeds and ban ornamental and turf neonic uses.
Thank you! Together we can make a difference.
All of Us at CCE
Tackling Plastic Pollution in Long Island Sound
Join us for the final virtual workshop:
“Long Island Sound: Driving Local Actions to Tackle Water Pollution: Marine Debris and Plastic Pollution”
Join Long Island Sound: Driving Local Actions to Tackle Water Pollution, a collaborative workshop series advancing local actions for cleaner waters and healthy watersheds in Long Island Sound. Hear from scientists and practitioners about approaches to combat pollution and clean up coastal waters in communities around Long Island Sound.
This final workshop will bring folks from across the Sound together to learn about advancements in technology and policy that tackles our biggest water quality challenge — marine debris and plastic pollution. Hear from expert speakers like Robert A. DiGiovanni from the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Dr. Kelsey Leonard from Shinnecock Nation, and our own Executive Director Adrienne Esposito from Citizens Campaign for the Environment! Additionally, new research on plastics in the Sound will be presented by students from Brentwood High School and Northport High School.
Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Topic: Marie Debris and Plastic Pollution
Hosts: Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Save the Sound and The Nature Conservancy; with generous support from the Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative
Register here (after registering, you will receive a zoom link to participate)
Thank you for joining us!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at CCE
