Big Gains for Environmental Programs in Proposed NY Budget

We were thrilled when Governor Hochul recently released her 2022-2023 executive budget proposal and it included many of CCE’s top priorities for this year. 2022 is shaping up to be a great year for New York’s environment with historic funding proposed for environmental and public health protections. This is major progress, and we could not have done it without your support! 

The final state budget is due by April 1st, and we are working to ensure that Governor Hochul’s proposals (and more) make it into the final New York State Budget. The proposed budget includes:

• Historic $4 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act: The bond act, which would go before the voters on the November ballot, will protect clean water, protect communities from climate change, and create thousands of good jobs.

• An all-time high of $400 million for the Environmental Protection Fund: Allows communities to protect clean water, conserve open space, save family farms, bolster recycling programs, revitalize waterfronts, build community parks, support zoos, and more.

• $500 million to grow the offshore wind supply chain: Creates jobs and helps to ensure NY meets its ambitious 9,000 MW of offshore wind by 2035 target.

• $500 million for clean water infrastructure: Helps communities treat drinking water for dangerous contaminants, upgrades outdated sewage and septic systems, replaces lead drinking water pipes, and more.

• Holds manufacturers, not taxpayers, accountable for recycling their packaging waste: This policy would reduce packaging waste, improve recycling, prevent plastic pollution, and save local governments millions of dollars. A complimentary policy would ban toxic chemicals, like PFAS, in product packaging.

• Strengthens protections for our critical wetlands: Wetlands help protect drinking water, reduce flooding, and are home to numerous threatened and endangered species.

• $200 million for state parks: Enhances and improves our state parks that provide amazing recreational opportunities and support tourism.

Stay tuned for opportunities to weigh in on the budget process and maximize critical environmental funding!

Thank you,
Your friends at CCE

Support a Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy

Photo by Andris Bergmanis from Pexels

Urge Governor Hochul to include a $500 million Environmental Protection Fund in this year’s budget

In 1993, the NYS Legislature created the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to provide a reliable and dedicated source of funding for essential environmental programs in NYS. EPF projects have invested over $3 billion in local communities to protect clean water, conserve open space, save family farms, bolster recycling programs, revitalize waterfronts, build community parks, support zoos, and more. These investments not only benefit our environment; they also help bolster our economy and support 350,000 jobs. For every $1 of EPF funds invested in land conservation, $7 in goods and services is returned to NYS. As we combat harmful algal blooms from nitrogen pollution, a solid waste crisis, climate change impacts and water quality impairments across our state, it is more important than ever to make crucial investments in environmental protection this year.

For the last six years, EPF funding has been stuck at $300 million. While this is a good start, EPF funding is meant to grow over time, and we cannot afford another year of stagnation. We need increased funding to support programs including climate resiliency measures, improving recycling, conserving open space, and protecting our oceans, estuaries, and Great Lakes. This year, we are urging Governor Hochul to include an historic $500 million EPF in the 2022-2023 budget and we need your help!

Email Governor Hochul today and let her know you support a $500 million Environmental Protection Fund in this year’s budget.

Thanks for taking action. Together we make a difference!

Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE

Biden Administration’s Greenlight of NY Bight Sale for Offshore Wind Power Celebrated by Labor, Environment, and Industry. Groups Applaud Gov Hochul

Contact:

Fred Zalcman, Director, New York Offshore Wind Alliance, 475- 204-4762 (Mobile)

Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment 631-384-1378

Mariah Dignan, Regional Director, Climate Jobs NY 646-708-5474

Julie Tighe, Executive Director, NYLCV  518-330-4812

Long Island - Climate Jobs NY, New York League of Conservation Voters, Long Island Association, Long Island Federation of Labor, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, the New York Offshore Wind Alliance, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Sierra Club applaud Governor Hochul and the Biden Administration’s prioritization of offshore wind development off New York’s shores. This Final Sale Notice brings us one significant step closer to transitioning away from fossil fuels, fighting climate change and creating tens of thousands of good union jobs. 

On December 16, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) completed its environmental review of the nearly 800,000-acre wind energy areas (WEAs) in the NY Bight and issued a finding of no significant impact. This is a key marker in creating a sustainable, thorough, and predictable permitting process to advance the offshore wind industry. Development in the areas included in this Final Sale Notice encompass six additional lease areas providing the potential to generate over 5.6-7 gigawatts of clean wind energy, enough to power over 4 million homes. Today’s announcement includes: 

• 6 new wind energy lease areas – the most new lease areas created by BOEM at one time.

• Stipulations concerning project labor agreements (PLAs) - leaseholder will be required to make every reasonable effort to enter into PLA covering construction scope

• New incentives for use of domestic supply chain – lessees given a credit off rental fee for domestic assembly or manufacturing of major project components which encourages locally sourced materials and jobs.

• Stipulations concerning enhanced/early engagement with interested and affected stakeholders

John R. Durso, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor said, “The Final Sale Notice for the New York Bight demonstrates that President Biden is determined to fight climate change while bringing a new industry to Long Island with jobs that provide good wages and benefits. Opening new lease areas for offshore wind development will create the opportunities for a new generation of workers to gain careers that will help our region build strong, resilient communities.”

“BOEM’s Final Sale Notice for the New York Bight is a major milestone in the development of a domestic U.S. offshore wind industry”, said Fred Zalcman, Director of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance. “The Biden Administration’s unwavering commitment to the development of this new, clean and abundant renewable resource will pay significant dividends by spurring new investments in area ports and harbors, manufacturing capacity, and the next generation of skilled workers.”

“With today's Final Sale Notice on these six new lease areas in the New York Bight, the Biden Administration signaled the historic opportunity we have to create thousands of good union jobs in offshore wind, with a Project Labor Agreement requirement for construction of new wind farms,” said Mariah Dignan, Regional Director for Climate Jobs NY. “This crucial stipulation will propel working families forward for generations to come while taking an important step forward for the offshore wind industry, which can be an anchor of our energy future here on Long Island and throughout New York.”

“Climate related disasters in 2021 cost us $145 billion dollars in recovery needs. Tornados, hurricanes, droughts, fires and heat waves are devasting to our economy and communities. We cannot afford to delay our nation’s battel against the climate crises. Fortunately, the answer is blowing in the wind. We are delighted that the Administration is prioritizing the development of offshore wind. Our future depends on it,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. 

“From the Build Back Better Act to advancing clean energy projects, President Biden's administration is clearly prioritizing climate action,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “Today’s announcement by BOEM of new lease areas for auction in the New York bight will accomplish critical goals in tandem: generate enough clean energy to power more than two million homes, cut our reliance of fossil fuels, and create good-paying union jobs. Offshore wind will continue to play a crucial role as we strive to fight climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and green our grid, and we thank BOEM Administrator Amanda Lefton for her leadership on offshore wind development."

“The production of offshore wind energy in the New York Bight will mean more than just clean power; it means hope and new opportunities.  The impact of BOEM’s actions coupled with developing the region’s Offshore Wind market will certainly change our environment and economy for the better. Reducing our dependency on fossil fuels is crucial and reaching that goal is a key element in ensuring the earth is on a path to heal itself for the next generation.

Apprenticeship Training Programs are ready to capitalize on these initiatives and provide new careers for a generation of workers who want and deserve to be part of the middle class,” said Matthew Aracich, President of Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

"The announcement of up to 7GW of new lease areas for new offshore wind development is a victory for New York families, workers, and the climate," said Allison Considine, Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club. "This marks a major milestone in achieving New York’s goal of 9GW of offshore wind by 2035, and President Biden’s goal of 30GW by 2030. Today’s Final Sale Notice demonstrates that New York’s goal of achieving 100% fossil-fuel-free electricity is not only feasible, it is breaking ground on new opportunities that will revitalize our economy and create a national leadership hub for responsible offshore wind development."

Matt Cohen, President & CEO of the Long Island Association, said, “It is a key priority of the Long Island Association to make our region the offshore wind capital of the country, and with today’s announcement from the Biden Administration it is clear we will be a national leader in clean energy, with the support of Governor Hochul. The LIA will work to ensure that Long Island realizes the job creation and supply chain benefits of our clean energy economy.”

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Hold manufacturers—not taxpayers—responsible for their waste!

Reduce Waste and Increase Recycling in New York

New York State is suffering from a growing solid waste and recycling crisis. Recycling markets in China and elsewhere have closed their doors to the U.S., forcing us to start managing our long-standing solid waste problems. As a result, municipal recycling costs have skyrocketed, recycling rates have declined, and our environment and health are suffering from pollution. 

Signs of our solid waste crisis are evident across New York:

Plastic packaging and paper recycling are in crisis: New York generates more than 17 million tons of municipal solid waste annually. An estimated 40 percent of that waste is composed of product packaging and paper products, such as plastic containers, steel cans, plastic film, glass bottles, and cardboard. Unfortunately, less than half of this waste is being recycled properly. Instead of being recycled, much of this waste is ending up as litter in our communities, shipped to landfills, or burned in trash incinerators. 

Costs to local governments—and taxpayers—have skyrocketed: Municipalities were once getting paid for recyclables, however now, they must pay to recycle. Instead of generating revenue from recyclables, many municipalities face recycling costs in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars per year. The increased cost for local governments to process these materials was estimated to total $80 million across NYS in 2021. Local officials are now forced to consider raising fees on residents and/or reducing the recycling services provided to their communities.

New York’s waterways are suffering from increased plastic pollution: All too often, plastic packaging is littering our communities, ultimately making its way into our treasured rivers, lakes, bays, and ocean. Plastics do not biodegrade once they enter the environment—instead they break down into tiny pieces known as microplastics, which are frequently mistaken for food and ingested by fish and other aquatic wildlife. Recent research indicates that Lake Erie contains 381 metric tons of plastic—more than 50 times greater than the previous estimates at the surface. In NY/NJ Harbor Estuary, there are an estimated 165 million plastic particles floating in the water at any given time. In Long Island Sound coastal communities, voluntary clean ups report finding over 110,000 pounds of marine debris on beaches over the last 8 years.

Large Brands are Failing to Take Responsibility: Currently, manufacturers bear no responsibility for disposing of packaging waste they create. Large brands have externalized the cost of disposing of packaging onto our municipal recycling programs and local taxpayers.  For example, an estimated 165 billion packages are shipped in the U.S. every year, and yet companies currently bear no responsibility for managing any of this packaging waste that their businesses create.  Instead, taxpayers are shouldering the financial burden for disposal. 

The Solution to Reducing Waste and Saving Taxpayers Money: Hold Manufacturers Responsible for their Waste: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) would require manufacturers to take responsibility for their products throughout their entire product life cycle, by bearing the cost of proper recycling and responsible disposal for packaging and printed paper. Not only does this provide relief to taxpayers, but it also serves as an incentive for producers to minimize packaging materials, improve recyclability, and reduce the toxicity of their products. Packaging EPR policies have existed in Canada and the EU for decades and resulted in recycling rates upwards of 90%.

New York Must Take Action on Our Solid Waste Crisis!

Governor Hochul has proposed to include EPR in the 2022-23 state budget. New York State can reduce waste, increase recycling, save taxpayers money, and protect our treasured waters by including Extender Producer Responsibility for packaging and paper in the final state budget. Email elected representatives today and urge them to support EPR in the final 2022-23 state budget! 

Thanks for taking action. Together we make a difference!

Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE

Highlights and Happenings: December 2021

Image by PublicDomainPictures 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.

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Highlights

Victory! Governor Hochul Signs CCE Priority Bills into Law in NY 

In December, Governor Hochul signed several of our legislative priority bills into law. Thank you to all who helped to pass these critical bills by writing letters and signing petitions. The bills signed into law last month include: 

• Requiring all water suppliers across NY to test drinking water for harmful emerging contaminants

• Banning small, wasteful, and unnecessary plastic toiletry bottles at hotels (NYC hotels alone use 27 million bottles annually)

• Protecting Long Island’s drinking water from nitrogen pollution

• Banning dangerous flame retardants in furniture and electronics casings—protecting the health of our families and firefighters

• Protecting drinking water from lead in schools (there is no safe level of lead in drinking water)

• Requiring bioheating fuel in buildings currently using heating oil

We are also gearing up for our 2022 legislative session and are urging state leaders to increase the state’s Environmental Protection Fund, place a $4 billion Environmental Bond Act on the ballot in November, protect our pollinators from dangerous pesticides, pass a waste reduction and recycling bill that will place the cost of managing waste onto manufacturers instead of taxpayers, and more. Stay tuned on how you can help.  

Honoring our 2021 Connecticut Environmental Champions 

We are proud to recognize CT legislators who made it their mission to protect our planet. Last month, we selected four legislators who helped advance important environmental initiatives, including increasing recycling, preventing toxic pollution, combatting climate change and fighting for environmental justice. We are honored to present our 2021 Connecticut Environmental Champion Award to Senator Christine Cohen, Senator Matt Lesser, Representative Brandon McGee, and Representative Jonathan Steinberg. Congratulations to all our 2021 Environmental Champions!

Lou Rosado Burch honored with Environmental Champion award 

Our Connecticut Program Director, Lou Rosado Burch, was presented with Rivers Alliance of Connecticut’s 2021 Environmental Champion Award for his work on modernizing the state’s Bottle Bill. Increasing access to recycling in our communities is critical, both from an environmental protection and a resource conservation standpoint. Lou was deeply honored to receive this recognition from one of our valued advocacy partners and thanks the RA Staff and Board for the important work they do in Connecticut! 

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Happenings

Image by sipa from Pixabay

New York Styrofoam Ban is in Effect 

We are starting the new year off on the right foot—without styrofoam! Polluting polystyrene foam containers and packing peanuts are now banned in New York starting January 1st. This lightweight foam breaks apart easily, does not biodegrade, is not readily recyclable, and contributes to the growing plastic pollution crisis in our water ways. Many communities already have a ban in place but we're happy all New Yorkers will be seeing less of these items polluting our neighborhood and waterways! 

Gearing up for a 2022 Long Island Sound High School Summit 

Along with our partners at Atlantic Marine Conservation Society and Friends of the Bay, we will be planning a 2022 Long Island Sound High School Summit in the following months. We are excited to work with 8 great High Schools—Northport, Commack High School, Riverhead High School, Oyster Bay, Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women, Brentwood High School, Rocky Point High School, and Smithtown High School West. The program will educate, engage and empower students to get involved in protection and restoration of the Sound. Thank you to the Long Island Sound Study for the support! If you missed the 2021 LIS High School Summit, check out our video here. 

Protecting Northport Harbor with Green Infrastructure 

On Long Island, we are working with the Village of Northport and the Northport Yacht Club to install over 27,000 feet of green infrastructure to prevent polluted stormwater runoff from reaching Northport Harbor and Long Island Sound. Our proposal to install a bioretention rain garden to capture, store, and filter contaminants while protecting the shoreline was selected for funding by the Long Island Sound Study through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund in December. 

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Upcoming: Learn more about the Sunrise and South Fork Wind Farms 

We will be co-hosting a virtual forum with the New York League of Conservation Voters to hear from representatives from Orsted and Eversource on Wednesday, January 12, at 7pm. Join us to find out more about the Sunrise and South Fork Wind Farms off the coast of Montauk, which together will power hundreds of thousands of Long Island homes. The event will be hosted on zoom and is free to the public. RSVP here. 

Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) Lauds Governor Hochul’s Historic State of the State Address

Proposals would bolster NY’s role as national leader on protecting our environment and fighting climate change

For immediate release: January 5, 2022

Contact: Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, 631-384-1378, aesposito@citizenscampaign.org

Brian Smith, Associate Executive Director, 716-472-4078, bsmith@citizenscampaign.org

Albany, NY—Today Governor Hochul issued her first State of the State address as Governor. In response, Citizens Campaign for the Environment issued the following statement:

Adrienne Esposito, CCE Executive Director, said “CCE applauds Governor Hochul for her ambitious and forward-thinking environmental agenda delivered today in the State of the State address. These critical environmental initiatives will not only protect our environment and public health, but will also fight climate change, boost our economy, and help make New York a leader on offshore wind.”

“The challenges of addressing clean water, clean air and sustainability are vast, but with a clear vision for New York we can achieve a safer, healthier tomorrow. The Governor hit all the right topics including clean water, clean air, fighting climate change, creating a green economy, and addressing our solid waste crisis.  These programs enjoy overwhelming public support and will continue to propel New York forward as a national leader on environmental protection,” continued Esposito.  

Brian Smith, CCE Associate Executive Director, said “New York’s growing solid waste crisis requires bold action, and this exactly what the Governor has proposed to do. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) would require manufacturers to take responsibility for their products throughout their entire product life cycle, by bearing the cost of recycling for packaging and paper. Not only does this provide much needed relief to taxpayers, but it also serves as an incentive for producers to minimize packaging materials, improve recyclability, and reduce the toxicity of their products.

Highlights from State of the State:

• $4 Billion Environmental Bond Act: The Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act includes funding for land preservation, fighting climate change, managing wastewater and filtering drinking water, electric buses and more.

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Paper and Packaging –An EPR program for packing and paper products will require producers — not taxpayers — cover the cost of recycling. With EPR, producers become financially responsible for their products through the entire product lifecycle, incentivizing them to reduce waste, invest in recycling infrastructure, make products that are easier to recycle.

• Expanded Wetlands Protection - Wetlands provide a natural buffer for flood protection and clean water, saving us from violent storms. Expanding New York’s wetlands program by improving mapping requirements and enhancing regulations around smaller wetlands will not only protect our environment but also protect New York communities.

• Reduce Toxic Packaging.  –Reducing toxic and environmentally persistent chemicals in packaging and paper products by expanding the Hazardous Packaging rules by restricting two long-lasting chemicals — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and phthalates — in all packaging.

• Invest $500 Million in Critical Offshore Wind Infrastructure: Including ports, manufacturing, and supply chain infrastructure needed to advance our offshore wind industry, leveraging private capital to deliver more than $2 billion in economic activity while creating 2,000 good-paying green jobs.

• Transitioning to Renewables - Governor Hochul will direct NYSERDA, DPS, and DEC to develop a blueprint to guide the retirement and redevelopment of New York’s oldest and most-polluting fossil fuel facilities and their sites by 2030.

• Safe guarding Long Island’s Aquifer and Water Sources - The State University of New York (SUNY) will expand SUNY Stony Brook Center for Clean Water Technology research to include waste water treatment technology and create the Suffolk County Wastewater Management District.

• Combat Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and Support Localities:  Grants for septic system replacements, since replacing inadequate septic systems can greatly reduce the amount of wastewater-related nutrients that end up in a stream or lake. Rather than just treating HABs once they have formed, these grants will enable a proactive approach to mitigating these environmental hazards before they start.

NEW YORK EXPANDS TESTING OF DRINKING WATER FOR TOXIC EMERGING CONTAMINANTS

CCE applauds Governor Hochul for signing legislation that will protect public health and drinking water quality for all water systems, regardless of size

For immediate release: December 23, 2021

For more information:

Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, 516-390-7150, or cell 631-384-1378 aesposito@citizenscampaign.org

Brian Smith, Associate Executive Director, 716-831-3206, bsmith@citizenscampaign.org

Albany, NY— Today, Governor Hochul signed legislation (A.126A/ S.1759A) to expand testing of drinking water for new emerging contaminants. Emerging contaminants, which are linked with a broad range of adverse health impacts, have been detected in drinking water supplies across the state through limited testing and often at levels above federal health guidelines. This legislation establishes the state’s first list of emerging contaminants that every water system, regardless of size, must test for. The bill closes a federal loophole for smaller water systems by requiring systems serving less than 10,000 people to test for emerging contaminants, thus helping to protect the drinking water of an additional 2.5 million New Yorkers.

“Clean water is the gift that keeps on giving. New York has taken a crucial step forward and given residents confidence and clarity about what contaminants may be lurking in their drinking water,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE). “Now, New Yorkers in communities of all sizes will no longer be left in the dark when it comes to dangerous contaminants in drinking water. CCE applauds Governor Hochul for signing legislation that builds on New York’s nation leading commitment to ensure public health and drinking water quality is safeguarded from toxic emerging contaminants.”

New York State passed the Emerging Contaminant Monitoring Act (ECMA) in 2017, which instructs the NYS Department of Health (DOH) to create and regularly update a list of emerging contaminants that every water utility, regardless of size, is required to test for and notify the public. The NYS Drinking Water Quality Council recently moved to add seven PFAS chemicals to the state’s list of emerging contaminants. This legislation goes further to protect public health and drinking water quality by adding 40 contaminants to the state’s list (includes the 7 proposed by the Council). The legislation also requires NYS Department of Health to update the emerging contaminants list at least every three years.

“Industries switching from one toxic chemical to another has resulted in a slew of new emerging contaminants polluting communities across New York,” said Esposito. “This bill will keep New York ahead of the curve and ensure all water systems test for the most up to date list of emerging contaminants, thus protecting public health and the environment.  This is a wonderful holiday gift for all New Yorkers!”

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Announcing CCE’s 2021 Connecticut Environmental Champions

Celebrate CT’s elected officials that have led the way in protecting our environment and public health!

CCE is excited to announce our 2021 Connecticut Environmental Champions! We take pride in recognizing legislators who have demonstrated a real commitment to protecting our precious natural resources and our health. This year, we are proud to announce four legislative champions who have led the fight for clean air, clean water and environmental justice in Connecticut:

State Senator Christine Cohen (12th Senate Dist.) is the Senate Chair of the Environment Committee and the lead advocate for progressive environmental policy in the Senate. She led the fight on several important victories in Connecticut in 2021, including modernizing the CT Bottle Bill, restricting toxic PFAS in food packaging, and passing critical updates to CCE’s signature “Sewage Overflow Right-to-Know” law.

State Senator Matthew Lesser (9th Senate Dist.) is a long-time supporter of strong environmental protections and has helped advance multiple CCE priorities, including a bill to ban toxic fracking waste coming into Connecticut. In 2021, Sen. Lesser spearheaded the effort to pass first-in-the-nation legislation to combat climate change by divesting Connecticut’s insurance accounts from firms that insure the fossil fuel industry. This makes Connecticut a national leader in efforts to reduce climate emissions, discourage investment in dirty fossil fuels and promote clean energy technology.

State Representative Brandon McGee (5th House Dist.) is a lifelong community advocate, fighting for the rights of low- and moderate-income families across Connecticut. He understands the intersection of environmental justice issues and health inequities that impact our most vulnerable populations. In 2021, he facilitated community conversations on important environmental justice issues, was an outspoken supporter of the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI), and he established an Equity Commission to study the impacts of racism on public health.

State Representative Jonathan Steinberg (136th House Dist.) is the House Chair of the Public Health Committee. Rep. Steinberg has been a strong supporter of Connecticut’s environment through the years, having led the fight to pass a comprehensive State Water Plan for Connecticut in 2019. As chair of Public Health, Rep. Steinberg was the first to introduce legislation restricting toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” in food packaging and prohibiting the use of PFAS-treated firefighting foams that contaminate our water and threaten our health.

Protecting our environment is a full-time job. These legislators have proven themselves to be steadfast advocates for their communities and our shared environment. CCE applauds these lawmakers for their efforts to safeguard our state’s air and water resources, address health inequities, and promote good environmental policy in Connecticut. 

These legislators are true leaders in our state, and we are proud to present them with our 2021 Connecticut Environmental Champion Award!

Thank you for taking a moment to recognize our champions. Together, we make a difference!

Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE

Highlights and Happenings: November 2021

Image by Tracey O'Brien 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.

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Highlights

President Signs Infrastructure Bill! 

On November 15, President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, paving the way for historic investments in replacing dangerous lead drinking water pipes ($15 billion), restoring the Great Lakes ($1 billion) and Long Island Sound ($106 million), plugging abandoned oil and gas wells that leak toxic chemicals and methane ($4.7 billion), and more! The law will help provide clean drinking water, support environmental justice for disadvantage communities, fight climate change, and create thousands and thousands of good jobs! 

U.S. House Passes Build Back Better Act! 

The Build Back Better Act (BBBA) would invest a historic $555 billion to fight climate change by investing in renewable energy, expanding electric vehicles, and creating a thriving green energy economy. The bill would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 52% by 2030 and includes significant investments in fixing water infrastructure, remediating toxic sites, protecting marine habitats and more. In November, we joined with our friends New York League of Conservation Voters and labor to urge the US House of Representatives to vote YES on the BBBA. We are thrilled to announce the House has passed BBBA and we will keep pushing the US Senate to ensure we get this critical bill passed this year. 

Victory! Governor Hochul Signs Coal Tar Sealant Ban into Law 

Coal tar sealants are commonly used in parking lots to “beautify” asphalt every few years. It contains high amounts of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), a known carcinogen. Within just a month the coal tar sealant is worn away and scraped off by car tires, and pieces are washed into storm drains and pollute rivers, lakes, and streams. After a decade of fighting to ban these unnecessary, harmful products New York’s ban on coal tar sealant has been signed into law! Thank you to Governor Hochul and our bill champions, Senator Sanders and Assemblywoman Rosenthal. 

Victory! NY’s First Offshore Wind Farm Gets Federal Approval 

In November, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a Record of Decision on South Fork Wind Farm, the 130MW project off the coast of Montauk that will power the South Fork of Long Island and offsets the need for a new fossil fuel plant. LIPA selected this project in 2016 and we have been working hard to ensure that the wind farm and cable connection are done in an environmentally responsible manner while providing clean energy for tens of thousands of Long Island homes. We could not be more excited that this project has been issued this Record of Decision and that construction is set to start next year! A giant thank you to all our Wind Works Long Island partners and all of you who have wrote letters, made calls, and signed petitions in support of NY’s first offshore wind farm. 

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Happenings

Protecting NY’s Water from Forever Chemicals 

We joined our friends at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) to give New Yorkers a virtual tour of potential PFAS pollution in waterways around the state. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that some 3,500 industrial facilities “may be handling” per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) across New York, a number that carries troubling implications for controlling the spread of these toxic “forever chemicals” in our environment and water supplies. PEER obtained the list of industrial facilities from EPA through a lawsuit (involving PFAS manufacture, import, handling, or storage) and has developed an interactive, online map of those facilities and joined us for a virtual tour to discuss the sources of PFAS contamination, how this chemical is impacting our waterways and public health in NY, and what we can do to fight back. 

Saying NO to Long Island’s Solar Tax 

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) is considering an ill-advised tax on solar customers that would disincentivize homeowners from going solar and penalize existing homes that have already switched to reusable energy. As we fight to meet our ambitious NY renewable energy goals, including 70% renewables by 2030 and 6,000 MW of solar by 2025, it is absurd to unjustly burden the Long Islanders who chose to go solar and are already doing their part to help improve air quality and public health in our communities. In November we rallied with NYS Senators Kevin Thomas, John Brooks, and Jim Gaughran, along with our allies, in the fight for clean energy to demand LIPA kill the proposed solar tax. 

Giving Thanks to Bees, Butterflies, and Pollinators 

This November, as we all gathered around the table for Thanksgiving dinner it is important to remember and give thanks to the bees, butterflies, and pollinators that made it all possible. Pollinators provide an estimated $439 million worth of pollination services to top New York State crops like apples, squash, tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, and pears. Unfortunately, pollinator populations have been decreasing. The decline in pollinators is largely linked to the unnecessary overuse of neonicotinoid pesticides. Corn, soy, and wheat neonic treated seeds account for approximately 73% of all neonics used in NY, and lawn, garden, ornamental, and turf uses make up an additional 15% yet provide no net benefit. Help us eliminate these low benefit/high risk uses of neonics by signing a petition in support of the Birds and Bees Protection Act here.