The Town of Brookhaven has announced a Host Community Agreement with Sunrise Wind for enabling 18 miles of real estate access for its cable to carry electricity from the developers planned offshore wind power project.
Op-Ed: Water Reuse Increasingly Important
SOURCE:
https://huntingtonnow.com/op-ed-water-reuse-increasingly-important/
By Karl Grossman - March 19, 2023
“Water reuse has been increasingly recognized as an essential component in effective
water resource management plans,” says the “Long Island Water Reuse Road Map & Action
Plan” unveiled last week. “The United Nations formally acknowledged the importance of water
reuse in 2017,” it adds.
“The benefits of water reuse have long been recognized and embraced in other parts of
the world,” it continues. And now in the United States, “approximately 2.6 billion gallons of
water is reused daily.”
But in New York State, “large-scale water reuse projects have been limited. There are a
few projects in upstate New York and one on Long Island,” the “Riverhead reuse project” which
started in 2016 “to redirect highly treated wastewater, as much as 260,000 gallons per day” from
the Riverhead Sewage Treatment Plant to “irrigate the nearby Indian Island County Golf Course”
instead of, as had been the practice, dumping it into Flanders Bay.
“Reusing water, for some other valuable purpose, provides numerous benefits,” the
“Long Island Water Reuse Road Map & Action Plan” goes on. “These include protecting public
wells and water supplies from salt water intrusion.” It calls for highly treated wastewater to be
used for a variety of purposes here with additional irrigation of golf courses but also of sod farms
and greenhouses, lawns and fields at educational and commercial sites and—highly
important—to deal with “over-pumping.”
Indeed, a lesson for all of Long Island is how Brooklyn—on Long Island’s western
end—lost its potable water supply more than a century ago: by over-pumping and consequent saltwater intrusion, along with pollution, notes John Turner, senior conservation policy advocate at the Seatuck Environmental Association.
So, Brooklyn began getting its water from reservoirs built upstate. There has been talk in
recent years of Nassau County buying water from those New York City-owned reservoirs. But
they are near capacity, says Turner, so the city “has not been welcoming Nassau County with open arms.”
For Nassau and Suffolk Counties water reuse is critical.
The “Long Island Water Reuse Road Map & Action Plan” was presented this week at an
event at the treatment facility of the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District in Nassau
County. Nassau is a case study of how the Brooklyn lesson has not been learned. In Nassau,
which is 85% sewered, its sewage treatment plants dump wastewater through outfall pipes into
nearby waterways and the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound—and as a result Nassau’s
water table is dropping.
An announcement for the event said that it “serves as a kick-off for a new way of
thinking that could revolutionize the way in which our community protects its most precious
natural resource.”
The “Long Island Water Reuse Road Map & Action Plan” charting a course for Long
Island to reuse water from its underground water supply, its “sole source” of potable water, was
created by Islip-based Seatuck working with the Greentree Foundation and Cameron
Engineering & Associates, and a Water Reuse Technical Working Group of 28 members.
Suffolk County is about 25% sewered. Some water treatment plants in Suffolk recharge
treated wastewater into the ground but plants also do what Nassau has been doing, sending
wastewater out to adjacent waters or the ocean or Long Island Sound through outfall pipes.
There has been action through the years on pollutants in the water supply, on quality of
drinking water, in Nassau and Suffolk. There must be a parallel emphasis on quantity.
“Major Action Plan Recommendations” in the new plan, include: “Develop Water Reuse
Regulations/Guidelines…Convene a Long Island Water Reuse Workgroup to develop and
implement strategies…Conduct engineering studies on the most feasible projects…Engage Long
Island Golf Course Association in plan development…”
The “Water Reuse Technical Working Group” for the plan included: Anthony Caniano,
hydrologist at the Suffolk County Department of Health Services; Dr. Christopher Gobler of the
Stony Brook University School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences; Bill Zalakar, president of
the Long Island Farm Bureau; Chris Class, marine scientist at The Nature Conservancy; Joseph
Gardner, president of the Long Island Golf Course Superintendent’s Association; Christopher
Schubert, program development specialist at the New York Water Science Center; Adrienne
Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment; Suffolk County Public
Works Supervisor Madhav Sathe and Deputy Suffolk County Executive Peter Scully.
Projects for water reuse considered in the Town of Huntington in the plan include at: Kurt
Weiss Greenhouses in Melville; White Post Farms in Melville; Deckers and Van Cott Nurseries
in Greenlawn; Northport High School and Harborfields High School in Greenlawn; Holmes
Farms in Huntington; and Del Vino Vineyard in Northport.
For more information on the plan visit https://seatuck.org/water-reuse/
NAACP again intervenes to protest Yaphank waste transfer facility
A truck transports waste.
A bill that would allow the Town of Brookhaven to eliminate a zoning requirement that protects open space to allow for a rail spur extension faces pushback from the New York NAACP and local chapters.
Eliminating a conservation easement would allow a proposed waste transfer station in Yaphank to connect to the freight system on the Long Island Rail Road. State NAACP officials warn that hauling away “thousands of tons of trash” by rail would disproportionately harm nearby communities of color.
EPA data shows 2021 had fewer toxic chemical releases in Connecticut
Advocates Defend ‘the Birds and the Bees’ with Nation-Leading Legislation
Clean Water Video Series: Progress and Challenges in New York
On World Water Day, we look at what protecting clean water looks like in New York State
March 22nd is World Water Day, and to celebrate, we are releasing a video series on the progress and challenges associated with protecting NY’s water resources. From Long Island to the Finger Lakes to the Great Lakes, significant efforts have been made to protect and restore our treasured waters, and this video series provides a glimpse into our progress.
New York has an abundance of water resources that we rely on for drinking water, recreation, tourism, and a heathy environment. Major investments have been made in successful efforts to restore our waterbodies, combat harmful algal blooms, address emerging contaminants, and so much more.
We’ve produced six short videos that highlight what successful water quality protection projects look like and the many benefits they provide to New York. Learn more about the work that has been done to protect New York’s treasured waters, the work left to do, and why we need continued state and federal investments in protecting clean water in New York!
Videos in this series include:
The Big Picture on Clean Water: Progress and Challenges in New York
Great Lakes Success Story: Green Infrastructure in the City of Buffalo
Great Lakes Success Story: Upgrading Erie County’s Southtowns Wastewater Treatment Plant
Great Lakes Success Story: Nature Based Solutions to Protect Lake Ontario
You can view the entire video series and more on CCE’s YouTube channel. If you enjoy these videos and others on our channel, please subscribe!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at CCE
Reduce Waste and Increase Recycling in New York
Hold manufacturers, not taxpayers, responsible for their waste. NYS must take action in the state budget—due April 1!
New York State is suffering from a solid waste and recycling crisis—recycling costs for municipalities and taxpayers have skyrocketed, recycling rates are abysmal, and our environment and health are suffering from pollution caused by excessive plastic packaging. Currently, corporate brand owners bear no responsibility in managing the product packaging waste they have created.
To help address this solid waste crisis, the Governor has included a Waste Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act in her executive budget proposal, while the NYS Senate has included an even stronger policy in their budget proposal. Both will require product manufacturers—not taxpayers—to be responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling the packaging and paper they create. Now the Governor, Senate, and Assembly must come together and agree on a strong waste reduction policy in the final budget that is due April 1!
A strong, effective waste reduction policy negotiated in the final state budget will:
Reduce packaging waste by at least 50%
Increase recycling rates up to 70%-80% (currently at 17%)
Eliminate toxic chemicals in packaging, including PFAS and heavy metals
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change
Provide agency staff to ensure the law is implemented and enforced
Save local governments/taxpayers across the state upwards of $1 billion annually!
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
Whale Tales and Whale Facts
Join us for an educational forum on whale protection: learn from the experts about threats to whales off NY’s coast and what we can do to protect these endangered species
Since 2016, we have witnessed an increase in whale strandings and whale deaths off of America’s shores. These endangered species are under threat from several sources, including ship strikes, fishing gear, plastic pollution, and climate change. Unfortunately, misinformation about whale deaths and an association with offshore wind development has led to concerns about transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy. These local wind projects are crucial to combat climate change, which is not only a threat to whales but also a threat to marine mammals, fisheries, and our communities.
Join us for this virtual educational forum to hear from experts and learn more about the recent whale strandings and deaths, and what is being done on the local, state, and federal level to protect whales. Presentations will be followed by Q&A.
When: Tuesday, April 4, 2023, from 12:00pm – 1:00pm zoom
Where: Via Zoom—register here
Who: Speakers include:
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Julie Tighe, President, New York League of Conservation Voters
Fred Zalcman, Director, New York Offshore Wind Alliance
Dr. Jill Lewandowski, Director, Division of Environmental Assessment and Center for Marine Acoustics, US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Robert DiGiovanni, Founder and Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society
Meghan Rickard, Marine Zoologist, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Thank you for joining us!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
EPA Proposes New Drinking Water Standards Against 'Forever Chemicals'
The proposed regulations focus on "forever chemicals" - chemicals that do not break down - found in drinking water.
FARMINGDALE, NY — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday proposed new enforceable drinking water standards, known as maximum contaminant levels, for two chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, found in drinking water, the agency announced.
Community offshore wind invests in youth STEM education
One month after submitting a proposal to the state government for clean energy investment, Community Offshore Wind is already starting to invest.
The joint venture between RWE Renewables and National Grid has put over $100,000 into youth STEM education programs for the future workforce, collaborating with multiple community partners in downstate New York to provide access to museums, outdoor spaces, and environmental and marine education for hands-on learning experiences.
Nearly 100 people attend Adirondack Park Lobby Day in Albany
Suffolk Water Authority tells residents drinking water is safe following MacArthur Airport's Superfund classification
Commentary: Corporations, not communities, should be responsible for recycling packaging waste
The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act will reduce waste and ease the burden on municipalities.
New York state generates more than 17 million tons of municipal solid waste each year, with a lackluster recycling rate below 20 percent. Instead of being recycled, much of our waste is going to landfills, being burned in incinerators, or ending up as plastic pollution in our communities and waterways. Each year companies ship billions of products, exacerbating the paper and plastic waste crisis, yet they bear no responsibility for managing the packaging waste they create.
A real bus stop
The general aggravation of bad weather became very specific for 30 Long Islanders gathered Tuesday morning at the Melville park ‘n’ ride on the Long Island Expressway. It was 6 a.m., and members of the Long Island Lobby Coalition were waiting in the cold and slush for the bus that would take them to Albany for their annual Long Island Lobbying Day — a bus that never came.
Long Island fourth nationally in potential risks due to climate change, Moody's report says
Join us! 2023 Long Island Sound Summit: Funding & Strategies to Tackle Local Water Pollution
There has been significant progress cleaning up the Sound – and there is still more work to be done! Learn more from expert speakers from NY and CT.
CCE has partnered with The Nature Conservancy and Save the Sound to host the 2023 Long Island Sound Summit: Funding & Strategies to Tackle Local Water Pollution. Join us at this Long Island Sound summit to:
Connect with clean water professionals from across the Sound
Learn about Sound resources for clean water project design and implementation
Discover new collaboration opportunities to advance key projects
The summit will include a plenary panel featuring presentations from NY and CT speakers and will include a panel discussion moderated by Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. Learn about local water quality projects, their successes and challenges, and available resources.
The deadline to register for the Summit is March 23, 2023, at 5pm EST. There is a $25 registration fee which covers lunch for attendees. Scholarships to waive registration fees and attend the Long Island Sound Summit are available. Learn more about Summit scholarships here.
Date:
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Time:
10:00 am – 2:45pm
Location:
The Port Jefferson Village Center
101 E Broadway
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Thank you for joining us!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
Local officials adamant public drinking water near MacArthur Airport is safe, but some homeowners with private wells are concerned
At environmental forum, officials discuss host of issues including waste management, housing needs
Great Lakes Restoration Success Stories – Video Series Premiere!
Join Us on March 6th as we premiere short videos that demonstrate what successful Great Lakes restoration looks like in New York
To kick off Great Lakes Week*, CCE and our partners at Audubon NY are hosting a virtual premiere of our video series on Great Lakes restoration success stories in New York State.
New York's Great Lakes waters, including Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River, provide drinking water to 6.2 million New Yorkers. The Great Lakes basin covers 40% of the entire surface area of the state! Major investments have been made in successful efforts to restore the lakes in NY, but what does “Great Lakes restoration” actually look like? We’ve produced four short videos that highlight what successful projects look like and the many benefits they provide to New York.
Video Premiere Details:
Date: Monday, March 6, 2023
Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Where: Zoom (register here)
The videos highlight the following projects:
Protecting clean water and providing job opportunities with green infrastructure in the City of Buffalo
Upgrading a wastewater treatment plant to stop sewage overflows in Lake Erie
Using “nature-based solutions” to protect the health of Lake Ontario
Fighting harmful algal blooms in Cayuga Lake (Finger Lake located within the Great Lakes watershed)
Learn more about the work that has been done to restore and protect New York’s treasured Great Lakes, the work left to do, and why we need continued state and federal investment in protecting clean water in New York!
*March 6th kicks off Great Lakes week in Washington DC. That week, CCE and our partners at the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition will be in DC to meet with members of Congress on the importance of protecting our Great Lakes!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at CCE
Reduce Waste and Increase Recycling in New York
Photo by Tom Fisk: https://www.pexels.com/photo/bird-s-eye-view-of-landfill-during-daytime-3174345/
Hold manufacturers—not taxpayers—responsible for their waste!
New York State is suffering from a solid waste and recycling crisis—recycling costs for municipalities and taxpayers have skyrocketed, recycling rates have declined, and our environment and health are suffering from pollution caused by excessive plastic packaging. Currently, corporate brand owners bear no responsibility in managing the product packaging waste they have created.
To help address this solid waste crisis, Governor Hochul included the Waste Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act in her 2023-24 budget proposal, while Senator Harckham has proposed even stronger legislation in the NYS Senate (S.4246-Harckham). The policy requires product manufacturers—not taxpayers—to be responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling the packaging and paper they create. A strong, effective policy will reduce packaging waste, increase recycling, eliminate toxic chemicals in packaging, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save local governments across the state hundreds of millions of dollars annually!
BACKGROUND
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, paper, and cardboard. Unfortunately, less than 20% of this waste is being recycled properly. Instead of being recycled, much of this waste ends 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, but 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 solid waste and recycling crisis is estimated to cost New York’s local governments $180 - 230 million annually. 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! The Waste Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (often referred to as Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR) would require manufacturers to take responsibility for their products throughout their entire product life cycle, by bearing the cost of properly recycling their packaging and printed paper. Not only does this provide relief to taxpayers, but it also drives producers to minimize packaging materials, improve recyclability, and reduce the toxicity of their products. These policies have existed in Canada and the EU for decades and resulted in recycling rates upwards of 80%.
Thank you for taking action. Together we make a difference!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
