CCE in the News
Good morning. The Citizens Campaign for the Environment presented findings from a study of Fire Island’s wastewater challenges to the Suffolk County Legislature this week. They say the island only has one small sewage treatment plant, forcing most residents to use septic or cesspool systems. This single plant and other aging systems contribute to harmful algal blooms, and loss of fisheries in the surrounding waterways.
A groundbreaking new study on sewage solutions for Fire Island recommends piping wastewater to Long Island among potential initiatives to address nitrogen pollution in the Great South Bay.
Experts in local government, the insurance industry, the environment and marine science explored how sea level rise could affect South Shore and North Shore communities during a nextLI Town Hall that airs Tuesday on NewsdayTV.
Memorandums of Understanding Will Allow State to Explore Feasibility of Hosting Build-Ready Renewable Energy Projects on Underutilized Sites in the Southern Tier and Western New York
Permanent protections for New York horseshoe crabs cleared a major hurdle during the last days of the 2024 state legislative session, passing both the state Senate and Assembly on June 7.
Gov. Kathy Hochul took the pulse of New York’s environmental community on issues ranging from implementation of the state’s climate law to efforts to address coastal resiliency in an informal setting last week.
Connecticut has made progress to protect its land, water and air over the last decade — but struggles to control greenhouse gas emissions that worsen climate change, according to the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality. A report from the state watchdog blames the transportation sector for the emissions increase last year. The Council recommends a faster adoption of electric vehicles, less fuel consumption, and more use of public transit.
THE POPE AND HOCHUL: Gov. Kathy Hochul will be jetting away to Rome this week for a climate conference hosted by Pope Francis.
She’ll be giving a 15-minute talk, titled “Climate Leadership in the Empire State: Building Resiliency for All,” at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Vatican City time.
City’s First Offshore Wind Transmission Connection and Port at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal to Become Staging Hub for Empire Wind 1 Project, Which Will Deliver 810 Megawatts of Renewable Electricity to New York
Expected to Create More Than 1,000 Construction Jobs at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal
Advances Progress Toward State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Goal to Develop 9,000 Megawatts of Offshore Wind by 2035
Daily Point
Fear stalks pols over cost-of-living burden
Election-year political fears of making any move that could hit New York taxpayers in the wallet proved decisive in crushing several big policy initiatives, as Albany’s annual legislative session ground to a quirky close on Saturday.
One surprise was the unexpected eleventh-hour death of a bill aimed at requiring large companies to decrease their millions of annual tons of packaging waste, known as the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. It passed the Senate, 37-23, along party lines but the Assembly adjourned before bringing it to a floor vote.
ALBANY — The State Legislature has agreed to a deal that would require large companies in New York to significantly decrease millions of tons of packaging waste each year, including plastic packs of food, cans, detergent bottles and single-use cups and cardboard.
Fear stalks pols over cost-of-living burden
Election-year political fears of making any move that could hit New York taxpayers in the wallet proved decisive in crushing several big policy initiatives, as Albany’s annual legislative session ground to a quirky close on Saturday.
Waste incinerator Covanta would pay Brookhaven $1 million to settle a whistleblower’s lawsuit alleging the company trucked hazardous ash to the town landfill, a proposed deal the whistleblower blasted as “paltry” and community advocates called “shortsighted.”
Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick, 66th Assembly District Manhattan, announced today the passage of her legislation A.10140 to prohibit the harvesting of horseshoe crabs from the waters of New York.
Under this bill, no horseshoe crab may be taken in the state, including for commercial or biomedical purposes – unless the taking is for a bona fide educational or research purpose as approved by the Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner.
As communities across the country decide how they will remove perfluorinated compounds from drinking water and contaminated soils, a cleanup surrounding the Hampton Bays Fire Department headquarters on Montauk Highway highlights the complex layers of bureaucracy underlying the removal of so-called “forever chemicals.”
An amendment to the law that allows Suffolk County to increase its sales tax rate by 1/8 of a cent to finance the installation of sewer and advanced septic systems was signed into law today by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The governor’s signature on the amendment, negotiated by state and county lawmakers, sets the stage for the county to put a referendum on ballot in this year’s general election seeking voter approval of the sales tax increase.
New York’s horseshoe crabs may see new and permanent protections, if a bill in Albany is successful — something local environmental groups are rooting for.
Legislation S.8473/A.8993 Amends the Suffolk Water Quality Restoration Act
Advances Ballot Referendum to Fund Long Term Investments in Clean Water for Suffolk County
Governor Kathy Hochul today signed the Suffolk Water Quality Restoration Act to protect public health and improve water quality. Legislation S.8473/A.8993 will allow Suffolk County to put forward a ballot referendum that would fund long term investments in clean water systems and technology – revitalizing wastewater infrastructure for the residents of Suffolk County.
Hempstead water has cancer-causing chemicals
Scientists say the drinking water in Hempstead is contaminated with a likely cancer-causing chemical. FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg takes a closer look.
ALBANY, NY (May 15, 2024) — Today state legislators and advocates called for the immediate passage of a set of bills to reduce human exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and limit environmental contamination from PFAS in New York, including:
a bill to eliminate PFAS in key consumer and household products (A3556C/S5648C),
a bill to eliminate PFAS and other toxic chemicals in personal care and cosmetic products (A6969/S4265),
a bill to eliminate PFAS and other toxic products in menstrual products (A5990/S3529),
and a bill to require testing for the presence of PFAS released into waterways (A3296A/S227B).
With the April 19 passage of an East Hampton Village “Skip the Stuff” law phasing in a requirement for village restaurants to refrain from automatically giving out disposable cutlery and condiments, the Suffolk County Legislature and East Hampton Town are now also considering a similar proposal.
Citizens Campaign for the Environment plans to use grant money to take Uniondale High School students on explorations of Long Island Sound, introducing them to the natural world to help them “fall in love with our marine waters” and become good stewards of the environment, the group's executive director said.
Watch the video here: https://longisland.news12.com/meeting-held-over-next-steps-for-cleanup-at-bethpage-community-park
Members of the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Environmental Conservation, the Navy and Northrop Grumman were at the meeting, which News 12 was not allowed into.
Next Phase of the State’s Supply Chain Activities Released in the Form of $200 Million Supportive Manufacturing and Logistics RFP
Request for Information Also Announced to Inform Fifth Offshore Wind Solicitation and $300 Million Major Component Supply Chain RFP
Steps Support Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Goal to Develop 9,000 Megawatts of Offshore Wind by 2035
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced definitive steps in support of the growing clean energy industry in New York and the State’s 10-Point Action Plan. As part of the next phase of the State’s $500 million commitment to offshore wind supply chain activities, a $200 million Supportive Manufacturing and Logistics Request for Proposals is now open to support investments in infrastructure and manufacturing to grow the domestic offshore wind supply chain in New York. In addition, a Request for Information (RFI) will be issued to inform the development of New York’s fifth offshore wind project solicitation (NY5) and design of a coordinated $300 million RFP focusing on major component offshore wind supply chain investments. Today’s announcements support continued progress toward achieving New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035.
Parking Lot Canopy with Solar Panels and Accompanying Battery Storage System Will Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Approximately 6,000 Metric Tons Annually
Memorandums of Understanding Will Allow State to Explore Feasibility of Hosting Build-Ready Renewable Energy Projects on Underutilized Sites in the Southern Tier, Western NY, and Long Island
Four years after cleaning up waste at a Superfund site in West Islip, the state again has detected high levels of a carcinogenic heavy metal in the area — kicking off a blame game among stakeholders in the area that includes outraged residents.
The state has once again detected high levels of carcinogenic heavy metals in West Islip, Newsday says.
WEST ISLIP, NY — New York State has again detected high levels of cadmium, a carcinogenic heavy metal, at a Superfund site in West Islip four years after the waste was initially cleaned up, according to a report from Newsday.
The meeting, organized by the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, took place at the Hicksville Public Library Monday night and talked about 1,4 dioxane.
Yale researchers spoke with Hicksville residents about a toxic pollutant found in the drinking water on the island and shared how Long Islanders could be the key to learning more about it.