Long Island Sound Day in D.C.!

3:00am—BEEP BEEP BEEP That was the sound of CCE’s staff waking up to spend the day in D.C. fighting for Long Island Sound restoration and protection funding.  We boarded the bus in the early hours of the morning with other Long Island stakeholders, including Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor, Friends of the Bay, Save the Sound, Construction Industry Council of Westchester & Hudson Valley, Hempstead Harbor Coalition, Town of North Hempstead, Seatuket Harbor Protection Taskforce, The Nature Conservancy, and many more.

We met with Congressman King, Congressman Zeldin, Congressman Suozzi, Congresswoman Delauro, Congresswoman Lowey, Congressman Courtney, Senator Schumer, Senator Blumenthal, and Senator Murphy.  Everyone agreed that the Sound was important ecological and economic asset for both NY and CT.  It is an extension of our backyard.  We have made progress in restoring the Sound but more needs to be done.  The president’s misguided budget blueprint completely eliminated funding for the Sound. These crucial federal dollars are leveraged by local, state, regional and private funds to restore habitat, improve wastewater infrastructure, implement green infrastructure, and protect ecologically important wetlands--and they are making big difference for the health of the Sound.

The day was long, yet energizing, as we heard our Senators and House members committing to fight for federal restoration and protection dollars for the Sound. Shortly after our trip, Congress reached an agreement for an interim budget for FY2017 that includes $8 million for the Sound—double what it was last year.  This is a HUGE victory!

However, our work is not over yet.  The FY 2017 budget will be in place through September, and then Congress will have to pass a budget for FY 2018.  The negotiations have already begun for the 2018 budget, and we are again facing an uphill battle.  Just as we celebrate our victory for 2017, we are going back to work  to advocate for next year's budget.  Look for opportunities to get involved, starting with our online petition.

New Dredged Material Management Plan for LIS Is a Betrayal of Public Trust

In 2005, the Governors of New York and Connecticut signed a bi-state agreement to end the antiquated practice of disposing untreated dredged materials in Long Island Sound.  This was done with an understanding that a healthy Sound is critical to the health of our economy and our maritime culture.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency were parties to that agreement, and they put into motion a 10 year, $7 million process to develop a Dredged Materials Management Plan (DMMP) that would phase out open water dumping in favor of environmentally safe and sustainable beneficial reuse practices. Earlier this week the Army Corps released the final DMMP for Long Island Sound, but instead of creating a framework to reuse dredged materials in beneficial ways, the Army Corps delivered a "business as usual" plan to continue using LIS as a landfill for the next 30 years or longer.  Surprisingly, many in Connecticut's State Government endorsed the plan without carefully examining the potential environmental impacts, or demanding more in the way of beneficial use alternatives.  Now there is no way to stop the dumping, unless the State of New York steps in to challenge the plan.

The final DMMP makes no meaningful assessment of beneficial reuse opportunities, nor does it factor in impacts to the environment as part of it's cost-benefit analysis.  The document actually extends the lifespan of the two existing LIS dump sites, while recommending that two previously decommissioned open water dump sites be reopened.  The plan completely fails to meet the mandate laid out by the 2005 agreement and is a massive let-down to many in the Long Island Sound community.

Worst of all, the Army Corps blatantly ignored the voices of thousands of members of the public who attended hearings, signed petitions and wrote letters during the public comment period opposing the plan.  They created the illusion of a transparent process- one with meaningful opportunities for public participation.  Once the comment period was over, the Army Corps disregarded the public comments and went right for the cheapest and easiest way to dispose of these "wastes".

The truth is that the community understands and values the health of Long Island Sound, and most people want the Army Corps of Engineers to find the best and most sustainable use for those sediments.  It's about looking at dredged sediment as a resource and not a waste product, but the Army Corps has shown that they are unwilling to do that.  Unfortunately, the State of Connecticut doesn't seem to mind.  Perhaps they honestly think that they can dump 25 million+ cubic yards of material into the sound without damaging the sensitive ecosystems it supports.  Whatever the case may be, they've broken their promise to the Long Island Sound community and have betrayed the public trust.

How to Avoid Plastic Microbeads: Ban Them!

Ever since I heard about Dr. Sherri Mason’s research on plastic microbeads in the Great Lakes, I’ve become very concerned, some say obsessed, with the issue of microbeads. The fixation began in my own house, where I found toothpastes, facial scrubs, and hand soaps with microbeads. My wife and I threw them all away, and vowed never to allow one of these products in our house again.   Within almost no time at all, we failed. On a couple of occasions, microbeads deviously snuck their way into our home. We won a gift basket with liquid hand soaps that contained microbeads.  I quickly noticed what it was and chucked it. After a dentist appointment for my daughters, the “goodie” bag they brought home had toothpaste with microbeads. An odd choice for a dentist, since the beads are being found lodged in gums and cavities, posing a potential threat for infection.  Regardless, we threw them out, educated the dentist, and moved on.

The most recent invasion of microbeads into my home was today.  My wife was at the store with my daughters shopping for a number of things, including toothpaste.  They were out of the natural stuff that we usually buy and the kids think is gross, so our girls were excited to get something else this time.  They quickly noticed a box of “Frozen” toothpaste.  Put Anna and Elsa on anything, even something without sugar, and my kids will want to buy it.  So it was a no-brainer; they had found what they wanted and threw it in the basket.

Not seeing a picture of sparkly toothpaste (aka toothpaste laden with plastic strictly for aesthetic purposes) on the box, my wife never noticed that the toothpaste had microbeads.  When they arrived home, my four-year-old could not wait to brush her teeth. She walked over to me holding the box and was smiling from ear to ear.  I took a quick look at the inert ingredients, and noticed what I had dreaded, polyethylene. Like the mean Dad that I am, I informed my daughter that this would pollute our lakes, and we could not use the toothpaste.  As expected, it didn’t go well, and this is what the box looks like after we wrestled over it:

Frozen toothpaste

Aside from just sharing my personal failures and telling everyone I made my four-year-old cry today, I mention these stories for a reason.  As someone that has worked on this issue for two years, doing countless hours of research, writing fact sheets, and advocating for policies to ban plastic microbeads, I consider myself somewhat educated on this issue.  Yet, microbeads have made their way into my home. Being an educated consumer is extremely important, but it is not enough to solve the problem of plastic microbead pollution once and for all.  For that, we need a legislative ban.

Legislation to ban plastic microbeads in personal care products passed the New York Assembly with near unanimous support in April. The same bill has been introduced in the Senate, and now has 37 cosponsors. Only 32 votes are needed for the bill to pass, making this a sure-thing if Senate leadership allows a vote.    As of now, there are only a few days left before the end of the legislative session.  Help us get this critical, no-brainer legislation over the finish line by emailing legislative leaders and demanding a vote before session comes to an end.

CT Legislative Update and Perspectives on Environmental Advocacy in the New Year

Connecticut has historically been a nationwide leader on environmental protection and public health issues, and activists in Hartford are working to make this another important year for our state.  The 2015 Connecticut legislative session has been underway for just over a month and state legislators have already raised a over a dozen important pro-environment bills to be debated and considered for passage this year. In addition, legislators now in leadership positions in the House and Senate (as well as in several key committees) have made environmental issues a priority in the past, and many have promised to stay true to their commitments in 2015.  Advocates are encouraged and hopeful to see a strong showing of bi-partisan support for legislation designed to protect public health and enrich our quality of life in the Nutmeg State.

Some highlights of legislation being considered this year include:

• Protecting our waterways by eliminating plastic microbeads from personal care products;

• Expanding Connecticut's Child-Safe Playing fields law to eliminate toxic pesticides on public parks and high school athletic fields;

• Putting a 10-cent fee on single-use paper and plastic shopping bags at the checkout counter;

• Expanding CT's bottle-deposit law to include single serving juices, teas, sports and energy drinks; and

• Lifting the cap on using federal funds to purchase open space.

Another highlight is the recent announcement that Governor Malloy has formally endorsed legislation that would create a Long Island Sound Blue Plan and Inventory.  The Blue Plan would be a master planning document that would allow the state to map out all of the various features and existing infrastructure in the Sound, to ensure that new development proposals are consistent with the values and existing uses of the Sound.  The bill is similar to legislation that was introduced in 2014, but did not pass as time ran out on the session before this bill could be called for a vote in the House of Representatives.  By designating it as a Governor's bill, Gov. Malloy will help elevate the likelihood that this bill will get voted on in a timely manner.  CCE is pleased to see this legislation being re-introduced and applauds Governor Malloy for making it a priority of his administration.

Of course, not all of these forward-thinking environmental and public health initiatives will pass this year.  Many will face vigorous opposition from industry groups that  view these proposals merely as burdensome and unnecessary regulations that will cut into corporate profits, despite the fact that they will provide significant environmental, health, and economic benefits to Connecticut.

In addition, environmental groups frequently find themselves working to advance legislation aimed at protecting the environment, while simultaneously having to remain on guard for legislative proposals that would be decidedly less "eco-friendly."  Every year, dozens of bad bill and rats (dangerously worded amendments that are added onto bills, often at the last minute, to weaken them or repeal parts of existing laws) emerge in the legislature in an attempt to limit or eliminate environmental protections.  CCE continues to remain vigilant in monitoring the House and Senate for environmentally harmful legislation, and will be sure to notify policy makers and the public if this occurs.

For now, there is much to be hopeful for in the realm of environmental protection in our State.  CCE is hard at work at the state house, organizing around any number of initiatives that would make Connecticut a cleaner, healthier place to live.  But with months remaining in the 2015 legislative session, only time will tell what kind of advancements the environmental community will be able to accomplish in Connecticut this year.

New York Should Invest in its Ocean and Great Lakes

New York State is currently in the middle of its budget negotiations (read: battle) and Governor Cuomo has put forth his proposal. He has thirty days to make amendments and then the Senate and Assembly will put forth their versions.  After the requisite back-and-forth, a final budget will be approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.  The budget is supposed to be finished by April 1st.

As you probably know, CCE advocates for the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) every year.  The EPF is an important piece of the New York State budget, but specifically, I would like to talk about the Ocean and Great Lakes line of the EPF.  In 2005, the Ocean and Great Lakes line was added to the EPF and it is used by eight state agencies to advance important conservation and restoration projects along New York's beautiful coasts.  Unfortunately, the Ocean and Great Lakes line has been stuck at $5 million dollars and there is so much work to be done.  Now is the time to up that investment.  Recently the New York State DEC released the draft Ocean Action Plan, a blueprint for protecting our ocean and estuaries.  Additionally, implementation of the DEC's interim Great Lakes Action Agenda is underway and it identifies the most pressing problems facing the lakes, and provides specific goals and activities to address these problems.  With these plans in place it is time to use them and really invest in our ocean and Great Lakes economies.

In 2010, ocean sector industries like fishing and tourism contributed more than $21.7 billion to New York’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supported nearly 300,000 jobs.  The largest ocean economy sector is tourism and recreation: in 2010, tourism and recreation contributed more than $16.5 billion to the state GDP and supported nearly 254,000 jobs.  The Great Lakes also contribute significantly to the state’s economic well-being, supporting a sport fishery valued at more than $2.27 billion that generates nearly 12,000 jobs. In addition, Lakes Erie, Ontario and the St. Lawrence River provide the foundation for a multi‐million dollar tourism industry in the New York Seaway Trail region, serve as a key water resource for hydropower generation and manufacturing industries, and allow for recreational boating opportunities that contribute over $600 million a year to New York’s economy.

In order to implement important goals laid out in both of the Ocean Action plan and the Great Lakes Action Agenda,  additional funding is needed in the Ocean and Great Lakes program.  It's time for the Ocean and Great Lakes program to funded at $10 million and for the state to take these resources, and their contributions to the state economy, seriously.

So please take a minute and contact your Senator and Assemblymember.  Ask them to increase funding for the ocean and Great Lakes.