Stop the Attacks on our Environment and Health

Reject Federal Cuts to Clean Water, Clean Air, and Healthy Communities

It wasn’t that long ago that contaminated rivers caught fire, lakes were too polluted to sustain life, and air in cities was choking us with smog. This was just over 54 years ago, prior to the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since that time, the EPA has played an indispensable role in making our water safe to drink, our air clean to breathe, and our communities safe places to live. 

Despite progress achieved by the EPA to protect our environment and health, the President has proposed to slash the EPA budget by 65%. If this draconian cut is adopted, the agency would lose thousands of staff that serve critical functions and decimate the agency’s ability to address a broad range of significant responsibilities, including protecting drinking water, fighting climate change, cleaning up toxic contamination, restoring waterways, and much more.

Our representatives in Congress have the power to STOP these ill-advised and life-threatening cuts. Will your representative’s side with polluters, or will they side with the people they represent who need clean air to breathe and clean water to drink? 

Email your federal representatives in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate today!

Background 

EPA has played an indispensable role in making our water safe to drink, our air clean to breathe, and our communities safe places to live. EPA success stories from New York State, Connecticut, and the nation include:

• Fighting Acid Rain: Acid rain—largely derived from power plants in the Midwest—decimated forests, destroyed monuments, killed hundreds of lakes in the Adirondacks, and increased nitrogen pollution in Long Island Sound—causing algal blooms and harming aquatic life. EPA has since led efforts to slash power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, the precursors to acid rain. New York and Connecticut’s waters, forests, and monuments are no longer plagued by acid rain like they once were.

• Restoring the Long Island Sound (LIS) and the Great Lakes: EPA formed the Long Island Sound Study, a NY-CT partnership that has led a successful bi-state effort to restore the Sound. Over the last 25 years, this program has restored 3,000 acres of habitat and tidal wetlands, reduced nitrogen pollution entering the Sound by 50 million pounds annually, and vastly improved both water quality and the health of local fisheries. EPA leads the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), which was established in 2010. The GLRI has invested billions of dollars in over 8,100 projects to clean up toxic hot spots, fight invasive species, restore habitat, and more.

• Protecting Clean Air to Breathe: Since 1970, EPA has led implementation of the Clean Air Act. Emissions of common air pollutants decreased 77% while our economy more than tripled. These pollution reductions prevented more than 2.3 million premature deaths, 200,000 heart attacks, millions of cases of respiratory problems (e.g. asthma attacks), and 135,000 hospital admissions. They also prevented 17 million lost workdays and 5 million lost school days.

Federal Efforts to Turn Back the Clock on Environmental Protection

Despite progress achieved by the EPA to protect our environment and health, the President has proposed to slash the EPA budget by 65%. In New York State and Connecticut, this would threaten EPA’s ability to address a host of issues, including:

• Protecting Clean Air: EPA leads efforts to prevent out-of-state air pollution. As much as 96% of air pollution impacting Connecticut on high ozone days originates from outside the state. High ozone contributes to respiratory problems such as asthma, with disproportionate impacts on the developing lungs of children. In New York State, studies show that approximately 60% of air pollution-related early deaths are from out-of-state emissions.

• Restoring Long Island Sound and the Great Lakes: Efforts to protect and restore Long Island Sound and the Great Lakes are funded through the EPA budget. Major cuts to these successful programs would undo years of progress, causing harm to fishing, water quality, public health, and tourism in New York and Connecticut.

• Fighting Climate Change: EPA conducts research and takes action to fight climate change. Major cuts to the EPA would eviscerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, protect vulnerable coastal communities, and adapt to climate change locally. Connecticut and New York are on the front lines of global climate change, with increased severe storm events, flooding, and rising sea levels threatening our coastal communities.

• Protecting Drinking Water: EPA sets and enforces standards to protect drinking water from toxic chemicals. EPA is leading efforts to remove toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” from drinking water, which has been found in numerous drinking water systems across New York and Connecticut. 

HELP PROTECT OUR LONG ISLAND SOUND

Congress Needs to Pass the Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025

As an Estuary of National Significance, the immense value of the Long Island Sound (LIS) cannot be overstated. Twenty million people live within 50 miles of the Sound’s beaches. Residents of New York and Connecticut depend on the Sound for recreational opportunities, including fishing, sailing, and swimming. LI Sound is a critical component to our regional economy, generating $8.25 billion annually.

Despite the Sound’s immense value, it has been degraded by pollution, toxic algae blooms, and other threats. However, we are making progress in the fight for clean water!  Funding provided by the Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act helps to advance restoration, however, problems persist. The Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act authorization expired in 2023—Congress must act immediately to reauthorize this critical legislation to maintain progress in restoring the health of the Long Island Sound.  Email your two U.S. Senators and representative in the U.S. today and urge them to support the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025, which will provide up to $65 million annually through 2029.

Background

History of the Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act
In 1985, Congress created the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) to identify and address the major environmental problems affecting the Long Island Sound. The LISS is authorized at $40 million annually through the LIS Restoration Act. The LISS is a collaborative effort, which includes government agencies, not-for-profits, and individuals, all working to restore and protect the Sound and its watershed. Through the LISS, a bi-state Comprehensive Management Plan has been developed and is being implemented.

In 2006, Congress passed the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act, which is authorized at $25 million annually. This important legislation identifies key areas surrounding the Sound and provides funding for preservation and public access improvements.

These critically important acts were later combined to create the Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act, which provides up to $65 million annually in federal funding for LIS restoration. The Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act expired in 2023—it is critically important that Congress act now to reauthorize this important program!

Progress Has Been Made, but More Work Remains
Federal funding spurred progress in restoring the Sound—reducing nitrogen pollution, reducing hypoxia (low levels of oxygen that cannot sustain marine life), improving water quality, and restoring habitat throughout the LIS watershed. There have been 2,239 acres of coastal habitat restored, 5232.35 acres of ecologically important habitat preserved, and 432.9 miles of new fish passage created. Pods of dolphins can be spotted in the Sound during summer months, which is another key indicator of progress.

Although progress has been made, more needs to be done. Hypoxia still persists in summer months, toxic algae blooms are found in harbors and bays, nitrogen from antiquated septic systems are polluting waters, and polluted stormwater runoff continues to contaminate waters and close beaches.

LIS Funding is in Jeopardy
The Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Act authorization expired in 2023, putting future funding for critical programs to protect and restore the Sound in limbo. Reauthorization of the LIS Restoration & Stewardship Act is needed to provide adequate funding to continue programs needed to protect public health, our local economy, and quality of life.       

The Long Island Sound Restoration & Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025, which would reauthorize the program at $65 million annually through 2029, was introduced in the House and Senate. Congress must pass this legislation immediately and fully fund the LIS program!

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Long Island Climate Change Symposium

Join us to hear the facts and truth on climate change, its impacts to Long Island, and the costs of inaction. 

Farmingdale, NY - Citizen’s Campaign for the Environment is hosting a free Climate Change Symposium in Babylon. Experts will discuss the latest science on climate change and its impacts to Long Island as well as the costs of climate change to the public.  

We are excited to welcome Dr. Paul Shepson, Dean of The School for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, as our keynote speaker. There will also be a panelist discussion featuring Dr. J Bret Bennington, Professor and Chair of the Dept of Geology, Environment, and Sustainability, Hofstra University. 

The symposium will conclude with a Community Q&A session.

Long Island Climate Change Symposium 

Date: Thursday, April 10

Location: Babylon Town Hall, 200 Sunrise Hwy, Lindenhurst, NY

Time: 9:30am - 12pm 

Registration: https://tinyurl.com/climate-symposium

More than 1.3M New Yorkers at risk if EPA weakens PFAS standards

Administrator Lee Zeldin will decide fate of landmark ‘forever chemicals’ standards

ALBANY, N.Y. – More than 1.3 million New Yorkers could lose critical protections from the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS in their tap water if the Environmental Protection Agency rolls back its historic, science-based PFAS drinking water standards.

That’s the conclusion of a new analysis released today by the Environmental Working Group with Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

The analysis shows that at least 189 New York water systems – primarily serving residents on Long Island – have detected these chemicals above levels set in the landmark drinking water limits for six PFAS. The analysis is based on recent state and federal tests of PFAS in water. 

But these same systems’ PFAS levels are below the cap that New York set in 2020 for PFOA and PFOS, two of the most notorious and well-studied of the large group of forever chemicals.

The future of the federal limits is uncertain. 

On February 7, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia paused a lawsuit brought by water utilities and the chemical industry, giving the Trump administration and the EPA until April 8 to announce its intentions for the PFAS maximum contaminant levels – whether to weaken the standards significantly, continue defending them, ask for more time or scrap them altogether.

The agency finalized the standards in April 2024. They include limits of 4 parts per trillion, or ppt, for PFOA and PFOS, and 10 ppt for GenX, PFHxS, and PFNA. The EPA also set a hazard index of 1 for GenX, PFHxS, PFNA, and PFBS, which is a way to measure risks based on combined exposure. The standards aims to protect public health by reducing exposure to the toxic chemicals and their known serious health harms.

“If the EPA rolls back its PFAS drinking water standards, it would be nothing short of a betrayal of public health,” said David Andrews, Ph.D., EWG’s acting chief science officer. 

“There is no safe level of exposure to PFAS, especially to PFOA and PFOS. Even low doses of these chemicals have been linked to serious health harms. Rolling back federal protections would leave New Yorkers vulnerable to entirely preventable health risks,” he added.

New York’s standard for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water is 10 ppt. Weakening or outright eliminating the federal standards would scrap the 4 ppt safeguard, stripping any community in the state with PFAS of most or all protection from water contaminated up to 10 ppt. New York’s standard does not provide protection from the additional four PFAS covered by the federal rule.

​​“Will Lee Zeldin side with the health and well-being of fellow Long Island residents, or will he side with chemical companies that are seeking to pollute our drinking water and expose the public to toxic cancer-causing chemicals?” askedAdrienne Esposito, the executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

“I stood with Congressman Zeldin to call for strong federal PFAS drinking water standards. We’re all now counting on EPA Administrator Zeldin to follow through on his word. Every Long Islander, New Yorker and American deserves access to clean drinking water free of toxic forever chemicals that are linked to cancer and other serious health impacts,” she added.

New York water systems at risk

The new joint analysis identifies water systems in New York that have detected PFAS at levels below the state’s current drinking water standards, which are less stringent than the EPA’s limits. They’d receive critical coverage under the EPA’s more protective standards. 

Many more systems that have detected PFAS above New York state’s standard have taken or are taking action to protect their customers. Without a federal standard, these systems would not have to take any action to protect their water under the state limit.

“Eliminating the EPA’s PFAS limits would make drinking water less safe from harmful chemicals while forcing New York families to continue drinking contaminated water,” said Jared Hayes, a senior policy analyst at EWG and co-author of the report.

“Without federal PFAS standards, nearly 200 New York water systems could avoid taking protective actions, even though hazardous forever chemicals are still in their water,” he said.

Multiple locations across New York would lose these essential protections, including Mayville, Carroll Water District and Cherry Creek, in Chautauqua County, along with Countyline Mobile Home Park, in Orleans County. 

“The Defense Department has also said that only in cases where it contaminated the water will it treat the chemicals to the federal standard. So in addition to the numbers our analysis found, many service members and defense communities could also lose protections," said Hayes. 

“Rolling back or weakening the existing standards would endanger lives and undermine years of progress toward cleaner drinking water,” he added.

Health harms

PFAS are known as forever chemicals because once released into the environment they do not break down and they can build up in the body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has detected PFAS in the blood of 99 percent of Americans, including newborn babies. 

For decades, polluters hid the health harms of PFAS from regulators, workers and neighboring communities. PFAS have been linked to cancer, reproductive harm, immune system damage and other serious health problems, even at low levels. 

“A growing body of peer-reviewed science demonstrates unequivocally that there is no safe level of exposure to toxic PFAS in drinking water,” said Esposito.

“The decision on whether or not to move forward with EPA’s science-based, health-protective drinking water standards will have an impact on the health of New Yorkers and all Americans for decades to come,” she added.

Press Contacts: 

Adrienne Esposito, CCE, 631-384-1378, aesposito@citizenscampaign.org

Brian Smith, CCE, 716-472-4078, bsmith@citizenscampaign.org 

Monica Amarelo, EWG, 202-939-9140, monica@ewg.org

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The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. 

Citizens Campaign for the Environment was formed in 1985 by a small group of concerned citizens recognizing the need for public involvement to advance stronger environmental policy. Today, it has grown to a 120,000-member organization with New York offices in Albany, Buffalo, Farmingdale and Syracuse. CCE works to empower the public by providing members with opportunities to participate in the political process and thereby advance a strong environmental agenda.

Watch: Whale Tales and Real Facts

We had a very informational webinar with whale experts who provided the most recent science on whale populations off our shore and how you can help protect whales. Missed the webinar? Watch it here.

Humpbacks, Minke, Right Whales, oh my! There are many species of whales that inhabit our waters throughout the year. Watch the video to learn more about these whales off New York’s coast and threats they are facing. This virtual forum features whale experts who have decades of experience in tracking individual whales, conducting necropsies on deceased whales, and monitoring growing threats to whales and other marine mammals.

In 2016 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared an Unusual Mortality Event for Humpback whales, Minke Whales, and North Atlantic Right Whales. These endangered species are highly vulnerable to ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, plastic pollution and climate change. Scientists are closely monitoring whale populations and working on solutions to offer more safeguard of these critical marine animals.

Check out our webinar to learn more about whale populations and data in the summer of 2024 and the current threats off New York’s coast.

Whale Tales and Real Facts
WHO:

• Marianne McNamara, Vice President and Naturalist, Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island

• Rob DiGiovanni, Founder and Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society

Watch Whale Tales and Real Facts here.

Thank you for watching!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

Ban on PFAS and Toxic Chemicals in Menstrual Products Bill Passes in Both Houses in New York State

Only Governor Hochul’s signature is needed to protect people who menstruate   

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Albany, NY- Today, the JustGreen Partnership is celebrating a mid-point legislative session win with the unanimous passage of the Ban on PFAS and Toxic Chemicals Bill S.1548 (Fernandez) / A1502 (Rosenthal) in the Assembly, following unanimous passage in the Senate in January. Next step is the Governor Hochul‘s desk. Once signed into law by the end of the year, New York will join California, Maine, and Vermont in restricting PFAS in menstrual products, and go beyond other states by restricting other harmful chemicals.

This bill will regulate the sale and distribution of menstrual products (pads, tampons, liners, sponges, etc.) in New York State that contain restricted substances or unsafe chemicals, including PFAS “forever chemicals,” heavy metals like lead and mercury, hormone disrupting parabens, and carcinogens like formaldehyde and toluene. 

As the JustGreen Partnership celebrates the unanimous passage of the bill today, they turn their focus to the Governor, who has long been vocal about her support for women’s reproductive rights, at a time when such rights are under attack federally. When New York State required period product makers to disclose ingredients on product packaging sold in the state under a law passed in 2019, companies responded by adding the labels nationally. This fits a pattern and advocates anticipate safer period products on store shelves from New York to New Mexico. 

“Today’s vote is a historic win for public health, environmental justice, and menstrual equity in New York. With the passage of S.1548/A.1502, we are shifting the burden away from consumers and putting it where it belongs—on manufacturers—to ensure the safety of products used in the most intimate parts of our lives,” said New York State Senator Nathalia Fernandez. “It's a commonsense, science-backed step toward a healthier, more just future. I’m proud to have worked alongside Assemblymember Rosenthal and a broad coalition of advocates to deliver this win for New Yorkers, and I look forward to seeing the Governor sign it into law.”

“Manufacturing giants will no longer be able to sell toxic period products in New York State when my bill takes effect,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing. “For more than a century, women have been inserting untested and unregulated products into the most sensitive and absorbent part of their body. With the passage of my legislation, New York is ensuring that no woman will ever have to face this dangerous indignity again. I am incredibly grateful to Clean+Healthy, especially its Executive Director, Bobbi Wilding, for their unyielding support in getting this much-needed measure over the finish line.”

“We are thrilled that the Assembly has unanimously passed Assemblymember Rosenthal's bill to ban PFAS and other toxic chemicals in period products, after the Senate swiftly unanimously passed Senator Fernandez’s matching bill in January. There's no excuse for period product makers to allow harmful chemicals in their products. Everyone deserves to have access to these intimate products that are free of health-harming chemicals, whether or not they know about chemical hazards, regardless of how much money they have in their pockets, and frankly, whether or not they think this is important." said Bobbi Wilding, Executive Director of Clean+Healthy. "Now, as we see rapid erosion of public health and environmental protections at the federal level, it's more important than ever that New York State enacts these protections. We know that when New York required ingredient labels on period products, it changed packaging information nationally. We expect the same will be true again. Governor Hochul, we look forward to you signing this bill into law without delay!”

“Women and femmes of color are already disproportionately exposed to toxic chemicals in their lived environment, and even more so from beauty products that are marketed towards them. One way to reduce this dangerous exposure is to ban toxic chemicals in period products, which pose a heightened risk given their use in sensitive areas of the body as well as their duration of use. This crucial legislation for menstruators' health will prohibit the use of chemicals such as PFAS, talc, lead, synthetic fragrances and so many more. All of these toxins are closely linked to resulting in cancer, contribute to fertility and reproductive challenges, reduce immune function, and interfere with hormones," said Briana Carbajal, State Legislative Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. "Thank you to Senator Fernandez and Assemblymember Rosenthal for championing the passage of such an exemplary piece of legislation for other states to follow suit.”

“New Yorkers and our communities are inundated by exposure to toxic 'forever chemicals' (like PFAS) each and every day, and in ways that we don't even realize," said Caitlin Ferrante, Conservation Program Manager, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. "Ridding our environment of these ubiquitous toxins will improve public health and help to reduce the costs of healthcare and expensive filtration of drinking water. The passage of A.1502/S.1548 will help limit yet another pathway of PFAS and other toxic chemicals exposure, in products used by more than half of the population, in the most intimate areas of their bodies. The Sierra Club is grateful for the leadership shown by Assemblymember Rosenthal and Senator Fernandez in getting this legislation passed in both houses this year, and look forward to Governor Hochul signing the bill into law.”

“Today’s passage of the Safe Menstrual Products Act is a period-defining moment for health and safety.” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment “Women should not be unnecessarily exposed to PFAS chemicals, formaldehyde, parabens and other toxics when they use these products. This legislation creates a future where menstrual and feminine hygiene products are as safe as they are necessary. CCE commends Assemblymember Rosenthal and Senator Fernandez for their leadership and we look forward to working with them to get this bill signed into law.”

“PFAS are pervasive toxic compounds with major implications for the health of our children and families who are commonly exposed through everyday household products. Menstrual products are particularly concerning sources of exposure as PFAS have been linked to lower birth weights, altered timing of puberty in adolescents, and high blood pressure in pregnancy that can have serious effects during childbirth among other health issues.” Said Charles Moon, MD, Co-Chair of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee for the NYS Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “The NYS AAP thanks the Assembly for continued leadership on toxic chemical protections by passing this commonsense legislation and helping New Yorkers live healthier.”

“It is mind-boggling to have to say this, but dangerous 'forever chemicals' have no place in products designed for intimate bodily use," said Kate Donovan, Senior Attorney & Northeast Director of Environmental Health at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). "Bill A1502 / S1548 removes the burden from consumers to try to find less toxic products, and instead requires manufacturers to make products safe. The New York Legislature has finally taken the crucial step to protect New Yorkers that use menstrual products from dangerous chemicals that are known to cause serious health impacts.”

“The business community thanks the New York State legislature for passing this common sense, yet uncommon, legislation,” said Bob Rossi, Executive Director of the New York Sustainable Business Council (NYSBC). “Our businesses and economy depend on a healthy citizenry, which is threatened by PFAS poisoning, especially in products that directly contact our skin. We must push forward, support innovation, and meet the growing consumer demand for safer products—some even produced here in New York. We look to Governor Hochul to sign this bill into law.”

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Help Save Connecticut’s Environmental Protection Laws

Photo by Ysabella Ray on Unsplash

Urge the CT General Assembly to OPPOSE Rollbacks to Connecticut’s Environmental Protection Laws

The CT General Assembly’s Environment Committee is considering several bills that would roll back the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and other long-standing environmental and public health protections. CEPA allows the public to have a voice in environmental decisions and guarantees the state takes public input into account. It also ensures that state agencies do not allow practices that would unreasonably pollute or destroy natural resources. CEPA is vital to protect Connecticut’s environment and public health.

Key environmental regulations are under attack at the federal level and there are significant  funding cuts proposed for federal environmental programs. We cannot afford for Connecticut to also weaken the state’s environmental protection laws. We need Connecticut to step up, not backtrack, on fighting for our environment and public health.   

Email the members of the Environment Committee today. Tell them that you oppose H.B.6249, H.B.6868, and all other bills that would roll back environmental protection measures and limit the public’s ability to have a say in decision-making that impacts our air, water, land, and health.

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

Support Clean Water and a Healthy Environment in NYS

Support a $500 million Environmental Protection Fund in this year’s final New York State budget

Since 1993, the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) has invested in projects to protect and restore our land, air, and water resources in every community across the state. EPF programs help to create jobs, support tourism, protect clean water, conserve open space, save family farms, bolster recycling programs, revitalize waterfronts, build community parks, and so much more. The EPF supports 350,000 jobs across the state, and EPF-supported industries generate approximately $40 billion in economic activity every year. 

As we combat harmful algal blooms from nitrogen pollution, a solid waste crisis, climate change, and water pollution across our state, it is more important than ever to make crucial investments in environmental protection this year. Funding for the EPF has been stagnant in recent years and an increase is long overdue. 

While the Governor proposed maintaining a stagnant funding level in this year’s budget, the NYS Senate and Assembly budget proposals both included an increase to $500 million! We need $500 million in the final budget, with increases to specific programs in the EPF—specifically, we’re calling for at least $25 million for Ocean and Great Lakes program and at least $5 million for the South Shore Estuary Reserve program. 

The final NYS budget is due on April 1. Email Governor Hochul and legislative leaders today and urge them to provide $500 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, including increases for the Ocean and Great Lakes and for the South Shore Estuary Reserve, in this year’s final budget!

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE