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Highlights
Come Celebrate at our 40th Birthday Bash!
We’ve reached a significant milestone, and we would love to have you celebrate with us! We’re pleased to announce we are hosting a special event this year – a CCE Birthday Bash! Come celebrate our 40th year of working to protect our environment and public health on Thursday, September 25, 2025, 6:00pm–10:00pm at The Piermont in Babylon, Long Island. Tickets and sponsorships can be directly purchased here.
Celebrating Historic Clean Water Investments in New York!
Our advocacy is working! Last month we celebrated historic clean water funding—New York State invested a record $3.4 billion into water infrastructure over the past year. In communities from Buffalo to Long Island, this critical funding is helping to ensure safe drinking water, stop sewage overflows, reduce flooding, and more! Thank you Governor Kathy Hochul for your leadership on clean water and for this game-changing investment in clean water. We celebrated this historic milestone at an event with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton, NY Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley, NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation President Maureen Coleman, Congressman Paul D. Tonko, and our partners at The Nature Conservancy and New York League of Conservation Voters.
Releasing “Elton” the Sea Turtle Back into the Atlantic!
We had a fabulous day at the New York Aquarium last month with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton, the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Wildlife Conservation Society, and NRDC for the release of an endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle. The turtle, named Elton, was rehabbed at Atlantic Marine Conservation Society’s facility In Westhampton and then released back into the Atlantic Ocean. These programs are made possible with funding from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund. You can watch the event and turtle release here.
Happenings
Demanding Better from Micron’s Proposed Semiconductor Plant in CNY
A proposed Micron semiconductor facility is currently undergoing environmental review in Onondaga County, and we are working to minimize its environmental impact. We submitted comments with our concerns about the facility’s planned use of PFAS chemicals, which pose significant risks to drinking water, public health, and the environment. We also criticized the destruction of ecologically valuable wetlands and lack of meaningful mitigation measures, as well as the failure to adequately address impacts to water quality in this water-rich region. Thanks to all who helped to amplify these concerns by submitting public comments!
Opposing Federal Funding Cuts to Clean Water
New York and Connecticut’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure is aging and failing, putting our economy, health, and environment at risk. Regrettably, the President has proposed to slash critical clean water infrastructure programs by nearly 90%, which if adopted, would severely worsen NY and CT’s clean water challenges. Significant funding cuts would hamper our ability to stop sewage overflows, treat drinking water for toxic emerging contaminants, make drinking water affordable to all, and create good-paying jobs. Congress has the power to fully fund these programs in the federal budget. We are pushing for NY and CT’s Congressional Delegations to reject these draconian cuts and protect clean water funding! Contact your two U.S. Senators and Representative in the U.S. House today and urge them to support full clean water funding!
Updates on Our Work to Advance Offshore Wind:
• Team Green: Our wonderful summer interns finished up this August after a summer of educating the public on offshore wind. They met tens of thousands of Long Islanders at events at beaches, festivals, and events, particularly along the south shore. At the Energy & Infrastructure Open House at Stony Brook University, they joined energy developers, LI Labor unions, and state workforce development representatives to offer valuable insight into career pathways into offshore wind and solar industries—a great event!
• Saying Yes to Battery Energy Storage: As part of NY’s transition to renewable energy, especially offshore wind, we will need to use battery energy storage systems (BESS). BESS systems store energy from renewable energy sources and deliver it when electricity demand is greatest, helping to create a more reliable grid. This summer, New York’s Intra-Agency Fire Safety Task Force adopted the most stringent, protective fire code in the country for BESS to ensure they can be built safely and sited properly. However, several Long Island towns persist with moratoriums on BESS. In August, we went to Town of Islip to urge the Town Board not to approve a 12-month moratorium on battery storage systems. The vote will be held at the Town Board Meeting on September 16th, we hope you can join us and stand in support of BESS.
Fire Island – Ocean, Bay to Tap
We joined Rob DiGiovanni with the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society and Carl Lobue with The Nature Conservancy on Fire Island for Ocean, Bay to Tap: 2025 Water Quality Update in Fire Island. We had a great panel presentation and discussion with Fire Island residents at the Saltaire Library about how to protect our water and marine life. Topics included PFAS contamination, whale facts, and water quality updates on the bay. Thank you to the wonderful residents for hosting this important discussion.
Long Island Climate Change Communi-Tea Meetings
Long Island is already experiencing the effects of climate change, from rising temperatures, flooding, extreme weather and much more. It’s more important now to get the facts and hear the truth. We have launched a series of community meetings to deliver an informative, science-based presentation where we will dive into local environmental issues and explore the inspiring work happening across Long Island to transition to renewable energy and strengthen our climate resiliency. We held two great events in August, one in Brentwood and one in Medford. Thanks to all who came out and participated in the discussion. We have another scheduled for East Northport this fall. Register here.
Upcoming: Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition Conference in Rochester
We are excited to have this national Great Lakes conference come to Rochester, NY, on September 25 & 26! The conference will feature topical and varied plenaries and workshops, exciting field trips in and around Rochester, and abundant chances to meet and network with Great Lakes advocates from around the region. Learn more and register here.
Upcoming: Patchogue Village Composting Program
This fall the Village of Patchogue will launch a residential composting program, the first of its kind on Long Island! This will help reduce waste and increase organics recycling as Long Island faces a solid waste crisis. This program is for Village residents only. Register here. We hope to see you there on September 17th at 7pm at the Patchogue-Medford Library.
