NEW YORKERS DESERVE CLEAN WATER

Tell Governor Hochul & Legislative Leaders to Invest in Clean Water Infrastructure!

Much of New York’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure is aging and failing, putting public health and our environment at risk. New York State has made significant investments to upgrade water infrastructure in recent years; however, much more needs to be done to provide clean water for all New Yorkers. 

To make drinking water safe and affordable for all New Yorkers, protect our environment, and create jobs, Governor Hochul and the legislature must provide at least $600 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the 2025-2026 NYS budget! Email Governor Hochul and your elected representatives today.

Background

Why should New Yorkers be concerned about the state’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure? 

• The American Society of Civil Engineers gave New York’s drinking water infrastructure a grade of C- and its wastewater systems a grade of D+.

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are at least 494,000 lead drinking water service lines in New York, the sixth highest of all states in the nation. Lead is a toxic heavy metal—there is no safe level of exposure to lead in drinking water, especially for infants and children. New federal regulations require that ALL lead pipes be replaced by 2037.

• According to reports generated by New York’s Sewage Pollution Right to Know law, there are 5 overflows of raw or partially treated sewage into New York waters every day. Sewage overflows make people sick, close beaches, kill fish, and hamper economic development.

• Drinking water supplies across the state contain PFAS “forever chemicals” that threaten public health. The EPA adopted new drinking water standards for certain PFAS chemicals, which will require an estimated 296 additional communities across NYS to treat for PFAS. Communities across the state are struggling to afford and install the costly treatment technology needed to filter these toxic chemicals from drinking water.

• Across the nation, there is a water main break every two minutes, and an estimated six billion gallons of treated water is lost each day. Water main breaks not only threaten access to clean drinking water, but also close schools and businesses, cause sink holes that damage roads, and hurt local economies.

What will it cost to upgrade New York’s water infrastructure?
While repairing and replacing New York’s clean water infrastructure is imperative, it is also costly. The EPA estimates that it will cost about $90 billion to upgrade New York State’s wastewater and drinking infrastructure. 

What is being done to protect clean water and what is needed next?
Since 2017, New York State has appropriated $5.5 billion into the state’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act, which is helping to upgrade sewage treatment plants, filter toxic contaminants out of drinking water, replace lead drinking water pipes, upgrade failing septic systems, protect drinking water at its source, and more. This is helping to make drinking water safe and affordable, protect our environment, and create good jobs in every community across the state (every million dollars invested is creating 17 jobs—extrapolated for the full $5.5 billion appropriated thus far, the program is expected to create over 93,000 jobs). 

While progress is being made, New York has a long way to go to meet its nearly $90 billion clean water need. Governor Hochul and the legislature must continue to invest in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in order to provide clean and affordable water for all New Yorkers! Governor Hochul and the legislature should provide at least $600 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the 2025-2026 NYS budget!

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

SUFFOLK COUNTY RESIDENTS VOTE IN FAVOR OF CLEAN WATER REFERENDUM ON 2024 BALLOT!

Prop 2, which passed with 72% of the vote, will help restore Suffolk County’s drinking water, beaches, bays, lakes, and rivers

Nitrogen pollution from sewage is responsible for massive fish kills, turtle die-offs, toxic algal blooms, and beach closings across Suffolk County. Long Island's clean waters create jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollars every year for our regional economy. Nitrogen pollution is adversely impacting our environment, health, economy, and quality of life. The science is clear; the majority of the nitrogen pollution in our local waterways comes from outdated sewer and septic systems. Upgrading our sewer and septic infrastructure is necessary to restore the health of Suffolk County’s waterways and protect our drinking water.

Tackling nitrogen pollution will require a steady stream of funding for updating septic systems and expanding sewers. In 2024, New York State and the Suffolk County Legislature passed legislation allowing Suffolk County to create a unified water management district and hold a ballot referendum that allows residents to vote on clean water. Suffolk residents were able to vote on an increase of 1/8 cent to the county sales tax, to be dedicated to protecting water resources by installing sewers and clean water septic systems. 

On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the clean water ballot measure was passed by Suffolk residents with an overwhelming 72% of the vote! The program, effective January of 2025, will generate billions of dollars in the years ahead to reduce nitrogen pollution from sewers and septic systems—reducing pollution that impacts our drinking water and waterways. Thank you to Suffolk County residents that voted in favor of this critical clean water initiative!

Background

Suffolk is 74% unsewered, with 360,000 homes relying on antiquated septic and cesspool technology to treat wastewater. The impacts of nitrogen pollution from inadequately treated sewage are appearing in virtually every bay, harbor, freshwater lake, and pond in the county. 

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) cites algal blooms and nitrogen from sewage as the primary reasons many Long Island water bodies are impaired. The numerous fish and turtle die-offs in our estuaries over the last decade were found to be caused mainly by nitrogen pollution from sewage. Moreover, some toxic algal blooms constitute a serious threat to human health, such as blue-green algae in lakes and ponds. Long Island has the greatest frequency of blue-green algae in the entire state. 

After years of study, Suffolk County released a plan which details the sources of nitrogen pollution entering all 191 subwatersheds in the county and provides a pathway to restoring our waterways to a healthy condition. The study found the primary cause of nitrogen pollution in our waterways to be sewage from antiquated sewers and septic systems. The Subwatersheds Plan provides a pathway to replace outdated cesspools and septic systems with advanced on-site systems and, where appropriate, improving and expanding sewer systems. The longer we wait to implement these changes, the more expensive and difficult our water quality problems will be to fix.  In order to fully implement this plan, Suffolk requires a unified wastewater management district and dedicated funding stream to implement these clean water projects.

Find Out What our Congressional Candidates Plan to Do to Protect Long Island Communities from Climate Change!

Join CCE, Students for Climate Action, Renewable Energy Long Island, and Citizens Climate Lobby virtually on the evening of October 17th for Climate Chats—hear directly from six candidates running for Congress on Long Island about their plans to fight Climate Change

We are witnessing devastating results of climate change throughout our nation. Here on Long Island, we are particularly vulnerable. In the next Congress, our representatives from Suffolk and Nassau will have an important role to play in ensuring protections for our coastal communities, local economy, emerging industries, and environmental resources. 

This event will feature short, 15-minute “chats” with six candidates running for Congress to answer questions on climate change, energy, and sustainability from a panel of experienced environmental leaders. This event will be open and free to the public.

Date: Thursday, October 17 
Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm
Register: Get the Zoom link for the free event here 

Candidate Interviews with:
• NY-01: Congressman Nick LaLota
• NY-01: John Avlon
• NY-02: Congressman Andrew Garbarino
• NY-02: Rob Lubin
• NY-03: Congressman Tom Suozzi
• NY-03: Mike LiPetri

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Join Us for a Free Community Meeting to Find Out about Prop 2 on the Ballot this Election Day!

Prop 2 is designed to help restore Suffolk County’s drinking water, beaches, bays, harbors, lakes, and rivers

Citizens Campaign for the Environment is sponsoring an educational forum to provide information on Prop 2 on the ballot in Suffolk County this November. If approved, Prop 2 will create a reliable, needed funding stream to expand sewers and provide grants to homeowners to replace their antiquated cesspools and septic systems.

CCE Executive Director Adrienne Esposito will be joined by Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne to discuss this important county program.

Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024 
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: South Country Ambulance Building – The Community Room
420 Station Road, Bellport

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Support Battery Energy Storage in North Hempstead

The Town of North Hempstead is considering a one-year moratorium on battery energy storage systems, which are a necessary part of our transition off fossil fuels

Make your voice heard at the North Hempstead Town Board meeting

We are in the process of transitioning from polluting fossil fuels to renewable energy, including wind and solar energy. As part of this transition, we will need to use battery energy storage systems (BESS). These systems provide the capacity to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel based generated power and stabilize the grid, thereby providing significant environmental and public health benefits. With offshore wind coming to Long Island in 2026 and the continued build-out of solar energy, BESS will be a crucial component of our clean energy future.

North Hempstead is considering placing a one-year moratorium on BESS. There is no reason for a moratorium except to dissuade BESS development. North Hempstead can, and should, create new zoning codes for this technology so it can be permitted safely and effectively—without a moratorium. 

Please attend the North Hempstead Town Board meeting on August 13th to let your elected officials know that you support battery energy storage:

When: Tuesday, August 13, at 7:00 pm
Where: North Hempstead Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset NY

Want to Learn more about BESS before the Town Board meeting? Join us for a “Power Hour” Zoom on BESS this Thursday:
In advance of the Town Board meeting, we will be co-hosting a one hour zoom meeting to discuss some key facts about BESS, its value to our grid, and what you can do to make sure North Hempstead allows this important clean energy technology to move forward. This is a great opportunity to learn more about what has been going on with BESS and ask any questions before coming to the Town Board meeting next week. Join the “Power Hour” on Thursday August 8th at 7pm on Zoom. Register here.

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

We Can Reduce Food Waste, Fight Climate Change, and Feed the Hungry!

Tell Governor Hochul to expand the Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Program!

New York generates an estimated 4 million tons of excess food annually, the vast majority of which is disposed of in landfills. When disposed of in landfills, wasted food decomposes and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. About 25% of the food we buy is wasted, while more than 2.5 million New Yorkers lack consistent access to sufficient food. We are throwing away wholesome food that could instead help feed our fellow citizens in need.

In response, New York enacted the Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law in 2019 to require large food generators (e.g. supermarkets, sports venues, hotels, colleges) that waste two tons of food or more per week to either donate or recycle their excess food. This program has provided surplus food to hungry people, converted organic waste into valuable compost, and created renewable energy through anerobic digestion. The program has been off to a very successful start—from 2021 to 2022, food donation increased 60% and food scrap recycling increased 529% across the state!

While we are off to a good start, far too much food continues to be wasted. Now it is time to expand this program and capture additional food waste. The NYS Legislature recently passed legislation to expand this program—requiring facilities generating one ton or more of food waste per week to reduce, recover, and recycle excess food!

Email Governor Hochul today and urge her to sign the expanded Food Scraps Recycling and Food Donation Program legislation into law!

Thank you for taking action. Together we make a difference!

Sincerely,

All of Us at CCE

Support Battery Energy Storage in Southampton

The Town of Southampton is considering, once again, to extend its moratorium on battery energy storage systems, which are a necessary part of our transition off fossil fuels

Make your voice heard at the Southampton Town Board meeting and support ending the moratorium

We are in the process of transitioning from polluting fossil fuels to renewable energy, including wind and solar energy. As part of this transition, we will need to use battery energy storage systems (BESS). These systems provide capacity to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel based generated power and stabilize the grid, thereby providing significant environmental and public health benefits. 

The Town of Southampton placed a moratorium on BESS over one year ago, claiming they needed to create new zoning codes for this technology so it can be permitted safely and effectively. They have had ample time and expert guidance, yet they are still not advancing their codes and are considering extending the moratorium again! 

Please attend the Southampton Town Board meeting on June 23rd at 6:00 PM to let your elected officials know that you support battery energy storage and urge them to not extend the moratorium. 

Southampton Town Board Meeting

When: Tuesday, July 23, at 6:00 pm

Where: Southampton Town Hall, 116 Hampton Road, Southampton, NY

Want to Learn more about BESS before the Town Board meeting? Join us for a “Power Hour” Zoom on BESS this Thursday at 7pm:

In advance of the Town Board meeting, we will be co-hosting a one-hour zoom meeting to discuss some key facts about BESS, its value to our grid, and what you can do to make sure Southampton allows this important clean energy technology to move forward. This is a great opportunity to learn more about what has been going on with BESS in Southampton and ask any questions before coming to the Town Board meeting next week. Join the “Power Hour” on Thursday July 18th at 7pm on zoom. Register here.

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Join Us: Tackling Plastic Pollution in Long Island Sound

Join us for a free “Plastic-Free July” webinar to learn about plastic pollution in Long Island Sound and how to help advance solutions!

CCE and our partners at the Coastal Watershed Network invite you to join a free Zoom webinar for Plastic-Free July to learn about newly identified microplastic “hot spots” in Long Island Sound, research related to microplastics and algal blooms, and solutions to reduce plastic pollution. Participants will hear from the experts and have the opportunity to ask questions.

Webinar details:
Date: Tuesday, July 16
Time: 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Where: Via Zoom (register here)

Speakers/Topics:

• Rachael Miller, Founder of the Rozalia Project: Microplastic “Hot Spots” in Long Island Sound

• Nicole Gullason and Natasha Mishra, Students at Smithtown High School West: Connection between Microplastics and Algal Blooms

• Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director at Citizens Campaign for the Environment: Individual, Corporate, and Policy Solutions to Reduce Plastic Pollution in the Sound

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Protect Drinking Water from Dangerous “Forever Chemicals”

Image by Henryk Niestrój from Pixabay 

In recent years, many communities across New York State discovered their drinking water sources are contaminated with harmful PFAS chemicals. PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are very persistent, meaning they build up in our bodies and don’t break down in the environment. New York State has taken some important steps to address PFAS, however, new science indicates that we must do more in order to protect public health from this growing threat!

What is PFAS?
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products for many decades, due to their non-stick, grease-resistant and waterproof properties. PFAS is used in cookware, packaging, clothing, furniture, adhesives, paint, firefighting foam, artificial turf, and other products. According to the U.S. EPA, there are 3,500 industrial sites across New York State that may be handling or using PFAS chemicals.

PFAS Pollutes our Environment and Drinking Water
Due to widespread use of PFAS chemicals in numerous products and industries, PFAS chemicals have become ubiquitous in the environment, including our soil, air, and drinking water. Testing has revealed PFAS in water sources in dozens of communities across New York State, from Western New York to Long Island.

PFAS Threatens our Health
Studies show that human exposure to PFAS is widespread and that nearly all people in the United States have some PFAS compounds in their blood. Exposure to PFAS can lead to higher rates of kidney and testicular cancer, higher cholesterol levels, thyroid problems, adverse developmental effects and decreased immune response in children, and other adverse health impacts.

EPA Indicates That There is No Safe Level of Exposure to PFAS 
In 2022, based on a growing body of new science, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency updated its drinking water health advisory for two types of PFAS chemicals, PFOS and PFOA. Drinking water health advisories indicate the amount of a chemical in drinking water that is expected to cause adverse health impacts. The EPA significantly reduced the health advisory from 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for both PFOA and PFOS down to a mere .004 ppt for PFOA and .02 ppt for PFOS. This means that there is essentially no safe level of exposure to these chemicals in our drinking water! 

EPA Proposes Strong National Drinking Water Standards
In 2024, the U.S. EPA finalized a rule to establish the first nationwide enforceable limits on the amount of six highly toxic PFAS chemicals allowed in drinking water. For PFOA and PFOS, EPA adopted individual drinking water limits (known as Maximum Contaminant Levels or MCLs) of 4 ppt per chemical. For the other four PFAS (PFNA, PFBS, PFHxS, and GenX), EPA proposed an enforceable limit designed to address those chemicals’ combined effects as a mixture. While we want to ultimately eliminate PFAS in drinking water, EPA’s proposed standards represent the strongest standards that are currently technically feasible.

In 2020, New York State set MCL’s of 10 ppt for both PFOA and PFOS. While the standards were among the strongest of any state in the nation at the time, new science is clearly demonstrating that we must do more to protect clean drinking water by adopting EPA’s proposed standards. Adopting these drinking water standards will protect drinking water in New York, Connecticut, and throughout the nation and prevent thousands of premature deaths. CCE continues to advocate that New York State adopt EPA’s new standards as soon as possible.

It’s Time to Turn Off the Tap to PFAS!
As we make important progress to remove PFAS from our drinking water, it does not make sense to continue using more PFAS and allow more contamination to occur. New York must get serious about limiting further PFAS contamination by banning unnecessary uses of PFAS in products. New York has already enacted laws to limit PFAS in firefighting foam, food packaging, carpets, and apparel; however, there are numerous other products that continue to use PFAS unnecessarily. Learn more about our campaign to ban PFAS in a range of household products in New York State.

Interactive Long Island Map: Is there PFAS in Your Water?
In 2023, CCE compiled data from every Long Island water district and created an interactive map of PFAS levels in drinking water. This analysis has found that: 

Check out our Interactive Map

• 450,000+ Long Islanders (out of 2.7 million served by public water) have drinking water below the detection levels of 2 ppt for PFAS chemicals.

• 570,000+ Long Islanders’ drinking water exceeds the current standard of 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS.

• 1.7+ million Long Islanders’ drinking water with PFOA/PFOS between 2ppt and 10ppt.

Want to Learn More about Battery Energy Storage?

Join us for a free community meeting on battery energy storage and its role in Long Island’s transition to renewable energy 

New York is a leader in the fight against climate change, with targets of 70% renewable energy by 2030 and carbon neutral electricity by 2040. We are in the process of transitioning from polluting fossil fuels to renewable energy, including wind and solar energy. 

As part of this transition, we will need to use battery energy storage systems (BESS). These systems provide capacity that will reduce our reliance on fossil fuel based generated power, thereby providing significant environmental and public health benefits. They will also help stabilize the energy grid as we move towards achieving our state energy mandates, powering thousands of homes and bringing significant economic benefits to our region. 

Join us and our partners to learn how large-scale battery storage works and the critical role it will play in transitioning us away from polluting fossil fuel power plants. We will have a presentation followed by a Q&A.  Register here

When: Wednesday, June 26th at 7:00 pm

Where: Christ Episcopal Church, 12 Prospect Street, Babylon, NY

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

PROTECT OUR GREAT LAKES!

Pretty lake photo Image by Ilona Ilyés from Pixabay

Tell Congress to pass the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024 

The Great Lakes supply millions of New Yorkers with their drinking water, provide habitat for wildlife, and support billion-dollar industries such as tourism and fishing. To help protect and restore the health of the lakes, Congress established the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in 2010. The GLRI has funded thousands of projects to clean up the lakes—protecting drinking water, cleaning up toxic pollution, fighting invasive species, and more. 

Despite our progress, more work remains to protect and restore the health of our Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024 will extend the successful program for another five years—authorizing $500 million annually. We need our federal representatives from New York State to fight for passage of this critical legislation as soon as possible—email your representatives today!

BACKGROUND

New York’s Great Lakes basin covers 42% of the state’s surface area—second most among all Great Lakes states

The Great Lakes are a natural wonder of the world that hold 20% of the world’s fresh water supply. Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the Niagara River, and the St. Lawrence River comprise over 700 miles of shoreline in NYS. The Great Lakes provide four million New Yorkers with drinking water and support a multibillion-dollar tourism, fishing, and recreation economy.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative 
Established by Congress in 2010, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was created to fund projects to protect and restore the health of the Great Lakes—cleaning up toxic pollution, restoring important habitat, fighting invasive species, reducing pollution from farms, and more. To date, the GLRI has funded more than 7,563 individual projects totaling over $3.7 billion and has greatly improved the quality of life in the region. New York State has received over $270 million to support hundreds of restoration projects. 

The GLRI is not only restoring the health of our Great Lakes, but it is also providing major economic benefits. Throughout the Great Lakes region, every dollar invested in restoration provides $3 in economic returns to the regional economy. In Buffalo, where the GLRI is supporting the cleanup of the Buffalo River and other important projects, the return is even higher—providing a 4-to-1 return on investment!

Threats to the Great Lakes Ecosystem Remain
Despite progress to protect and restore the Great Lakes in recent years, the health of Great Lakes remains threatened. Examples include:

• Toxic legacy pollution: Only one of New York’s six toxic hot spots (known as Areas of Concern), which were identified back in 1987, has been cleaned up.

• Invasive species: Invasive carp sit on the doorstep of the Great Lakes. If established in the lakes, they would decimate the ecosystem and the multibillion-dollar fishing industry.

• Emerging Contaminants: Emerging toxic pollutants, such as PFAS “forever chemicals,” are being found in Great Lakes waters and contaminating drinking water.

Congress Must Continue Progress to Restore the Great Lakes
The GLRI program is authorized through 2026, and unless action is taken by Congress, the program will expire in 2027. Recently introduced in the U.S. House and Senate, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024 would reauthorize the GLRI program for an additional five years. The GLRI Act of 2024 would provide $500 million annually, from 2027-2031. 

Thank you for taking action.

Sincerely,
All of Us at CCE

PROTECT HORSESHOE CRABS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

  Urge Governor Hochul to Sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act into Law!

Horseshoe crabs have existed for over 350 million years, having shared this planet with the dinosaurs. Sadly, the species is now vulnerable to local extinction unless action is taken soon. Horseshoe crab populations have been depleted largely due to commercial fishermen who catch them and chop them up for use as bait. Horseshoe crabs are an essential species in the food web—a decline in their population is harming the ecosystem and threatening bird species that depend upon the crabs for food. Currently, New York is woefully lagging in horseshoe crab protection.

In order to save the horseshoe crab, and the species that depend upon them, the New York State Legislature passed a bill to ban harvesting of horseshoe crabs. We can’t afford to wait any longer—New York must act now. Email Governor Hochul today and urge her to sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act into law!

Background

Why are Horseshoe Crabs Important?
Horseshoe Crabs are an integral part of the ecosystem and act as a keystone species in the food web. Each spring, horseshoe crabs travel from deep Atlantic waters to the shore for their breeding season. Beaches are stormed with mating horseshoe crabs, with females laying tens of thousands of eggs at a time in clusters buried under the sand. Every year, horseshoe crabs lay their eggs on beaches at full and new moon high tides from April to June.

Millions of shorebirds stop along our Atlantic beaches to nourish themselves on horseshoe crab eggs. These eggs are the single most important food source for migrating shorebirds, including threatened birds, such as the Red Knot. Experts predict that the Red Knot may become extinct in the coming years, unless more protective measures are undertaken to protect horseshoe crabs. Furthermore, sharks, sea turtles, sportfish and other species also feed on horseshoe crabs, making them a critical component of the food web.

Biomedical Uses
The blood of horseshoe crabs contains a critical component, Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate, known as LAL. This unique compound clots when exposed to bacteria or bacterial endotoxins. Some medical equipment and devices such as IV tubing are also tested with LAL. Currently, scientists have found synthetic compounds that reproduce LAL, which are now being used by Pfizer, Eli Lilly and other leading pharmaceutical companies. There have been NO permits issued in over a decade for the harvesting of horseshoe crabs for medical uses in NY waters. All the permitted harvesting of horseshoe crabs is for fishing, not biomedical purposes. However, as other states prohibit taking for biomedical uses, pressure to permit the practice may increase in NY if action is not taken to protect horseshoe crabs.

Horseshoe Crabs Under Threat
For decades, horseshoe crabs were looked upon as unimportant to our waters. They are slow to mature and therefore are susceptible to harvesting pressures. Horseshoe crabs were once used as fertilizer and livestock feed, which almost led to their populations being wiped out in the 1940s. In the 1970s, the populations recovered only to see resurgence in their use as bait for eel, conch, and whelk fisheries. The horseshoe crabs are chopped up and used as bait by commercial fisherman.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission reported horseshoe crab stocks have been in decline for at least 15 years. Horseshoe crab populations were rated as “good” in 2009 but declined to “poor” in 2019. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has listed horseshoe crabs as vulnerable to local extinction in our region. The importance of horseshoe crabs to our ecosystem and the growing threat to the survival of the species had led other states, including Delaware, Connecticut, and New Jersey, to implement policies banning the taking of horseshoe crabs. 

New York State Needs a Ban on Horseshoe Crab Harvesting
This year, the New York State Legislature passed Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A / A.10140), which prohibits the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial and biomedical uses. This legislation will allow New York to restore the population of horseshoe crabs and ensure the survival of this species for future generations. Neighboring states, including Connecticut, have already enacted similar legislation. It is time for NY to step up and ban the harvesting of horseshoe crabs! We need Governor Hochul to sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act into law.

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

2024 New York State Legislative Session Wraps Up

Image by Aida from Pixabay

We’re celebrating major victories—while continuing to fight to address unfinished business

This past weekend, the New York State legislature finished up the 2024 legislative session, which began back in January. Thanks to your support, we led successful efforts to protect clean water, safeguard the public from toxic chemicals, save vulnerable species, fight climate change, save taxpayers money, and more. 

The Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, which will allow a Suffolk County ballot referendum to allow the creation of a fund to upgrade sewers and septic systems in order to protect clean water, is a priority bill that passed and was signed into law by the Governor. 

While the following bills still need to be signed by the Governor to become law, passing these important bills in NYS Senate and Assembly is a major accomplishment:

✔ Horseshoe Crab Protection Act: While horseshoe crabs have been around for over 350 million years, having survived the extinction of the dinosaurs, their numbers are now dwindling due to overharvesting. Not only is this a problem for this keystone species, but also the threatened and endangered bird species that depend upon horseshoe crab eggs for survival, such as the Red Knot. We led efforts to get legislation passed that will ban harvesting of these crabs for commercial and biomedical purposes.

✔ Climate Superfund Act: We know that the burning of fossil fuels is causing the climate crisis, yet fossil fuel companies have not taken responsibility for the damage this is causing, until now. Rather than forcing taxpayers to pay for damage, this legislation will hold these corporations accountable—fossil fuel companies will pay into a fund that will help New York adapt to climate change. It would generate about $3 billion annually to fund projects to keep communities safe from flooding, protect vulnerable infrastructure, pay for damage from extreme weather, and much more.

✔ Ban on Fracking with CO2: While we fought to ban dangerous fracking that uses water to extract gas (hydraulic fracking) years ago, there was interest in circumventing the ban by extracting gas using carbon dioxide instead. Since this would be just as dirty and dangerous as hydraulic fracking, we supported legislation to ban CO2 fracking.

Unfinished Business

While we successfully advocated to pass some critical bills, other priority bills didn’t make it past the finish line. After major campaigns by CCE and our coalition partners, the following bills passed overwhelmingly in the NYS Senate. While we secured more than enough votes to pass the bills in the Assembly, Assembly leadership failed to allow the bills to come up for a vote. We’ll work to get these bills passed as soon as possible, which may be a special session later this year or next legislative session:

• Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act: This groundbreaking legislation would reduce wasteful plastic packaging by 30%, while also increasing recycling, banning toxic chemicals in packaging, and saving local taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually. This is the most important thing we can do to help solve our solid waste crisis in NYS, and we won’t stop until we get this bill passed into law!

• Ban on PFAS in Household Products: This legislation would ban the use of harmful PFAS “forever chemicals” in products that New Yorkers use every day, including children’s products, cleaning products, rugs, ski wax, and more. Not only would this reduce our daily exposure to these dangerous chemicals, but it would also reduce the amount of PFAS chemicals that are polluting our environment and our water supplies throughout the state.

Let’s Not Forget Our Success in the State Budget!

While it was passed a couple months back, we can’t forget what we accomplished in this year’s state budget. After a proposal to cut clean water funding by 50%, we successfully led efforts to have full funding restored in the final budget at $500 million. This will ensure that we continue progress to stop sewage overflows into our waterways, remove toxic contaminants from drinking water, replace dangerous lead drinking water pipes, and more!

The NYS Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) was also at risk of being cut, and we worked with our partners to ensure program funding was fully restored to $400 million. We worked to ensure that priority programs within the EPF, including those that help to protect and restore our Great Lakes, ocean, and South Shore Estuary Reserve, were fully funded and not cut.

These bills and budget priorities represent just some of what CCE worked on throughout the legislative session. Visit our website for more information on our 2024 NYS legislative agenda. 

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

NEW YORKERS DESERVE CLEAN WATER

New York State Must Continue to Invest in Clean Water Infrastructure!

Much of New York’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure is aging and failing, putting public health and our environment at risk. New York State has made significant investments to upgrade water infrastructure in recent years, however, much more needs to be done to provide clean water for all New Yorkers. CCE leads efforts to fight for clean water infrastructure funding in New York State and will continue this work in the years ahead!

Why should New Yorkers be concerned about the state’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure?

• The American Society of Civil Engineers gave New York’s drinking water infrastructure a grade of C- and its wastewater systems a grade of D+.

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are at least 494,000 lead drinking water service lines in New York, the sixth highest of all states in the nation. Lead is a toxic heavy metal—there is no safe level of exposure to lead in drinking water, especially for infants and children. All lead pipes must be replaced.

• According to reports generated by New York’s Sewage Pollution Right to Know law, there are 5 overflows of raw or partially treated sewage into New York waters every day. Sewage overflows make people sick, close beaches, kill fish, and hamper economic development.

• Nearly 550 public drinking water systems across New York, which serve millions of New Yorkers, contain at least one PFAS “forever chemical” at levels considered to be too high by EPA. Communities across the state are struggling to afford and install the costly treatment technology needed to filter these toxic chemicals from drinking water.

• Across the nation, there is a water main break every two minutes, and an estimated six billion gallons of treated water is lost each day. Water main breaks not only threaten access to clean drinking water, but also close schools and businesses, cause sink holes that damage roads, and hurt local economies.

What will it cost to upgrade New York’s water infrastructure?
While repairing and replacing New York’s clean water infrastructure is imperative, it is also costly. The state has conservatively estimated that it will cost about $80 billion to upgrade our wastewater and drinking infrastructure over 20 years.

What is being done to protect clean water and what is needed next?
Since 2017, New York State has appropriated $5.5 billion into the state’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act, which is helping to upgrade sewage treatment plants, filter toxic contaminants out of drinking water, replace lead drinking water pipes, upgrade failing septic systems, protect drinking water at its source, and more. This is helping to make drinking water safe and affordable, protect our environment, and create good jobs in every community across the state (every million dollars invested is creating 17 jobs—extrapolated for the full $5.5 billion appropriated thus far, the program is expected to create 93,000 jobs).

While progress is being made, New York has a long way to go to meet its $80 billion clean water need. Governor Hochul and the legislature must continue to invest in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in order to provide clean and affordable water for all New Yorkers!

Support us so we can continue to fight for clean water in New York State!

Help Protect Horseshoe Crabs Before It’s Too Late

Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/engel9-641086/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=5227337">Chris Engel</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=5227337">Pixabay</a>

Tell NYS legislative leaders to pass the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act—there are only a few short days left to act this legislative session!

Horseshoe crabs have existed for over 350 million years, having shared this planet with the dinosaurs. Unfortunately, the species is now vulnerable to local extinction unless action is taken soon. The NYS legislature must act to protect horseshoe crabs before session ends on June 7!

Horseshoe crab populations have been drastically depleted largely due to commercial fishermen who catch the crabs and chop them up for use as bait. Horseshoe crabs are an essential species in the food web—a decline in their population is harming the ecosystem and threatening bird species that depend upon the crabs for food. Currently, New York is woefully lagging in horseshoe crab protection.

The Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A / A.10140) would prohibit the taking of horseshoe crabs from NY waters for commercial and biomedical uses. Taking horseshoe crabs for commercial fishing is the main contributor to population losses in NY. Connecticut already banned the taking of horseshoe crabs, with other states considering similar action. This will add more pressure to harvest horseshoe crabs in New York, unless action is taken by the legislature!

Email Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. As leaders of the Senate and Assembly, urge them to bring the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act to the floor for a vote this legislative session!

BACKGROUND

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has reported horseshoe crab stocks have been in decline for at least 15 years. Horseshoe crab populations were rated as “good” in 2009 but declined to “poor” in 2019. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has listed horseshoe crabs as vulnerable to local extinction in our region. 

The species has faced a steady decline mainly due to over-harvesting by commercial fishermen to be used as bait for eel and conch fishing operations. Additionally, these crabs’ blue blood is used in biomedical research, however, New York is not currently providing permits for the taking of horseshoe crabs for biomedical purposes (although as other states prohibit taking for biomedical uses, pressure to permit the practice may increase in NY).

Horseshoe crabs act as a keystone species in the food web. The significant decline in the number of horseshoe crabs laying eggs on New York beaches subsequently threatens many bird species. Many migratory birds depend on the horseshoe crab eggs for survival, including threatened birds, such as the Red Knot. Experts predict that the Red Knot may become extinct in the coming years, unless more protective measures are undertaken to protect horseshoe crabs.

The Horseshoe Crab Protection Act will prohibit the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial and biomedical purposes, addressing the main stressors to this vulnerable species and further protecting threatened species such as the Red Knot.

Thank you for taking action. Together we can make a difference!

Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE

We Need Clean Water: Help Restore Suffolk County’s Beaches, Bays, Lakes, and Estuaries!

Tell the Suffolk County Legislature to let the public vote on a Clean Water Ballot Referendum this November

Nitrogen pollution from sewage is responsible for massive fish kills, turtle die-offs, toxic algal blooms, and beach closings across Suffolk County. Long Island's clean waters create jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollars every year for our regional economy. Nitrogen pollution is adversely impacting our environment, health, economy, and quality of life. The science is clear; the majority of the nitrogen pollution in our local waterways come from outdated sewer and septic systems. Upgrading our sewer and septic infrastructure is necessary to restore the health of Suffolk County’s waterways and protect our drinking water.

In May, Governor Hochul signed legislation allowing Suffolk County to hold a ballot referendum that will create a unified wastewater management district throughout the County. This would allow sales tax to be increased by 1/8 of one penny to create a reliable funding stream dedicated to protecting water resources by expanding and upgrading sewers and installing upgraded nitrogen-removing septic systems. 

We need the Suffolk County Legislature to pass legislation that will let the public vote in support of clean water this November. Join us at the upcoming public hearing:

Date: Tuesday, June 4th
Time: Public Hearing at 2pm
Location: Suffolk County Legislature, William J. Lindsay County Complex, William H. Rogers Building, 725 Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown, NY

If you cannot attend the meeting, you can still make your voice heard. Email your Suffolk County Legislator today. Urge them to vote yes and let the public vote on clean water this November.

Background

Suffolk is 74% unsewered, with 360,000 homes relying on antiquated septic and cesspool technology to treat wastewater. The impacts of nitrogen pollution from inadequately treated sewage are appearing in virtually every bay, harbor, freshwater lake, and pond in the county. 

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) cites algal blooms and nitrogen from sewage as the primary reasons many LI water bodies are impaired. The numerous fish and turtle die-offs in our estuaries over the last decade were found to be caused mainly by nitrogen pollution from sewage. Moreover, some toxic algal blooms constitute a serious threat to human health, such as blue-green algae in lakes and ponds. Long Island has the greatest frequency of blue-green algae in the entire state. 

After years of study, Suffolk County released a plan which details the sources of nitrogen pollution entering all 191 subwatersheds in the county and provides a pathway to restoring our waterways to a healthy condition. The study found the primary cause of nitrogen pollution in our waterways to be sewage from antiquated sewers and septic systems. The Subwatersheds Plan provides a pathway to replace outdated cesspools and septic systems with advanced on-site systems and, where appropriate, improving and expanding sewer systems.  The longer we wait to implement these changes, the more expensive and difficult our water quality problems will be to fix.  In order to fully implement this plan, we will need a unified wastewater management district and dedicated funding stream to implement these clean water projects.

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Reduce Packaging Waste, Increase Recycling, and Save Taxpayers Money in New York

Photo by Tom Fisk: https://www.pexels.com/photo/bird-s-eye-view-of-landfill-3181031/

The New York State Legislature has just two weeks remaining to take action to help solve our solid waste crisis!

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.

The NYS Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S.4246B/A.5322B) would help address our solid waste crisis. The policy requires product manufacturers—not taxpayers—to be responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling the packaging they create. If passed into law, this legislation 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. The NYS legislature must pass this bill before the legislative session ends on June 6.

Email Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. As leaders of the Senate and Assembly, urge them to bring the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act to the floor for a vote this legislative session!

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, 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 over $400 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 course of 8 years.

Large Brands are Failing to Take Responsibility: Currently, manufacturers bear no responsibility for recycling the packaging waste they create. Large brands have externalized the cost of disposing of and recycling 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 and local governments are shouldering the financial burden of packaging disposal and recycling—the cost to New York State’s local governments is estimated at over $400 million annually.

The Solution to Reducing Waste and Saving Taxpayers Money: Hold Manufacturers Responsible for their Waste! The Packaging 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. Not only does this provide relief to taxpayers, but it also requires 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

Long Island Clean Water Symposium: Global Challenges and Local Solutions

Join us for this informative and free event to hear from global and local water experts!

Citizens Campaign for the Environment, North Shore Land Alliance, and The Nature Conservancy are co-hosting a conference that will bring together leaders in the field of water science. Leading experts will update attendees about the condition of local water, including surface water and drinking water. There will also be a robust panel discussion that will focus on solutions that both municipalities and homeowners can use to address the protection of this critical natural resource. This event is free, but advanced registration is required! Register today.

• Raingardens and native plants 

• Low-nitrogen septic systems

• Better lawn fertilizers

Topics include: 

• Innovations in water technology 

• Drinking and surface water quality 

• Land conservation and water quantity 

Date: Thursday, May 16, 2024
Time: 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Location: Long Island University Student Center Auditorium 
720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville, NY 11548

Keynote Speaker: David L. Sedlak, Author and Professor of Environmental Engineering at University of California, Berkeley

David Sedlak is a Vice Chair for Graduate Studies and Plato Malozemoff Professor of Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley. Sedlak’s research focuses on the fate of chemical contaminants, with the long-term goal of developing cost-effective, safe, and sustainable systems to manage water resources. Sedlak’s research has addressed water reuse—the practice of using municipal wastewater effluent to sustain aquatic ecosystems and augment drinking water supplies—as well as the treatment and use of urban runoff to contaminated groundwater from contaminated industrial sites as water supplies. 

Sedlak also received the Fulbright Specialist Award for New Zealand in 2019 and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2016, one of the highest honors given to an engineer, among other notable achievements. Sedlak is also the author of "Water 4.0", a book that examines the ways we can gain insight into current water issues by analyzing the history of urban water systems.

Featured Speakers:
Dr. Christopher Gobler, Director, Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Expert Panelists:
Brian Schneider, Program Development Specialist, U.S. Geological Survey
Lisa W. Ott, President & CEO, North Shore Land Alliance
Kevin McDonald, Long Island Senior Policy Advisor, The Nature Conservancy
Patti Wood, Executive Director, Grassroots Environmental Education
Nancy Seligson, former Town Supervisor for the Town of Mamaroneck
Derek Betts, District Manager, Nassau County Soil & Water Conservation District
Justin Jobin, Environmental Scientist at Coastal Wastewater Solutions
Thomas Murphy, Building Inspector and Code Enforcement, Village of East Hills
Rusty Schmidt, Landscape Architect at Nelson Pope and Voorhis

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Turn Off the Tap to Dangerous PFAS Chemicals Now!

New York State Must Ban PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in Everyday Products

In recent years, communities across NY and the nation have discovered their drinking water sources are contaminated with harmful PFAS chemicals. PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are very persistent, meaning they build up in our bodies and don’t break down in the environment. New science indicates that there is no safe level of exposure to PFAS in our drinking water and we must do more to protect public health from this growing threat.

New York State is considering legislation that will ban the use of PFAS chemicals in a host of everyday products. The use of PFAS in these products is unnecessary, contributes to harmful PFAS pollution, and threatens public health. Take action today and urge your elected representatives to support passage of this critical legislation today!  

Background

What is PFAS and where does it come from?
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products for many decades, due to their non-stick, grease-resistant and waterproof properties. PFAS is used in cookware, packaging, textiles, furniture, adhesives, paint, and numerous other products. According to the U.S. EPA, there are 3,500 industrial sites across New York State that may be handling or using PFAS chemicals.

PFAS Threatens our Health
Studies show that human exposure to PFAS is widespread—it’s estimated that 98% of people in the U.S. have PFAS compounds in their blood. Exposure to PFAS can lead to higher rates of kidney and testicular cancer, higher cholesterol levels, thyroid problems, adverse developmental effects and decreased immune response in children, and other adverse health impacts.

PFAS Pollutes our Environment and Drinking Water
Due to widespread use of PFAS chemicals in numerous products and industries, PFAS chemicals have become ubiquitous in the environment, including our soil, air, and drinking water. Testing has revealed some levels of PFAS in approximately 50% of public water systems across NYS, with about 250 water systems exceeding NY’s drinking water standards for two PFAS chemicals—PFOA and PFOS. EPA recently adopted stronger drinking water standards for several PFAS chemicals, which will cause an estimated 296 additional communities across NYS to exceed standards and have to treat drinking water for these harmful chemicals.

It’s Time to Turn Off the Tap to PFAS!
As we make important progress to remove PFAS from our drinking water, it does not make sense to continue using more PFAS and allow more contamination to occur! New York must get serious about limiting further PFAS contamination by banning unnecessary uses of PFAS in products. New York has already enacted laws to limit PFAS in firefighting foam, food packaging, carpets, and apparel; however, there are numerous other products that continue to use PFAS unnecessarily.

Legislation has been introduced in New York State (A.3556C/S.5648C) that bans the sale of PFAS in a host of everyday products—textile articles, rugs, fabric treatments, cookware, ski waxes, architectural paints, children’s products, anti-fogging sprays and wipes, dental floss, and cleaning products, beginning in 2026. This bill targets products in common use for which there are ample alternatives, and in most cases, restrictions already exist in other states or countries. Email your elected representatives and urge them to support a ban on PFAS in everyday products now!

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of us 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-3181031/

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, the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S.4246B/A.5322B) has been introduced by Senator Harckham and Assemblymember Glick in the NYS Legislature. The policy requires product manufacturers—not taxpayers—to be responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling the packaging they create. If passed into law, this legislation will reduce packaging waste, increase recycling, eliminate toxic chemicals in packaging, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save local governments across the state over $400 million annually!

Email your NYS Assemblymember, NYS Senator, and Governor Hochul. Urge them to support passage of the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act this legislative session!

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 over $400 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 course of 8 years.

Large Brands are Failing to Take Responsibility: Currently, manufacturers bear no responsibility for recycling the packaging waste they create. Large brands have externalized the cost of disposing of and recycling 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 and local governments are shouldering the financial burden of packaging disposal and recycling—the cost to New York State’s local governments is estimated at over $400 million annually. 

The Solution to Reducing Waste and Saving Taxpayers Money: Hold Manufacturers Responsible for their Waste! The Packaging 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. Not only does this provide relief to taxpayers, but it also requires 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%.

To learn more about the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, visit CCE’s YouTube playlist.

Thank you for taking action. Together we make a difference!

Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE