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Highlights
Victory! Suffolk County Votes Yes on Clean Water On election day, Suffolk County residents had the opportunity to vote on Prop 2, the clean water ballot referendum. The initiative allows the sales tax to be increased by 1/8 of one penny to create a reliable funding stream dedicated to protecting water. 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!
We Have Only Days Left to Save Horseshoe Crabs—Governor Hochul Must Sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act!
In order to save the horseshoe crab from local extinction, the New York State Legislature passed a bill to ban harvesting of horseshoe crabs. We need Governor Hochul to sign the bill. The clock is ticking. She has only days left to decide whether to sign the bill or veto it. Horseshoe crabs have existed for over 350million years, having shared this planet with the dinosaurs. Sadly, the species is now vulnerable to local extinction unless action is taken soon. We can’t afford to wait any longer. We continued outreach to the Governor’s office last month, getting letters of support for the bill from the public, stakeholders, and Dr. Jane Goodall! Email Governor Hochul today and urge her to sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act into law!
Happenings
Heading to D.C. to Advocate for the Great Lakes
In November, we headed down to Washington D.C. to meet with our elected leaders on the importance of Great Lakes protection. Our big push is to reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act, which would extend funding this successful program to protect and restore the Great Lakes for another 5 years. Many thanks to our partner National Audubon Society and students from SUNY ESF for joining us for a very productive trip!
Providing Testimony to Address PFAS Contamination in Our Waters
Last month, the New York State Assembly held a public hearing on PFAS contamination. Our Executive Director, Adrienne Esposito, provided testimony on the dangers of these “forever chemicals,” which are found in our drinking water and communities throughout the state. We outlined what New York must do to protect our health, environment and drinking water, including passing legislation to stop PFAS at the source by banning these dangerous chemicals in common household items. Check out Adrienne Esposito’s testimony here.
Transitioning to Offshore Wind
Here’s a look at the big developments with offshore wind from November:
Talking Offshore Wind with Uniondale High School - Last month, we continued our partnership with Community Offshore Wind and Uniondale High School with another round of presentations for students entitled “Transitioning to Renewable Energy,” which is an educational program designed to inform and engage the next generation of Long Islanders on the clean energy future. We then headed down for our annual trip with the students to the Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center, where the students learned about coastline protection and climate change mitigation strategies, and were then able to take a close up look at a real wind turbine blade. Thank you again to all the students and teachers that participated in making this year’s program a success!
Fighting for 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. In November, we testified in favor of the New York Power Authority’s strategic renewable plan, which includes plans to phase out fossil fuel peaker plants and build a BESS facility in at their Brentwood site on Long Island. We also urged Town of Babylon to not extend their moratorium on battery storage and to move forward with zoning changes that will allow good BESS projects to move forward. Several other Long Island towns have moratoriums or extensions to existing moratoriums up for vote in the coming months, so stayed tuned for more info on how you can help support BESS.
Planting a Rain Garden in Northport
We are working with the Village of Northport on Long Island to install new rain gardens on Bluff Rd and James Street. Rain gardens prevent polluted stormwater runoff from reaching local waterways. They capture, store, and filter contaminants while protecting the shoreline and prevent pollution from entering Northport Harbor. We joined community members to plant a rain garden in October and another in November. We are very excited to see how these rain gardens continue to thrive and protect Northport Harbor.
