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Highlights
Fighting for our NY Budget Priorities
We were thrilled to see several of our environmental priorities front and center in the executive budget proposal released by the Governor in January. In February, we lobbied our Assembly and Senate leaders to ensure that our priorities make it into the final budget (due April 1), including (but not limited to):
$500 million for clean water infrastructure: upgrades aging wastewater and drinking water infrastructure and protects water at its source.
$300 million Environmental Protection Fund (EPF): funds programs in every part of the state to protect clean water, healthy communities, open space, and so much more.
Manufacturer-funded (not taxpayer-funded) recycling of consumer packaging and paper: this policy would help reduce waste, increase recycling, create jobs, and save taxpayers money.
$ 3 billion Clean Water and Jobs Environmental Bond Act: This historic investment would (if adopted in the budget and subsequently approved by the voters in November) protect communities from the impacts of climate change while protecting clean water and supporting green jobs.
Happenings
Supporting Long Island Offshore Wind
Long Island is becoming a national leader in offshore wind, with five wind farms now in the siting process. Some exciting developments on these projects is happening, but our work is far from over. On the federal level, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management released a draft Environmental Impact Statement on the South Fork Wind Farm and held a series of virtual meetings in February. Thanks to our Wind Works Long Island coalition partners who also participated in the meetings and submitted supportive comments on NY’s first offshore wind farm. To learn more about the South Fork Wind Farm DEIS or project in general, you can read the comments we submitted, along with our coalition members’ comments here.
Working to Modernize Connecticut’s Bottle Bill
One of our top priorities in Connecticut is improving and modernizing the Bottle Bill. The law, which puts deposits on beverage containers, has been one of the most successful environmental laws in the state, but it needs to be updated. In February, we testified before the Connecticut General Assembly about the cost impacts to municipalities and the equity challenges under the current Bottle Bill program, as well as the challenges related to glass in the curbside recycling stream. According to Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority, wine and liquor account for approximately 60% of glass going into the blue bin! We need to establish a deposit on glass, wine, and liquor bottles here in CT.
Clean Water Forum for NYS Legislators
In February, we hosted our 3rd annual Clean Water Forum for elected officials, legislative staff, state agencies, and Clean Water Coalition members to discuss our clean water priorities for this year. Thanks to the over 70 people who attended the virtual Clean Water Forum and to our experts who provided presentations and answered questions on critical water quality issues and solutions for 2021. Priorities included, but were not limited to, investing in upgrades to wastewater infrastructure, installing treatment technology to remove emerging contaminants from drinking water, and protecting our water resources at its source.
The Future is Blowing in the Wind—Long Islands Offshore Wind Projects
In the second installment of CCE’s series of educational forums on offshore wind, offshore wind developers Orsted and Equinor discussed the offshore wind projects they are building off Long Island. The combined projects will power more than 2.4 million homes and bring us almost halfway to New York’s goal of 9,000 MW of offshore wind. Over 100 people joined in after the presentations, and Orsted and Equinor representatives answered questions from members of the public. You can watch a recording of the webinar here!
Combatting PFAS Contamination
Last month, we stood with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Nassau County Executive Laura Curran to call for federal action banning toxic PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam. Senator Gillibrand has introduced legislation that would also provide resources to fire departments to switch to safer chemicals. We will continue fighting for this critical legislation, which protects fire fighters, our water, and public health.
New Yorkers for Clean Water & Jobs Lobby Day
We joined members of the New Yorkers for Clean Water & Jobs for a virtual lobby day in February. The coalition met with NYS Senate and Assembly members to advocate for our budget priorities, including clean water infrastructure funding, maintaining a fully funded Environmental Protection Fund, supporting New York parks, and to preventing further raids of revenue generated from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
Transforming New York’s Transportation System
The New York Climate Action Council’s Transportation Advisory Panel hosted a virtual public meeting to provide information on proposed policy strategies to achieve New York’s greenhouse gas reduction targets. We provided comments urging the Panel to include the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) program in their recommendation. TCI is an opportunity for New York to join with other Northeast/MidAtlantic states to bolster the clean transportation economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by advancing clean vehicles and fuels, safe and affordable public transportation, equitable options of disadvantaged communities, complete streets safe for walking and biking, and much more!
New Studies Help Advance LI Water Protection and Support CCE’s Work on 1,4 Dioxane
Dr. Chris Gobler at the Stony Brook University Center for Clean Water Technology released two important studies last month. One study advances new technology to remove nitrogen and 1,4- dioxane entering groundwater through septic systems, and another provides further evidence that 1,4-dioxane in everyday products poses a threat to our drinking water. We joined Dr. Gobler and our clean water partners for a virtual event last month to press the importance of preventing 1,4- dioxane and nitrogen contamination in Long Island’s waters and detailing the role this new research can play in developing good policy at the local and state level.