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Highlights
Fighting for Clean Water Infrastructure
Since 2017, New York has invested $5 billion in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, and this funding has produced significant results for clean water from the Great Lakes to Long Island Sound. But there is still work to be done to address New York’s $80 billion drinking water and wastewater infrastructure needs. In her Executive Budget, Governor Hochul proposed to slash this critical funding in half. We are calling for $600 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the SFY 2024-25 budget. Last month, we joined Assemblymembers Michaelle Solages and Keith Brown for a bi-partisan press conference highlighting the need for this funding. The good news is that both the Assembly and Senate have restored the funding in their one-house budgets, but the fight continues to make sure clean water funding makes it into the final budget. Now is not the time to turn off the tap for clean water infrastructure funding, we need to increase state investments in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act. If you haven’t yet, take action today!
Victory! Construction of NY’s First Offshore Wind Farm is Complete
We were thrilled to join Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to flip the switch on South Fork Wind. This is NY’s first offshore wind farm, with 12 turbines now powering 70,000 homes on the south fork of Long Island. New York is officially receiving clean renewable energy from offshore wind power. Thank you to all the leaders, civics, environmentalists, and labor organizations working together to forge a clean energy path!
Happenings
Fighting for the Great Lakes in Washington, D.C.
We led a team of Great Lakes advocates—students, business leaders, and environmental advocates—to meet with New York’s Congressional delegation in D.C. on Great Lakes Day. Our group shared stories of successful restoration projects from Buffalo to the eastern shore of Lake Ontario and called for continued investment in Great Lakes protection. Specifically, we are calling on Congress to reauthorize the successful Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which would provide the program with $500 million annually over 5 years to continue cleaning up toxic hot spots, restoring habitat, protecting drinking water, and more!
Advocating for our Ocean, Estuaries and Great Lakes in Albany
New York’s environment, economy, and public health are dependent upon the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). From Buffalo to Long Island, all New Yorkers benefit from the numerous programs and projects in the EPF. One important line item in the EPF is the state’s primary source of funding to initiate projects to protect and restore our Ocean, Estuaries, and Great Lakes. We joined advocates from across the state fighting to support $25 million for crucial work to protect and restore our ocean, estuaries, and Great Lakes, within a $400 million EPF.
Charging Ahead with Route Zero
In March, we were proud to stand with New York League of Conservation Voters, Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages, Assemblymember Charles Lavine, and Nurses Alliance for Healthy Environments to urge the EPA and the Biden Administration to move forward with Route Zero vehicle pollution standards. These standards would reduce emissions from heavy trucks and buses, which will provide significant environmental and public health benefits to our communities!
Talking Waste at UBS Arena
Last month, we had a great time participating in the first ever Sustainability Conference at UBS Arena on Long Island. We participated in the waste panel to talk about Long Island’s recycling crisis, how we can reduce waste and improve recycling locally, and how the NY Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act will ensure manufacturers, not municipalities, are responsible for dealing with the waste they produce. Thanks to UBS Arena for inviting us and for a lively event.
Transitioning to Offshore Wind
In addition to the major announcement on the completion of the South Fork Wind Farm, there are other important announcements on offshore wind:
Sign the Offshore Wind Petition – Take action today to show your support for offshore wind! As New York’s offshore power kicks into action, it’s a critical time to come out strong for a clean energy future. Join us in urging Governor Hochul's administration to grow New York's renewable energy, including offshore wind! Sign the petition today!
BOEM approves Sunrise Wind - The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has issued a Record of Decision approving Sunrise Wind. This project will be built off the coast of Montauk and provide 924MW of renewable energy to Long Island homes via a cable connection to the Holbrook substation. Sunrise Wind is now the next offshore wind project moving forward for NY and gets us closer to meeting our climate mandates, including 9,000 MW of offshore wind by 2035. The project developers, Orsted and Eversource, have also taken a Final Investment Decision on Sunrise Wind. This is another huge step forward for offshore wind in NY.
Lunch and Learn: Battery Storage Basics - As part of our transition to offshore wind, 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. In March we hosted a virtual event with our partners at the NY League of Conservation Voters. Check it out here.
Upcoming Lunch and Learn: Propel NY - We will join our partners at the New York League of Conservation Voters for a webinar on Propel NY Energy. The Propel team will be giving updates on their proposed project to bolster the electric transmission network through parts of Long Island, New York City and Westchester County and create clean energy pathways to deliver clean energy, including offshore wind. Wind - developed by RWE Offshore Renewables and National Grid Ventures. Join us on April 9th at noon, register today.
Upcoming; Earth Day Advocacy Day
Join us and our environmental partners in Albany on April 16th to make your voice heard in support of key bills to protect New Yorkers and our environment. Urge legislators to pass bills that protect drinking water quality, reduce solid waste, prevent lead poisoning, promote clean energy and environmental justice, and much more! Register today and we will see you in Albany!
Upcoming: Clean Water Symposium: Global Challenges and Local Solutions.
We are joining North Shore Land Alliance to co-host 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 Long Island’s critical natural resources. The symposium will be held on Thursday, May 16th, 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm at the Gold Coast Cinema at the LIU Campus in Brookville. Register here.
Upcoming: Protecting Northport Harbor
We are working with Village of Northport, LI to install 2 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 harbor. Join us April 10th at 7pm at Northport Village Hall for a presentation and to offer your feedback on this beneficial new project and learn more about the importance of protecting Northport Harbor from polluted runoff. Register here.
Understanding the Health Risks of 1,4-Dioxane on Long Island
Yale Superfund Research Center has crafted a study to better understand the impact of 1,4-dioxane exposure on Long Island residents. Last year, we launched our partnership with Yale to provide education and outreach to inform Long Islanders about this new, exciting program. If you live on Long Island and are interested in participating and finding out if you have been exposed to 1,4-dioxane, you can find out more here. Later this month, we will hosting a free community forum at the Hicksville Library so residents can learn more about this groundbreaking study and how they can participate. Join us on April 22nd from 7:00-8:30pm. Register today.