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Highlights
Victory! Governor Hochul Signs Suffolk County Clean Water Bill
We were excited to join Governor Kathy Hochul as she signed the Suffolk County Clean Water Referendum Bill. This bill would allow Suffolk County residents to vote on a ballot referendum this November. The initiative would create a unified wastewater management district and 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. The next step is passing it through the Suffolk County Legislature, which is holding a public hearing on the bill on June 4th. As Newsday editorial board stated, “The stars finally are aligning for clean water in Suffolk.”
Fighting to hold manufacturers—not taxpayers—responsible for their waste
We have been spending lots of time in Albany working to pass one of our top NYS priorities, the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. We have been fighting for a strong policy that will reduce product packaging, eliminate toxins in packaging, increase packaging recyclability, prevent plastic pollution, and save taxpayers money—it is estimated the policy would save local governments across the state $420 million annually! We will continue to fight to pass this critical legislation this year, but with just a few session days left we need your help in urging the NYS Legislature to pass the bill. Please send an email urging your representatives to support this bill.
Turn Off the Tap to Dangerous PFAS Chemicals Now!
Toxic PFAS chemicals can be found in many of the products that we use every day. As a result, drinking water sources across NYS have been contaminated by these 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. In May, we joined our partners in Albany for a press conference and lobby day in support of legislation that will ban the use of PFAS chemicals in a host of everyday products. Take action today and urge your elected representatives to support passage of this critical legislation today!
Happenings
Weighing in on the Future of Great Lakes Restoration
EPA recently released a draft five-year plan (2025-2029) to oversee federal investments to restore and protect the Great Lakes. In comments submitted to the EPA with our partners at the Healing Our Waters Coalition, we applauded the agency for the plan’s focus on community health and ecological health; commitment to community engagement; solutions that confront climate impacts; importance of local workforce development and economic revitalization; actions to benefit communities hardest hit by pollution and environmental harm; and equitable access to restoration benefits. The plan is expected to be finalized by the start of the federal government’s next fiscal year, which begins October 1.
Long Island Sound High School Summit
At the 2024 Long Island Sound High School Summit, which was held in May, high school students from around Long Island showcased their projects and research focused on protecting Long Island Sound. The topics the students covered include stormwater runoff, water quality, marine life, and plastic pollution. It was great seeing the next generation of Long Island Sound stewards come together to share their research and discuss solutions. We were impressed! Thanks to our partners at the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society and Friends of the Bay for co-hosting for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation for hosting us and giving us a tour of their fish lab.
Transitioning to Offshore Wind
As always, lots going with offshore wind in NY. Here’s what was happening in May:
Building Support for Offshore Wind—Sign the 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!
What’s Brewin’ Offshore – We joined the NY League of Conservation Voters, Climate Jobs NY, and Community Offshore Wind for the latest installment of “What’s Brewin’ Offshore” to discuss the importance of offshore wind and transitioning off fossil fuels. We had a fun educational evening networking and discussion at Strong Rope Brewery in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Vineyard Wind Open House – We headed to Long Beach for an open house by Vineyard Wind last month, who is proposing an offshore wind project approximately 24 miles off the coast of Long Island. We had some great discussions on the potential project, thanks to all who joined.
Oyster Shore Energy Storage Open House – As part of our transition off of fossil fuels, we will need renewable energy including offshore wind, solar, and hydropower—as well as battery storage. Battery storage will allow these renewable technologies to deliver clean, renewable energy when it is needed most, especially in high energy demand areas like New York City and Long Island. Last month we attended an open house for the proposed Oyster Shore Energy Storage project in Glenwood Landing on the north shore of Long Island, which will convert and remediate a former petroleum terminal to a battery storage facility. To learn more about battery energy storage and the role it plays in transitioning NY to renewable energy, check out our webinar here.
Clean Water Symposium: Global Challenges and Local Solutions.
We joined the North Shore Land Alliance and The Nature Conservancy to co-host a conference bringing together leaders in the field of water science in May. Leading experts updated attendees about the condition of local water, including surface water and drinking water. There was also robust panel discussion focused on solutions that both municipalities and homeowners can use to address the protection of Long Island’s critical natural resources. The event was a huge success, thanks to all who came out.
Skip the Stuff in Suffolk County
Last year New York City’s Skip the Stuff law successfully went into effect, which requires restaurants to provide plastic utensils, condiments, napkins and other single-use foodware to take-out and delivery customers upon request. Suffolk County is now considering similar legislation to reduce plastic pollution in our waterways and reduce solid waste on Long Island. Last month, we testified in support of the bill with many of our environmental partners. We are fighting to get this common-sense legislation to combat single-use plastics passed in Suffolk this summer.
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. The Yale Superfund Center will be contacting potential participants in the next few weeks to participate in the study over the summer, so stay tuned.