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Highlights
Victory! Another Milestone to Reduced Nitrogen Pollution to the Western Bays
For decades, nitrogen pollution from sewage has caused harmful algal blooms, depleted oxygen, killed fisheries, and threatened tidal marshes in the Western Bays on Long Island. In November, the Nassau County Legislature unanimously voted “yes” to advance the much-needed project connecting the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant to an ocean outfall pipe at the Cedar Creek STP. This vote was a crucial milestone in the road to fixing our sewage infrastructure problems on the south shore of Long Island and will lead to greatly reduced nitrogen pollution entering the Western Bays.
Fighting Toxic PFAS Contamination in Connecticut
We are working throughout Connecticut to educate communities on the threat of PFAS—known as “forever chemicals”—in drinking water. In November, we joined the CT Department of Public Health and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, as well as our environmental partners, for a discussion on PFAS contamination. Experts gave a detailed overview of the problem and the State’s response plan, followed by an informative Q&A session. If you missed the forum, watch it here!
Happenings
Supporting a Clean and Equitable Transportation Sector
To address the climate crisis, we must take action to address climate pollution from the transportation sector, which accounts for more than one-third of greenhouse gas emissions (our largest source of carbon emissions). The Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) is a regional program—consisting of 12 states (including New York and Connecticut) and the District of Columbia—which seeks to improve transportation, create green jobs, invest in disadvantaged communities, and reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector. In November, we called on Governor Cuomo and Governor Lamont to sign on to TCI—we anticipate the Governor’s to make a decision by the end of the year.
Developing a Shared Vision for Clean Water in New York
For the fourth year in a row, we convened a broad, diverse group of stakeholders from around the state for our Clean Water Roundtable (though this year the event was virtual). This group of environmental leaders, water suppliers, wastewater treatment operators, environmental justice organizations, construction contractors, and other clean water stakeholders work together to develop a list of shared priorities for clean water in New York State. We will be creating a 2021 agenda to protect water from its source to the tap, so stay tuned!
Fighting for Clean Water and Jobs in New York
In both good and bad economic times, it is critical that we maintain funding for environmental programs that support jobs, clean water, and healthy communities. New York’s environmental programs provide $40 billion to NY’s economy annually, support clean drinking water, protect public health, and help keep New Yorkers safe from the impacts of climate change. In November, we joined with a large coalition of organizations from across the state for a virtual lobby day to call on the legislature to maintain funding for key programs, including the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, Environmental Protection Fund, Parks 2020, and more!
Supporting Long Island Offshore Wind
Long Island is on the verge of becoming a national leader in offshore wind, with three projects in the pipeline and a goal of 9,000 MW from offshore wind over the next 15 years. One of the three selected projects, Sunrise Wind, will be located off the coast of Montauk and power over half a million homes. In November, we joined many of our Wind Works Long Island partners, community groups, and the public for a virtual forum hosted by project developers Ørsted and Eversource, to learn more about this project and give feedback on how to mitigate environmental and community impacts as New York moves forward with this key project.
Stop Sucking and Start Sipping!
Take the pledge to reduce the amount of plastic you use when getting take-out from restaurants. Throughout the pandemic we’ve seen a surge in the use of disposable plastics. In the U.S. we use millions of plastic straws and utensils every day, many of which ending up in our rivers, lakes, and oceans. It’s time to get back on track and reduce the amount of disposable plastics we get when ordering takeout from restaurants. Break the throw-away plastic habit and sign the pledge to reduce plastics by choosing reusable straws, utensils and bags when getting takeout at restaurants! Take the pledge TODAY!
Tackling Toxic Sites on Long Island
We have continued our work with the Calverton community to ensure residents have clean public drinking water. Many in the community are still on private wells, including residents just south of a Navy/Grumman toxic site in Suffolk County. Unfortunately, the Navy has been slow to clean up the contamination, including dangerous PFAS chemicals. Our Executive Director, Adrienne Esposito, is a member of the Calverton Restoration Advisory Board, a community oversight board, and we are fighting the public’s drinking water. In November, Adrienne was quoted in the Riverhead Local “The groundwater is held in public trust…If the Navy or anybody pollutes it, it’s their responsibility to clean it up. The Navy needs to put their big boy pants on and clean it up.” Meanwhile in Nassau County, we joined the public and stakeholders for a meeting last month about the clean-up plan for the Nav/Grumman toxic site in Bethpage. Advocates have been battling for a faster, more in-depth clean-up of the Bethpage site for years, and the Navy has finally agreed to an improved remediation plan for the community!
Upcoming: New York Leads on Climate Change
We are going to be hosting three virtual educational forums on offshore wind, with the first forum on December 15th at noon. We’ll be joined by Senator Todd Kaminsky, Assemblyman Steve Englebright, and NYSERDA to discuss Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, meeting the state’s critical and ambitious climate goals, and the important role that offshore wind will play. Following the presentations there will be a panel discussion with the speakers, as well as Julie Tighe from the New York League of Conservation Voters and Joe Martens from the NY Offshore Wind Alliance. Learn more about the event and find a register here.