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Highlights
Celebrating Our Equinox Gala
We had an amazing night celebrating 36 years of grassroots accomplishments with our partners, supporters, and friends at our annual Equinox Gala. This year we were overjoyed to honor NY Senator Todd Kaminsky and NY Assemblyman Steve Englebright for their leadership in passing critical legislation to fight climate change, protect drinking water, combat plastic pollution, ban emerging contaminants, preserve open space, and more. A huge thank you to everyone who came out and made the night so unforgettable!
Offshore Wind in New York Hits New Milestones
September was another big month for offshore wind in New York. The state has already selected five offshore wind farms, which together, will get NY halfway to its goal of 9,000 MW of offshore wind by 2035. Each of these five projects will go through a full environmental review with opportunities for public comment before construction can begin. In September, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) kicked off the scoping process for the Sunrise Wind project, which will be located 30 miles off Montauk and bring clean power to 600,000 Long Island homes. Thanks to everyone who participated in the virtual public meetings and submitted comments in favor of this important offshore wind project. Also thank you to everyone who weighed in on designated new wind energy areas in the New York Bight at the beginning of the month. We cannot achieve 9,000 MW of offshore wind without these new designated areas for wind turbines!
Happenings
Protect Our Pollinators from Toxic Pesticides
Declining honeybee populations and contamination of New York’s water resources from neonic pesticides is widespread, threatening our health and environment across the state. Neonic treated corn, soy, and wheat seeds, as well as ornamental uses, pose an unnecessary risk to pollinators and our environment, while providing no net benefit to farmers and gardeners. In September, we were in Albany fighting to protect our birds, bees, water, and public health from toxic neonic pesticides. We joined our partners for a press event prior to testifying at the NYS Assembly hearing highlighting the need to ban the most dangerous and unnecessary uses of neonics through passage of the Birds and Bees Protection Act!
Fighting for Clean Air in NY and CT
Burning fossil fuels, including gasoline and diesel, releases greenhouse gas and other harmful air pollutants into the atmosphere. The transportation sector is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and accounts for about 29% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) is a regional approach to addressing the pollution and climate change emissions from the transportation sector. New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and the District of Columbia are working to tackle the massive challenge of reducing climate pollution from the transportation sector on a regional level. This unprecedented collaboration seeks to improve transportation, develop a clean energy economy, and reduce carbon emissions from transportation, but we need our elected leaders in NY and CT to sign on and work towards adopting TCI in our states. Find out how you can help here.
Building Long Island’s Offshore Wind Supply Chain
We joined many of our #WindworksLI partners for a conference held by Congressman Tom Suozzi on Long Island's Offshore Wind Supply Chain in September. In addition to fighting climate change and playing a major role in transitioning NY from fossil fuels to renewables, offshore wind also presents an unprecedented opportunity to grow a green economy and 21st century jobs in New York. It was a great opportunity to discuss Long Island's growing offshore wind industry with leading suppliers, manufacturers, labor leaders, and environmentalists. If you missed it, you can watch a video of the conference here.
Vote Yes for Clean Water and Air!
This fall, New Yorkers will have the historic opportunity to establish the right to clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment into the Bill of Rights of the New York State constitution. We have joined the Vote YES for Clean Air and Water coalition to establish the highest legal protection available under law to protect public health and the environment. This election season, registered voters across New York State will be able to vote YES to guarantee: “Each person shall have the right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment.” Voting YES on environmental rights will create legal safeguards for New Yorkers to secure clean air and water for generations to come. And we’ll need your help to get the word out to voters from the Adirondacks to the Great Lakes to Long Island Sound and everywhere in between. Click here to learn more about the campaign and pledge to vote YES for clean water and air!
Celebrating Climate Week
What a great Climate Week from September 20-26! We were thrilled to join Governor Kathy Hochul, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, elected leaders, and community stakeholders to celebrate the grand opening of the Environmental Education and Resiliency Center at Hempstead Lake State Park on Long Island. It was a great ribbon cutting for the fantastic new nature center. Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul for her leadership on fighting climate change.
Be on the Watch for Harmful Algal Blooms
As the weather begins to get warmer, and we start spending more time outside and lakeside, it is important to be aware of dangerous harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs pose an immense threat to our communities’ drinking water, public health, outdoor recreation and wildlife! HABs are erupting across NY more frequently and more aggressively—in 2020, over 900 HABs were present in NY waterbodies. If you see a HAB in a lake or waterbody (looks like spilled green paint or pea soup), be sure to avoid it and report it using the DEC Suspicious Algal Bloom Report Form!
Upcoming: Lunch and Learn Virtual Series – Clean Path NY
We’ve teamed up with the New York League of Conservation Voters to offer a series of virtual public education forums that will explore clean energy proposals to potentially bring energy to downstate New York. To achieve our NYS goal of 70% renewable energy by 2030, we will need a wide range of large-scale renewable energy projects to deliver power to NYC. In September, NYS selected two projects, Hydro-Quebec’s project and Clean Path NY. On October 7th at noon, we will be hosting a virtual meeting on Clean Path NY. Register today.