Water

Betting on Long Island with the Las Vegas Sands

Betting on Long Island with the Las Vegas Sands

The real estate roulette wheel is spinning – and it’s at least possible that the ball will settle on a multi-billion-dollar Long Island resort and casino.

The Las Vegas Sands is seeking to build a $6 billion integrated resort and casino in Uniondale if it is awarded one of three downstate gaming licenses from the state. It is the only bid on Long Island.

Senate confirms former Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin to lead Environmental Protection Agency

Senate confirms former Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin to lead Environmental Protection Agency

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted largely along party lines Wednesday to confirm former Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin’s nomination to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, which he promised lawmakers to make more business friendly.

All 53 Republicans and three Democrats voted for Zeldin to lead the independent agency, which has a $9 billion budget and more than 15,000 employees who are charged with protecting the environment, despite his limited experience in that science-laden field.

Lee Zeldin Confirmed As Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency

Lee Zeldin Confirmed As Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency

Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as administator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Donald Trump.

Zeldin Confirmed To EPA; Environmentalists Ask That He Remember Roots

Zeldin Confirmed To EPA; Environmentalists Ask That He Remember Roots

LONG ISLAND, NY — As the Senate confirmed former Rep. Lee Zeldin as administrator of the Environmental Agency, local advocates are imploring that he "hold strong and do what's right to protect our environment and our future."

Zeldin was confirmed by the Senate in a vote of 56 to 42, with two not voting.

"CONFIRMED! Thank you to the 56 senators for your vote and confidence," Zeldin wrote on X, adding that he was "grateful" to President Donald Tump for "having the faith in me to be part of his Cabinet as EPA Administrator."

Bill Introduced to Reauthorize Great Lakes Restoration Funding

Bill Introduced to Reauthorize Great Lakes Restoration Funding

Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) and his colleagues on the bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2025. This bipartisan bill will reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which is set to expire at the end of FY 2026, for another five years through FY 2031. The bill increases the FY 2026 authorization level from $475 million to $500 million starting in FY 2027.

Trump's halting of EPA limits on PFAS in drinking water "a tragic setback," Long Island environmentalist says

Trump's halting of EPA limits on PFAS in drinking water "a tragic setback," Long Island environmentalist says

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. -- President Donald Trump has withdrawn a Biden administration plan to set new limits on chemical discharge into drinking water

State regulators around the U.S. had been waiting for the Environmental Protection Agency to take the lead on PFAS requirements so they could incorporate effective monitoring and treatment into their discharge permits.

Navy agrees to more testing of private drinking wells near Grumman Calverton, sets open house

Navy agrees to more testing of private drinking wells near Grumman Calverton, sets open house

Facing renewed calls for clean water, the U.S. Navy has agreed to a new round of testing private drinking wells in the shadow of a former Grumman plant in Calverton.

The Navy is seeking permission from property owners in its sampling area to test drinking wells for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a class of manmade “forever chemicals” that have been linked to cancers, developmental disorders and other health impacts.

Dingell Introduces Legislation to Reauthorize Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

 Dingell Introduces Legislation to Reauthorize Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Today, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and her colleagues on the bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2025. This bipartisan bill will reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which is set to expire at the end of FY 2026, for another five years through FY 2031. The bill increases the FY 2026 authorization level from $475 million to $500 million starting in FY 2027. 

Casino bid at Nassau Coliseum renews concern for its next-door neighbors: Two dozen species of birds

Casino bid at Nassau Coliseum renews concern for its next-door neighbors: Two dozen species of birds

Tucked among the malls, parkways and office buildings of central Nassau County is 100 acres of natural habitat for birds, insects and threatened plant species resembling a prairie in the Midwest. 

The rare, county-owned grasslands sit adjacent to another county-owned site: The 72-acre asphalt property of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum where Las Vegas Sands has proposed a $6 billion casino-resort.

Navy will test private drinking water wells near the former Grumman plant in Calverton for PFAS

Navy will test private drinking water wells near the former Grumman plant in Calverton for PFAS

The U.S. Navy has agreed to test private drinking water wells near the former Grumman facility in Calverton for PFAS.

Navy representatives will be on hand at an open house in Riverhead on Wednesday evening, Jan. 22 to discuss the sampling and schedule appointments with property owners. 

Village receives environmental award for living shoreline project

Village receives environmental award for living shoreline project

Patchogue Village officials were recognized Wednesday for their efforts to protect the environment.

The South Shore Estuary Reserve program and Citizens Campaign for the Environment presented mayor Paul Pontieri and village trustees with the South Shore Estuary Reserve 2024 Stewardship Award.

Senator Harckham, Assemblymember Otis, and Advocates Call on Governor Hochul to Protect Clean Water in State Budget

Senator Harckham, Assemblymember Otis, and Advocates Call on Governor Hochul to Protect Clean Water in State Budget

New York State Senator Peter Harckham and State Assemblymember Steve Otis joined labor unions, local leaders, and environmental organizations at the Ossining Water Treatment Plan today to urge Governor Hochul to continue New York’s commitment to clean water programs in the upcoming state budget. Attendees, including members of the New York Clean Water Coalition, called on the Governor to invest $600 million in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in her executive budget proposal for FY2025-2026.

Environmental Advocates Press for More Clean Water Funding From State

Environmental Advocates Press for More Clean Water Funding From State

A group of elected officials and advocates for clean water programs want Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase the annual expenditure to upgrade the state’s aging water treatment and wastewater treatment infrastructure next year to $600 million.

Southampton's proposal to close sand mines near homes divides town

Southampton's proposal to close sand mines near homes divides town

Southampton Town has unveiled a new plan to end sand mining in residential areas, sparking fierce debate among environmentalists and tradespeople over a lucrative industry that plays a key role in the region's economy.

NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE RELEASES $3.5 MILLION STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN TO PROTECT AND RESTORE LONG ISLAND’S SOUTH SHORE ESTUARY RESERVE

NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE RELEASES $3.5 MILLION STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN TO PROTECT AND RESTORE LONG ISLAND’S SOUTH SHORE ESTUARY RESERVE

Local Government Grants and Technical Assistance Programs Will Improve Water Quality, Shoreline Resiliency, Habitat Health, Recreational Opportunities and Economic Development

Las Vegas Sands faces mixed reactions in public hearing

Las Vegas Sands faces mixed reactions in public hearing

The draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Las Vegas Sands resort and casino at the site of the Nassau Coliseum was met with both resounding support and critical opposition at a public hearing at the Nassau County Legislature on Monday.

Northrop Grumman's soil sample plan for Bethpage Community park needs 'enhancements'

Northrop Grumman's soil sample plan for Bethpage Community park needs 'enhancements'

State officials have called on Northrop Grumman to propose a more stringent plan to investigate the extent of contaminated soil at Bethpage Community Park, the former dumping grounds of Grumman Aerospace.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation action comes weeks after the agency accused the Town of Oyster Bay of causing delays to the prolonged cleanup.

EPA restricts cancer-causing chemicals TCE, PCE found in Long Island groundwater

EPA restricts cancer-causing chemicals TCE, PCE found in Long Island groundwater

The federal government’s decision this week to ban or strictly limit use of two toxic chemicals known to cause cancer will restrict a pair of pollutants that have contaminated Long Island's groundwater for decades, advocates said.

Nassau Legislature hears environmental pros and cons for Las Vegas Sands casino bid at Coliseum

Nassau Legislature hears environmental pros and cons for Las Vegas Sands casino bid at Coliseum

Water usage under the threat of droughts and air pollution from traffic congestion were the chief concerns of speakers against a $6 billion casino resort project proposed for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum site, now in the middle of an environmental review.

Here’s what Lee Zeldin’s voting record may mean for the EPA

Here’s what Lee Zeldin’s voting record may mean for the EPA

Lee Zeldin is one Trump nominee who cannot be easily put into a box.

When Adrienne Esposito, executive director of a New York environmental group, appealed to the then-congressman to keep funding for Long Island Sound restoration in the federal budget, he and two other representatives from the state secured the reauthorization of $65 million per year in 2018.