climate

Will Trump’s New EPA Pick Move His ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Agenda Forward?

  Will Trump’s New EPA Pick Move His ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Agenda Forward?

Drilling for more oil and gas may not have legs in progressive New York, where local laws bar these efforts. But larger climate goals could suffer a blow.

Former President Donald J. Trump with executives at the Double Eagle Oil Rig in Midland, Texas in July 29 2020.

Suffolk Closeup: Lee Zeldin is no friend of the environment

Suffolk Closeup: Lee Zeldin is no friend of the environment

The views are certainly mixed, to put it mildly, about President-elect Donald Trump announcing last week that he would nominate Lee Zeldin, the former congressman from Suffolk County, to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

About Trump's Nomination of Lee Zeldin to Head EPA

About Trump's Nomination of Lee Zeldin to Head EPA

  “Unqualified,” declared Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, about Lee Zeldin being nominated by President-elect Trump to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Trump's Second Term Threatens Environmental Progress

Trump's Second Term Threatens Environmental Progress

Concerns rise as Lee Zeldin leads EPA with pro-fossil fuel agenda

Donald Trump’s recent appointments for key environmental positions during his second term as president are causing quite the stir among environmentalists and policy experts. The names spotlighted, particularly former Congressman Lee Zeldin, have raised concerns about the potential rollback of regulations aimed at protecting the environment. Zeldin has been nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and many local activists have expressed skepticism about his commitment to environmental issues.

Green groups push state to buy Whitney Park

Green groups push state to buy Whitney Park

LONG LAKE — Eight conservation groups jointly sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul urging the state to “act swiftly” to purchase and preserve Whitney Park.

The letter was signed by leaders of the Adirondack Council, Protect the Adirondacks!, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve, the Adirondack Mountain Club, New York League of Conservation Voters, and Adirondack Wilderness Advocates.

Adirondack conservation organizations urge protection of 36,000 acre-Whitney Estate Tract

Adirondack conservation organizations urge protection of 36,000 acre-Whitney Estate Tract

Eight conservation organizations that are concerned with the future of the Adirondack Park called on Governor Kathy Hochul on Nov. 13 to act swiftly to protect 36,000 acres of forests, lakes and rivers in the central Adirondacks owned by heirs to the vast Whitney and Vanderbilt family fortunes.

The Whitney Estate, a vast tract of some of the most ecologically sensitive lands in the Adirondack Park, contains 22 lakes and ponds with more than 100 miles of undeveloped shorelines, connected by navigable rivers and streams in the Town of Long Lake, Hamilton County. It has been listed as a high-priority for state acquisition/protection since the NYS Open Space Protection Plan was first adopted in 1992, due to its high-quality wildlife habitat and great potential for public recreation and tourism.

Trump Presidency Looms Over New York’s Ambitious Climate Agenda

SOURCE:

https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/11/15/trump-zeldin-hochul-climate-environment/

BY SAMANTHA MALDONADO - November 15, 2024

With President Donald Trump set to return to the White House, New York is all but on its own to play catch-up with its ambitious, legally mandated climate goals.

The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, passed in 2019 during Trump’s first presidential term, requires the state to have zero-emissions electricity by 2040 and slash greenhouse gas emissions 85% by 2050.

While the state has made some progress — aided in large part by the Biden administration, whose friendly stance toward climate action gave way to smoother offshore wind permitting and tax incentives for cleaner vehicles — it’s got a long way to go. Even with that wind at its back, however, New York had already fallen about three years behind its own benchmarks.

“The role of the state is far more important, in that we can no longer rely on the federal government,” said Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University. “There’s plenty we can do if we have the political will.”

Gerrard said Gov. Kathy Hochul should double down on advancing the climate law’s aims by following the sweeping policy blueprint that plots out a transition away from fossil fuels for all parts of New York’s economy, from home heating and energy sources, to what kinds of cars are on the road. But the state lacks a clear funding source or spending plan to carry that out.

“New York has taken significant steps to implement the Climate Act and we will continue our ongoing efforts to build a clean energy economy,” Paul DiMichele, a spokesperson for Hochul, said in a statement.

One person who could help or hinder Hochul’s efforts is Lee Zeldin, Trump’s appointee to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Zeldin, a former state senator and Congressman representing eastern Long Island, challenged Hochul for governor in 2022 and came within six points of winning. This summer, he called New York’s climate law “unrealistic and unobtainable,” saying its goals amounted to “pathetic political posturing.”

Zeldin said Tuesday that the EPA has the “opportunity to roll back regulations that are forcing businesses to struggle.” That echoes some groups in New York that have raised concerns over the impacts and feasibility of the state’s climate goals. The Business Council of New York gave Zeldin a “top pro-business score” in 2014 when he was a state senator, while just three years earlier, Environmental Advocates New York awarded him an “Oil Slick” award.

Still, Hochul is holding out hope that her former political rival will remember where he’s from: an area vulnerable to flooding and growing more so as sea levels rise, reliant on groundwater as its drinking source, and home to many whose livelihoods depend on a healthy environment.

“Hopefully, these are all factors that the new head of EPA will know, what was happening in his backyard, and try to help solve problems, not create more,” Hochul said this week.

Zeldin does not have a reputation as an environmental champion, though advocates who worked with him locally said he stepped up in crucial times.

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Long Island-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said she asked Zeldin to publicly oppose Trump’s idea to drill for oil off the East Coast. He did, she said, in part because he recognized the harmful impact that would have had on Long Island fishermen.

“When pressed by his constituents on issues that they really cared about, he would be responsive. What I’m worried about now is that his responsiveness will turn away from the public and more towards Trump’s agenda,” Esposito said. 

Regarding Trump, Esposito added, “He traded the industry’s bottom lines for public health. When he had to choose between the two, he chose industry. What we need Zeldin to do is fight for the public need above corporate greed.” 

Rejecting Climate Science

What Zeldin ultimately decides to do if confirmed as head of the EPA may be a question of how closely he hews to Trump’s vision. 

Trump has long rejected climate science. During his first term, his administration gutted research funding, and the EPA rolled back over 100 policies and rules aimed at lowering planet-warming emissions and protecting the environment. 

Perhaps the biggest impact the EPA could have on New York’s climate aims is rolling back Biden-era rules that limit harmful tailpipe emissions. These rules aimed to slash pollution and push the U.S. vehicle market toward electric and hybrid vehicles.

This rule boosted New York’s efforts to tackle its largest source of planet-warming emissions: the transportation sector. Hochul issued a directive requiring all cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions — that is, powered by hydrogen or electricity — by 2035.

“Whether we’re able to meet the 2035 target, and what happens along the way is mostly out of our hands, it’s mostly a federal matter,” Gerrard said. “That’s the single thing that I think is the greatest problem that the election has for New York’s achievement of these climate goals.”

One person uniquely poised to nudge the Trump administration toward greater support for electric vehicles is Elon Musk, Trump’s confidant, appointee to co-lead a new proposed Department of Government Efficiency, and founder of electric car manufacturer Tesla.

Some New York environmental advocates are pushing for the state to adopt a clean fuel standard, which would require a reduction in the carbon intensity of vehicles, thereby incentivizing a switch from gasoline to a lower-emissions fuels such as biodiesel. The state Senate passed legislation to do so, but the Assembly never held a vote on the measure. Hochul could prioritize state approval of such a standard.

‘Dominance,’ Renewables Included

Zeldin also promised to “pursue energy dominance” for the U.S., without specifying what kind of energy he wants to be dominant. 

“Does that mean only fossil fuels? Trump has been outspoken in opposing offshore wind — do wind and solar and geothermal factor into that equation?” said Judith Enck, a former regional administrator of the EPA. “It’s in the EPA wheelhouse. The EPA sometimes issues permits for coal-fired power plants, fracking, pipelines.”

One clue: When Zeldin ran for governor, he vowed to overturn New York’s ban on fracking and said New York was not “tapping into” a supply of energy, suggesting the state could extract natural gas, which he said would also create jobs.

But clean energy has been a job creator nationwide, and years earlier, Zeldin had recognized its benefits.

“The key is to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, to become more environmentally friendly and pursue clean and green energy,” Zeldin said during a 2016 congressional campaign debate against his Democratic challenger.

Environmental advocates say that fulfilling Zeldin’s “energy dominance” pledge will have to include renewables in the mix at some level.

“I don’t see how the country is energy dominant or energy secure and less reliant on the roller coaster ride of the oil markets if we’re not getting more of our energy, including for our vehicles, from electricity and renewable sources,” said Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. 

Zeldin, however, voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which have been credited with spurring investment in clean energy and manufacturing — including in New York.

Trump has vowed to rescind unspent dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act — a big risk for the state. Already, his transition team is seeking to repeal the IRA’s electric vehicle tax credit.

“New York needs to be cognizant of that when it comes to prioritizing the resources it does have to maximize greenhouse gas reduction,” said Patrick Orecki, director of state studies at the Citizens Budget Commission, in an email. 

He emphasized that while federal dollars and incentives help advance the climate law, the state is ultimately on the hook to find its own funding.

New York is slated to establish a program, known as “cap-and-invest,” that would charge polluters for emissions they spew in an effort to incentivize them to emit less and to raise money to pay for climate-related investments. But the state has yet to write regulations for the program — one of several key deadlines in the Climate Act its missed. 

“If the state keeps missing climate law milestones, nobody else is coming to our rescue,” said Eddie Bautista, executive director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. “We’re all disappointed and waiting to see if she will start taking climate change mitigation and adaptation with the urgency we need.”

Lee Zeldin Knows How to Defend Trump. Will He Defend the Environment?

Lee Zeldin Knows How to Defend Trump. Will He Defend the Environment?

The choice of Mr. Zeldin, a former Republican congressman of New York, to be the next E.P.A. administrator caught even some of his closest allies by surprise.

When he ran for governor of New York two years ago, fellow Republicans privately exhorted former Representative Lee Zeldin to distance himself from Donald J. Trump and his debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

12 years after Superstorm Sandy, Long Island remains vulnerable, experts say

12 years after Superstorm Sandy, Long Island remains vulnerable, experts say

A dozen years ago, Superstorm Sandy charged onto Long Island’s coastline, resulting in an estimated $65 billion in damage to South Shore communities, destroying 100,000 homes and causing the deaths of 13 people. The storm surge reached more than 12 feet in some places, and waves of up to 17 feet thrashed the shoreline.

Skeptics of offshore wind energy have a misguided focus

Skeptics of offshore wind energy have a misguided focus

Skeptics of offshore wind energy are fretting about the wrong things. Instead of finding imaginary faults with wind turbines that will produce renewable energy for Long Island, they should focus on the real threats of fossil fuels.

Long Island congressional candidates present climate action plans at environmental forum

Long Island congressional candidates present climate action plans at environmental forum

Candidates from the first, second and third districts discussed their views and policies on climate and the environment.

Candidates from the fourth district were not present.

District 1: Nick LaLota (incumbent, R), and John Avlon (D)

Nick LaLota is the incumbent representative for New York’s first district. He currently co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Offshore Wind Caucus, which aims to create policies that will improve offshore wind technology and workforce.

Congressional Candidates Talk Climate

Congressional Candidates Talk Climate

When it comes to climate change, “if ever there was a Ground Zero for Long Island, it’s really the First Congressional District,” says Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, of the district that encompasses the entire East End. “It’s very critical to hold our congressional leaders accountable for climate change. People still actually don’t believe in climate change, as if it’s a faith based system. You can’t believe or not believe in gravity. You have to understand it is real.”

Brookhaven landfill fire may be a result of recent drought and high temperatures

Brookhaven landfill fire may be a result of recent drought and high temperatures

It's been cited for violations by the state in the past.

The more than 270-foot Brookhaven landfill caught fire Wednesday, and it could be in part because of the weather.

New Coalition to Tackle Long Island Sound’s Climate Related Threats

New Coalition to Tackle Long Island Sound’s Climate Related Threats

Audubon CT & NY, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, The Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Save the Sound and SoundWaters today announced the formation of a new coalition that will work to advance coastal resiliency projects that preserve the ecological integrity of Long Island Sound’s coastlines.

Coalition Formed to Tackle Long Island Sound’s Threats

Coalition Formed to Tackle Long Island Sound’s Threats

Norwalk, CT – Audubon CT & NY, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, The Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Save the Sound and SoundWaters today announced the formation of a new coalition that will work to advance coastal resiliency projects that preserve the ecological integrity of Long Island Sound’s coastlines.

The announcement of the new Coastal Restoration Coalition comes during National Estuaries Week, a celebration highlighting the importance of ecosystems like Long Island Sound. The coastal habitats of estuaries, like the salt marshes and sand dunes that line the coasts of Connecticut and New York, provide natural benefits to our communities, including protecting people from storm surge and vital waterways from dangerous pollutants.

Coastal Restoration Coalition aims to curb climate-related threats to Long Island Sound

Coastal Restoration Coalition aims to curb climate-related threats to Long Island Sound

Member organizations will collaborate to advance coastal resiliency projects that preserve the ecological integrity of Long Island Sound’s coastlines.

NORWALK, Conn. — A newly established coalition will work to progress coastal resiliency projects to preserve the ecological integrity of Long Island Sound’s coastlines.

The creation of the Coastal Restoration Coalition was announced on Wednesday. It includes Audubon CT & NY, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, The Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Save the Sound and SoundWaters.

Southampton extends battery energy ban, angering environmentalists

Southampton extends battery energy ban, angering environmentalists

Southampton Town has extended a moratorium on new battery energy storage systems for the second time as officials seek more time to bolster safety codes, but over the objections of environmentalists.

Governor Hochul Celebrates Record $2.2 Billion Investment in Water Infrastructure in 2024

Governor Hochul Celebrates Record $2.2 Billion Investment in Water Infrastructure in 2024

Environmental Facilities Corporation's Financial Assistance is Making Projects Affordable for New Yorkers, Safeguarding Drinking Water, and Improving Water Quality in Support of Nation-Leading Clean Water Goals

EFC Investments Highlighted in the Corporation’s Annual Program Metrics Report

New Project Impact Dashboard Enables the Public to Track Project Investments Statewide

924-Megawatt Sunrise Wind Project Receives Final Approval from U.S. Department of the Interior

924-Megawatt Sunrise Wind Project Receives Final Approval from U.S. Department of the Interior

Offshore Construction on New York’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm to Begin Later this Year

Sunrise Wind, New York’s largest offshore wind project, has received approval of its Construction and Operations Plan (COP) from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), which is the final decision needed from the federal agency to move the project toward the start of offshore construction.