Letters: More action, info on 1,4-dioxane needed

Letters: More action, info on 1,4-dioxane needed

Reader letters to Newsday for Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019.

SOURCE:
https://www.newsday.com/opinion/letters/newsday-reader-letters-1.27635041

Bethpage Water District superintendent Mike Boufis describes the water district's pilot water treatment system that incorporates a new technology to remove 1,4-dioxane, an emerging contaminant that has been found in dozens of drinking water wells across Long Island. Photo Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin

By Newsday Readers

The most critical obligation of water suppliers across Long Island is to provide clean, safe drinking water to Long Island’s nearly 3 million residents. That is why it is so disturbing to learn that they want to delay filtering for 1,4-dioxane for three years [“$840M to clean LI’s water,” News, Feb. 18]. Yes, the treatment technology is new and expensive, but so are the costs of treating liver and kidney damage, and cancer, which are all health impacts associated with consuming this chemical.

The Citizens Campaign for the Environment and other environmental organizations have successfully lobbied in Albany for state grants to water suppliers to meet this new filtration need. We continue to work for more money for this critical purpose. Rather than ask for a delay, it would be highly preferable for water suppliers to assure the public they will begin filtering drinking water wells that have the highest levels of 1,4-dioxane and will work hard to meet the overwhelming need of providing clean water.

Adrienne Esposito, Farmingdale

Editor’s note: The writer is executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, an advocacy organization.

It seems to me that one of the top priorities in dealing with the toxin 1,4-dioxane — apart from removing it from Long Island water — should be for consumers to stop using products with the chemical. Yet there is no such list with Newsday’s front-page story even though we have known about this contaminant for several years. Why? Are we afraid to hurt businesses? Additionally, we need a list of products that don’t have 1,4-dioxane in them — immediately.

It’s shocking that consumers are still in the dark on the good and the bad products. It’s shameful on your part as our main source of information.

Jane Thomas,

Port Washington

Improved public transportation key to a future, greener Long Island: Kaiman

Improved public transportation key to a future, greener Long Island: Kaiman

SOURCE: The Island Now
https://theislandnow.com/news-98/improved-public-transportation-key-to-a-future-greener-long-island-kaiman/

By

 Jed Hendrixson

 -

February 19, 2019

The crowded hearing room at the Nassau County Legislature. (Photo by Jed Hendrixson)

Speakers and state senators alike talked about the importance of an efficient and comprehensive public transportation system for the future of Long Island at a crowded climate change hearing Friday in Mineola.

Suffolk County Deputy Executive and former North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman said that modernizing public transportation is crucial to cutting down Long Island’s greenhouse gas emissions generated by motorists.

Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito said the MTA, the parent of the Long Island Rail Road, “has a transit monopoly on the island, but has not been able to make it” a viable alternative for many commuters.

In 2014, New York was the ninth highest producer of carbon dioxide emissions nationally at 170 million metric tons, according to the EPA. A 2016 figure from the department attributed 28 percent of emissions to transportation.

Long Island’s bus and train systems are out of date and not marketed as a realistic choice of transportation for commuters who prefer their cars, according to Esposito.

Kaiman called for assistance from the state to incentivize the use of public transportation. The inadequate system that now exists, he said, results in hundreds of thousands of residents driving their own vehicles all over the island and increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Turning to the broader issue of climate change, Kaiman said the island has been subject to plenty of extreme weather events as a result of climate change like Superstorm Sandy, wildfires in the Pine Barrens and the hottest summers on record in recent years.

Kaiman also previously served as an adviser to Gov. Andrew Cuomo following the devastation that Superstorm Sandy delivered to Long Island’s shores.

“We no longer have the luxury of debating whether or not climate change is happening,” Kaiman said. 

From left: state Senator John Brooks, state Assemblyman Steve Englebright, state Senator Todd Kaminsky and state Senator Kevin Thomas. (Photo by Jed Hendrixson)

The three hearings, the first Feb. 12 in Albany and the second Feb. 14 in New York City, are a part of an effort to gauge public opinion on a proposed state bill dubbed the “Climate and Community Protection Act,” which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of renewable energy resources in the state.

“With inaction in Washington, it is critical for us to take the bold steps necessary to protect our planet,” state Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach), chairman of the Environmental Conservation Committee, said. “These hearings are a critical step to determining how New York can lead in the fight against climate change.”

The legislation would take measures to make the state carbon-neutral by 2050, including emissions from cars, public transportation, homes and office building heating.

A conference room on the second floor of the Nassau County Legislature was packed with scientists, local officials and advocates for renewable energy resources. Many who spoke commended the panel of senators and assembly representatives that hosted the hearing for taking climate change seriously.

“Thank you for hosting a hearing on climate change on Long Island,” Esposito said to rousing applause from the room.

The hearings and the proposed bill gives residents hope and faith for a better tomorrow in working collaboratively to face the greatest challenge of our generation, Esposito said. 

The bill has been long supported by the state’s Democratic majority Assembly, but did not advance further in a Republican-controlled state senate. In November, Democrats seized control of both houses and since then the bill has gained traction.

The bill is not the only option, however.

In Cuomo’s State of the State address last month, he pledged to require 100 percent of the state’s electric generated from public utilities to come from renewable energy resources by 2040.

Cuomo’s pledge follows the state Public Service Commission’s Clean Energy Standard plan, which requires 50 percent of New York’s electricity to be produced from renewable energy sources like wind and solar by 2030 and will implement an aggressive phase-in schedule over the next several years, according to the governor’s website.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, greenhouse gas emissions from the production of electricity accounted for 28 percent of total emissions in 2016 nationally.

Esposito said she believes that aspects of both plans can be merged.

A hearing attendee, holding a sign calling for a more aggressive climate change proposal: 100 percent renewable energy resources by 2030. (Photo by Jed Hendrixson)

Setting a date for total emissions to eventually reach zero is prudent and important, according to Esposito. Other issues, she added, include educating the public on the benefits of action and dispelling myths regarding renewable energy resources, as well as devising an effective plan for public transportation on the island.

Climate change is very real and will make transitioning to renewable energy difficult, according to Paul Shepson, dean of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University.

“It is a real threat to our society, our infrastructure and to the natural world and addressing this problem is one of the great challenges of the 21st century,” Shepson said. 

Asked by Kaminsky how serious an issue climate change is on a scale of one to 10, Shepson replied 10 and called it an “insidious, slow” problem. Moving toward renewable energy will be a decades-long, future investment, but will create new “green” jobs, he said.

“It will require investment, political will, hard work, determination and innovation,” Shepson said.

LI Residents Could Get Stuck With Big Bills To Pay For Drinking Water Cleanup

LI Residents Could Get Stuck With Big Bills To Pay For Drinking Water Cleanup

SOURCE: CBSNewYork:

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/02/18/long-island-drinking-water-cleanup/

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – $840 million.

That’s how much it could cost to clean up contaminated drinking wells on Long Island and water providers there 

 are warning residents – their water bills could double because of it.

“Not good. Not good at all. For what? Contaminated water?” Bethpage homeowner Zareh Andreas said.

New York State has ordered the chemical 1,4 Dioxane to be removed from drinking water. The compound is believed to be a likely human carcinogen associated with liver and kidney damage.

1,4 Dioxane has been detected in 70 percent of Long Island wells and could cost over $800 million to clean out.

Water providers are suing. Chemical manufacturers want more help from the government and a delay on enforcement standards.

“We estimate 185 wells in Nassau and Suffolk counties will have to worry about removing this contaminant,” Dennis Kelleher of H2M Engineers said.

MORE: Acting Head Of EPA Pressured To Look Into Threats Against Long Island Drinking Water

Water rates, without additional state help, could double in some water districts where multiple wells are contaminated.

“Why should I have to pay for it? It wasn’t me, whoever did it is responsible,” Kevin Kelly of Bethpage said.

“Absolutely I want it clean, we have children, we have lived here our whole lives,” Jennifer Kelly added.

The man-made chemical found in industrial solvents – like detergents and shampoos – is reportedly endangering Long Island’s fragile aquifer.

Manufacturers of 1,4 Dioxane should be held responsible and we agree they should pay, but where we draw the line is there should be no delay in cleaning up people’s drinking water,” Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaigning for the Environment argued.

The treatment is a high-tech process. Bethpage has a pilot system with a multi-million dollar reactor using ultra violet lamps.

It’s called advanced oxidation. What this uses is UV light and hydrogen peroxide,” Bethpage water district superintendent Michael Boufis explained.

If the state, the federal government, and manufacturers don’t help with the cost, experts predict taxes will go up and water rates will soar.

Water providers add they need three to five years to plan, design, and construct the treatment systems.

SCWA: Lengthen statute of limitations so polluters can pay for cleanup

Source: Newsday

SCWA: Lengthen statute of limitations so polluters can pay for cleanup

Exposure to PFOS and PFOA is tied to a variety of health problems, from cancer to elevated cholesterol, the EPA says. It calls 1,4 dioxane a likely human carcinogen.

BY JOAN GRALLA

Posted: February 15, 2019
Originally Published: February 14, 2019

Companies that polluted New York State’s drinking water with emerging contaminants could escape liability for huge clean-up costs unless the statute of limitations is lengthened, Suffolk County Water Authority’s general counsel said on Thursday.

And for capital projects, water districts should be freed from the 2 percent cap on property taxes, said Tim Hopkins, the authority’s general counsel, at the Long Island Drinking Water Quality Forum it hosted in Hauppauge.

Hopkins also noted that state grants from the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act should take into account the number of people a water supplier serves, so that each customer of a large agency does not receive far less than someone who gets their drinking water from a much smaller entity.

“We’re going to be shoveling against a tide,” said Paul Granger, the superintendent of the Port Washington Water District and a member of the advisory New York State Drinking Water Quality Council, describing the costs and burdens of tackling the three pollutants — perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and 1,4 dioxane.

The forum, a Long Island Water Conference event, was held the same day the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that by the end of 2019 it will "propose a regulatory determination" for PFOS and PFOA, the next step in setting limits under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The EPA also could define them as hazardous substances, and it will issue interim groundwater cleanup recommendations.

The state Department of Health says it expects to issue recommendations in the coming months, triggering the public comment process.

Exposure to PFOS and PFOA is tied to a variety of health problems, from cancer to elevated cholesterol, the EPA says. It calls 1,4 dioxane a likely human carcinogen.

Most people, the EPA says, have been exposed to PFOS and PFOA because they were so common in consumer products, from detergent to cosmetics to pizza boxes. However, Long Islanders also can be exposed from well water drawn near industrial sites or where firefighting foam was used, at Gabreski Air National Guard Base, for example.

Both PFOA and PFOS were found in more than 150 private wells in Wainscott, near the East Hampton Airport. The third contaminant, 1,4 dioxane, has been found in 165 wells, experts said.

State Sen. James Gaughran (D-Northport) said there was bipartisan support for the statute of limitation bill that he helped devise while chairing the Suffolk County Water Authority.

The current deadline kicks in when the injury is found — or should have been uncovered, Hopkins said.

Instead, it should not start until a contaminant has been discovered at a level high enough to prompt notification, or at specified maximum levels, according to his presentation.

Further, the deadline should not start until “the last wrongful act of a person” who helped cause the pollution or the date when it last was detected in the raw water of a well or plant intake above specified levels, the presentation said.

The “clear majority” of the 89 public water entities that will need to treat 1,4 dioxane are located on Long Island, Granger said in his presentation, citing the state Department of Health.

That department now is weighing maximum contaminant levels: 10 parts per trillion for PFOA, 10 parts per trillion for PFOS, and one part per billion for 1,4 dioxane, he said.

The statewide price tag for dealing with PFOS, PFOA and 1,4 dioxane could exceed $1.5 billion for capital, and $75 million for annual operating costs, Granger said.

Critics have said both the state and the EPA have taken too long to regulate these hazards. Now, the federal government might be the laggard.

“The solution is simply setting a drinking water standard; New York State is well on its way. The EPA should be on its way,” Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, an advocacy group, told reporters after the EPA’s news conference in New York City.

With AP and Charles Eckert

Southampton Town adopts ban on plastic straws, stirrers and foam packaging

Source: Riverhead Local

Southampton Town adopts ban on plastic straws, stirrers and foam packaging

BY DENISE CIVILETTI

Posted: February 15, 2019
Originally Published: February 13, 2019

Food establishments in Southampton Town will soon be prohibited from offering customers plastic straws, stirrers and Styrofoam containers.

The Southampton Town Board yesterday unanimously adopted a code amendment to ban the products. The new law will take effect on May 8.

The new law, first proposed by Councilwoman Julie Lofstad, was recommended by the town’s sustainability committee which estimates that residents and visitors in the township discard nearly 20 million plastic straws and 8 million polystyrene cups per year — much of which washes up along the town’s beaches, according to town officials.

“This may be a small step but it’s a very important step,” Councilwoman Lofstad said in a press release. “Our environment is everything to us and anything we can do that’s not going to have harmful impacts on our businesses and residents is a no-brainer for me.”

The sustainability committee polled 85 food establishments and found 82 supported the ban, some had already stopped offering polystyrene “to-go” containers.

Under the law, restaurants will be permitted to keep a small number of plastic straws on hand for those with physical disabilities who require plastic straws.

Southampton Town banned single-use carryout bags in the town as of April 2015.

Neither Riverhead nor Southold town have adopted measures to restrict the distribution of single-use plastic and polystyrene items and plastic carryout bags. North Fork residents recently launched a public education and advocacy initiative to seek the adoption of such measures in Riverhead and Southold.

Suffolk County in 2016 adopted a law imposing a 5-cent fee on consumers who use single-use carryout bags. The measure, which took effect Jan. 1, 2018, greatly reduced their use in the county, according to the environmental advocacy group Citizens Campaign for the Environment, which conducted before and after surveys at grocery stores across Suffolk.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo last month announced his intention to seek legislation imposting a statewide ban on single-use plastic carryout bags.

Bag-ban advocates make their case at Westport beach

Source: CT Post

Bag-ban advocates make their case at Westport beach

BY JARRET LIOTTA

Posted: February 11, 2019
Originally Published: February 9, 2019

State Sen. Will Haskel, State Rep. Tony Hwang and State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg tout a bill that would ban single-use plastic bags in CT Saturday, February 9, 2019, while Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe and

WESTPORT — Hoping to demonstrate a united front, a group of state legislators, local officials and environmental activists held a beach news conference Saturday afternoon focused on banning single-use plastic bags in Connecticut.

Westport was the first municipality in the state to do so, 10 years ago, and several involved with that fight, including state Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, spoke Saturday of its importance.

“People said it couldn’t be done, (but) the state can do it, too,” Steinberg said, noting the first bill aiming to do so was introduced eight years ago in Hartford.

Steinberg and state Sen. Will Haskell, D-Westport, along with state Rep. Kim Rose, D-Milford, have each introduced bills into the Legislature that, respectively, prohibit use and distribution of single-use plastic bags, promote the use of reusable bags, and establish fees on paper bags.

“Paper bags also have an adverse impact,” said Louis Burch, program director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment, noting the goal was to encourage people to bring their own reusable bags.

“It’s time now for our state government to follow Westport’s lead,” Haskell said, addressing around 60 people who endured icy winds to take part in the rally adjacent to the historic cannons at Compo Beach.

He said 18 billion pounds of plastic waste ends up in the world’s oceans every year, with only 5 percent ultimately recycled. “It’s time to reverse that trend,” he said.

“The next generation of voters has spoken loudly and clearly,” Haskell said.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am that Westport is actually the home of the plastic bag ordinance,” First Selectman Jim Marpe, a Republican, said.

“This is not a Republican or Democratic issue,” he said. “It’s a bipartisan issue.”

Liz Milwe, a District 1 member of Westport’s Representative Town Meeting, and who took part in the original plastic bag ban, said Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, and Weston have all recently passed local bans similar to Westport’s.

“We hope the whole state of Connecticut will join us,” she said.

Wayne Pesce, president of the Connecticut Food Association, which represents retail organizations, said his group was in agreement with the ban.

“Connecticut’s growing retail community fully supports this effort,” he said. “We want to be part of the solution.”

“I do believe it is important to bring all the shareholders into this dialogue,” noted State Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, noting the manufacturing of the single-use bags was poor business.

“I’m fully supportive of (a statewide ban) ... for the environment, but for good business as well,” he said.

“We use these things for a minute or a second, and then they go in the seas, and they can be there for centuries,” state Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, said. “That should tell us everything we need to know.”

But while she expressed her support for a ban, she said that, given the extreme state of the planet, it wasn’t enough.

“We have a major problem with lots of single-use plastic bottles,” she said, noting the market for plastic waste was diminishing.

“We’re going to have to learn to, A: limit it, and B: treat it in a more methodical way than we do,” Lavielle said.

“I think this is a good first step, but it’s not enough,” she said.

Bipartisan lawmakers stand behind state plastic bag ban

Source: News 12 Connecticut

Bipartisan lawmakers stand behind state plastic bag ban

Posted: February 11, 2019
Originally Published: February 9, 2019

WESTPORT - Several elected officials came together across party lines Saturday at Compo Beach to discuss the importance of a statewide single-use plastic bag ban and to draw attention to the issue.

Later this month, the Westport will be celebrating 10 years without single-use plastic bags.

"It's time now for our state government to follow Westport's lead,” says state Sen. Will Haskell. “Westport has shown over the last 10 years that we can change consumer behavior."

Dozens of supporters were also at Compo Beach – many left with brand new reusable bags that officials are encouraging everyone to use.

"It's not enough to simply ban plastic bags, paper bags also have adverse environmental impacts and they take up unnecessary space in our waste stream," says Louis Burch, of the Citizen's Campaign.

In early January, Big Y, which has 30 stores across the state, announced they would phase out plastic bags by 2020.

Management says their ban will ensure that 100 million bags, that are used annually, will not impact the environment.

Greenwich, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston and most recently New Canaan each have bans in place. Lawmakers say in order to preserve the Long Island Sound and the greater environment, a statewide ban is vital.

Watch the video.

Brookhaven's new recycling rules cause homeowner confusion

Source: News 12 Long Island

Brookhaven's new recycling rules cause homeowner confusion

Posted: February 11, 2019
Originally Published: February 8, 2019

BROOKHAVEN - Residents in Brookhaven are voicing frustration with the town's new set of recycling rules.

At the beginning of the year, the town switched from single-stream recycling to dual stream. The new rule means that homeowners now have to separate plastics and metals from paper and cardboard.

Items like glass, greasy pizza boxes and plastic bags are not being accepted at all.

Some say the new system is confusing and that crews don't always pick up their recyclables.

"The town wasn't clear about what should go into containers and what should not," said Don Drosselmeier, of Centereach. "But I went on the website and found out and this week, the truck came and didn't pick up the plastics."

Town Recycling Commissioner Christopher Andrade says that restrictions are being felt nationwide ever since China decided it would no longer import most American waste.

"It's frustrating, it's inconvenient right now, but I think after a while people get on board," Andrade says.

Items in the Centereach neighborhood may not have been taken because some of the plastic was of the wrong grade.

Guidelines also vary depending on the town, but garbage trucks in Brookhaven will only accept plastic that's labeled No. 1 or No. 2. Brookhaven says it has put out notices, including mailers, explaining to residents what should be recycled and what shouldn't.

Environmentalists like Adrienne Esposito says the town isn't doing enough.

"By leaving the recyclables there and not letting the person know what they did wrong, you're causing frustration, you're causing anger," Esposito says.

Residents in Huntington have made similar complaints to News 12.

Officials say they have also worked hard to get the word out about dual-stream recycling.

Watch the video.

Oakdale gets $26M grant to switch to sewage system

Source: News 12 Long Island

Oakdale gets $26M grant to switch to sewage system

Posted: February 11, 2019
Originally Published: February 8, 2019

OAKDALE - Hundreds of homes in Oakdale are being hooked up to a sewage system free of charge.

Residents in the area say cesspools in their houses have been a big problem.

Dave Hescheles says his cesspool leaks into the canal behind his house so he can't use the water for fishing, collecting clams or swimming.
"Something needs to be done," he says.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is seeking to solve that problem and clean up the water along the South Shore by giving Oakdale $26 million to switch roughly 400 homes from cesspools to sewers.

"We have to provide sanitary systems if we're gonna keep our water safe," Cuomo says.

Part of the state grant would extend pipes from the sewage treatment plant in West Babylon to homes in Oakdale.

Environmentalists say that once that happens, the water in the Great South Bay will be much cleaner.

Adrienne Esposito, of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, says pollution from septic tanks is harmful to aquatic life, beaches and the public.

"It doesn't solve the whole problem, but it's one giant step at a time," Esposito says.

Homeowners will eventually have to pay an annual fee to use the sewer system, but some think that may be cheaper than having their cesspools emptied all the time.

"You pay for it one way or another," said Chris Hines of Oakdale.

Before the switch can happen, Oakdale residents must vote to approve the plan.

Watch the video.

Activists 'thrilled' with Cuomo's environmental initiatives

Source: News 12 Long Island

Activists 'thrilled' with Cuomo's environmental initiatives

Posted: February 11, 2019
Originally Published: February 8, 2019

WOODBURY - Gov. Andrew Cuomo was on Long Island Friday to explain some new environmental initiatives.

Adrienne Esposito, of the Citizen's Campaign for the Environment, says the group was "thrilled" with what they heard from the governor.

Cuomo announced a $40 million sewer infrastructure in Smithtown and a $26 million sewer infrastructure in Oakdale. He also called for funding to improve Long Island parks, banning plastic bags and more money for shellfish restoration.

"All of that is good news for us, as well as the new Green Deal, which means more offshore renewable energy to replace our aging infrastructure," Esposito said.

The governor also called for action to get the Bethpage plume under control. Cuomo says he is not waiting for the Grumman facility or the Navy to clean it up.

Esposito says this "aggressive" action by Cuomo is important to protect the public's drinking water supply. 

Watch the video.

Needs outweigh cash in state's infrastructure fund

Source: Albany Times Union

Needs outweigh cash in state's infrastructure fund

BY BRIAN NEARING

Posted: February 11, 2019
Originally Published: February 7, 2019

ALBANY — While a multi-billion-dollar state program to fix aging drinking water and sewer pipes is working, the state should double the money it currently devotes to dealing with widespread problems, according to a study issued Thursday by a environmental lobbying group.

While praising the state's three-year-old, $2.5 billion program to fix such infrastructure, Environmental Advocates of New York said another $2.5 billion ought to be added. 

While state funding is substantial, Hayes said, it is dwarfed by the potential price tag of $80 billion or more to fix aging municipal water and sewer systems that serve millions of New Yorkers.

Out of the 22,000 miles of sewer pipes statewide, nearly a third are beyond their projected 60-year lifespans, according to the report. A quarter of more than 600 sewage treatment plants are beyond their projected useful life of 30 years.

Hayes said local governments facing upgrade projects have filed 884 applications seeking $1.4 billion since 2015. The state, however, was able to award about $500 million for 316 projects.

"New York is currently far from the level of annual funding needed to fix our pipes," according to the report. "With an estimated need for state investment of $80 billion over 20 years, the state would need to invest $4 billion each year to tackle our water infrastructure crisis."

Also Thursday, a nationwide coalition of environmental groups from states around the Great Lakes urged Congress to increase the amount of federal aid available to states to pay for such projects.

It is projected to cost nearly $180 billion over the next two decades to fix water and sewer systems in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, according to the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.

In New York, the group includes the Citizens Campaign for the Environment and the National Audubon Society.

Federal funding for water infrastructure has dropped significantly since the 1970s, when federal aid covered nearly two-thirds of spending on local water and sewer improvement projects. After years of federal budget cuts, that had dropped to about 9 percent by 2014.

January Newsletter

Highlights

Help CCE build on our success, and support our campaigns to protect public health and the environment in NY and CT. Make a contribution today.  

Highlights

Governor Cuomo Releases Pro-Environment Budget

• Governor Cuomo's 2019-2020 Executive Budget proposal included many of our top legislative and funding priorities for the year: 

• $2.5 billion in clean water infrastructure funding.

• Increasing NY's renewable energy goal to 70% by 2030, and carbon-free electricity by 2040.•Increasing NY's offshore wind goal to 9,000 megawatts by 2035.

• Banning plastic bags and expanding the state's bottle deposit to additional beverage containers.•$300 million for the NYS Environmental Protection Fund.

• Banning offshore drilling in NY's waters.

CCE's Adrienne Esposito testified at the Legislature's budget hearing to ensure that these and other priorities are strengthened and make it into the final state budget. We will continue pushing these and other important policies, including banning 1,4-dioxane from consumer products, protecting menhaden (a fish species crucial to whale survival), fighting climate change, and more throughout the 2019 legislative session.

Suffolk County Residents Vote Yes for Sewers!

In January, the Carlls River and Forge River sewering projects were approved with 73% of the vote! In the largest sewer expansion on Long Island since the1970's, 6,500 homes in Mastic and Babylon will be connected to sewers, greatly reducing nitrogen entering our local waterways. A huge thank you to all the Suffolk residents who came out and voted for clean water. We're looking forward to seeing improved water quality, healthier fisheries, and less harmful algal blooms thanks to these much-needed sewering projects.

Working with CT's New Governor to Advance CCE Priorities

As a member of the environmental policy subcommittee, we briefed Governor Lamont and his transition team on key issues in CT, including eliminating single-use plastics, expanding food waste composting, and improving the state's recycling system. We look forward to advancing these and other key priorities in CT this year!  

Happenings

Product Testing for 1,4-Dioxane: Part II

1,4-Dioxane is hidden carcinogen lurking in an estimated 46% of personal care products, but it is not listed on their labels. Last year, we had 30 baby products, detergents, shampoos and body washes tested for the contaminant. Unfortunately, 23 out of the 30 products contained 1,4-dioxane. After releasing a report on these results, we received calls from the public asking us to test additional items, including generic and discount brands. We just sent an additional 50 products to a certified lab to be tested for 1,4-dioxane. The results will be coming this spring along with a shopper's guide of all 80 tested in total, so stay tuned!

Central NY: Stay Warm This Winter with Geothermal!

We are an active member of the HeatSmart CNY campaign, which has been working to help CNY residents and businesses install modern, clean geothermal systems. HeatSmart CNY is a grassroots community initiative to support residents and businesses in exploring ways to improve the efficiency of their buildings, including air source, ground source, and hot water heat pump technologies. To learn more about geothermal technologies, join us at upcoming HeatSmart events. If you own a home or business in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, or Oswego Counties, you can sign up for a free, no obligation energy assessment!

Fighting Ocean Acidification in NY Waters

New York waters are already showing signs of ocean acidification. This is the result of greenhouse gas emissions combined with polluted runoff from land. This acidity can negatively impact shellfish, finfish, and other marine organisms. The New York Ocean Acidification (OA) Task Force was established to ensure that the best available science is used to assess and respond to this emerging threat to New York's marine waters and fisheries. CCE attended the January task force meeting, and we will continue to monitor the task force and look forward to its plan on how to address ocean acidification in New York waters.

Reducing Plastic Pollution on the South Fork of Long Island

In January, the Town of East Hampton passed a ban on polystyrene foam containers (commonly called Styrofoam)! The Town is also considering banning the intentional release of balloons. Meanwhile, in Southampton, we testified at a public hearing last month to ban polystyrene and plastic straws. These crucial efforts will curb single-use plastics polluting our beaches, bays, and ocean on the South Fork.

Upcoming: Support a Healthy Environment and Healthy Economy at EPF Lobby Day!

A clean, healthy, and thriving environment is the backbone of economic development throughout New York. For the past 26 years, the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) has invested billions to protect and restore our precious environment in every region of the state. Governor Cuomo included a fully-funded EPF at $300 million in this year's Executive Budget. This funding will support capital projects that protect clean water, conserve open space, save family farms, revitalize waterfronts, protect our oceans and Great Lakes, and much more. Join us in Albany on February 12 for the annual EPF Lobby Day and help us fight for a fully-funded EPF in the final state budget! Register for the EPF Lobby Day.

Upcoming: Suffolk County: Change Out Your Septic System

Throughout 2018 we hosted a series of forums highlighting the importance of reducing nitrogen pollution from outdated septic systems and cesspools. We will be helping residents secure grants to change out their old systems for new, on-site, nitrogen-reducing treatment systems through Suffolk County's Reclaim Our Water program. We continued the series in 2019 with presentations in Holbrook and Port Jefferson Station. Our next forum will be at Connetquot Public Library on March 19 at 7:00pm. We hope to see you there!

Schumer threatens to hold up nomination of EPA administrator

Source: Newsday

Schumer threatens to hold up nomination of EPA administrator

The Senate minority leader wants the federal agency to set maximum contaminant levels for PFOS and PFOA, which the EPA has said can cause cancer.

BY ROBERT BRODSKY

Posted: February 5, 2019
Originally Published: February 4, 2019

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday to set strict limits on a pair of toxic chemicals contaminating the water supply of millions of Americans, including tens of thousands in Suffolk County.

At a news conference in Farmingdale, Schumer threatened to hold up acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler's nomination to become the agency's permanent chief if he fails to set maximum contaminant levels for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which the agency has said can cause a host of health defects, including cancer. Schumer also plans to reintroduce legislation, first proposed in 2017, requiring the EPA to address the contamination.

"The EPA is trying to walk away from its responsibilities," said Schumer (D-N.Y.). "To take a carcinogenic chemical like PFOS and PFOA and say we are not going to pay attention to that when we have learned that it is in many more locations than you would think . . . makes no sense whatsoever."

New York State has moved ahead with regulating PFOA, PFOS and another chemical, 1,4-dioxane, over concern that the federal government wouldn’t act.

In December, a state panel of experts recommended a drinking water standard of 10 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, which would be the strictest in the nation. New York Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker is expected to adopt the measure some time this year, officials have said.

But the fixes would come with a hefty price tag. At the standard recommended by the state, an estimated 23 percent of public water wells in New York would need treatment — at a cost of $855 million in capital costs and $45 million a year for annual maintenance and operations.

The EPA has been studying whether to put maximum legal limits on the two chemicals, which have been detected in the groundwater near airports, industrial sites, military bases and firefighting training facilities. The contaminants are used in a number of industrial and commercial products, including firefighting foam, coatings that repel water, oil, stains and grease, food packaging, water-resistant clothing and stain-resistant carpeting.

But Schumer said Wheeler, a former coal industry lobbyist, expressed resistance to aggressively regulating the chemicals during a meeting last week. 

"He doesn't deserve to be EPA commissioner if he is abdicating his responsibility," Schumer said of Wheeler, whose nomination to become permanent EPA chief comes up for a vote Tuesday in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

An EPA spokesman said a plan is still to be determined.

“Despite what is being reported, [the] EPA has not finalized or publicly issued its PFAS [per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances] management plan, and any information that speculates what is included in the plan is premature," said David Ross, EPA Office of Water assistant administrator. "The agency is committed to following the Safe Drinking Water Act process for evaluating new drinking water standards, which is just one of the many components of the draft plan that is currently undergoing interagency review.”

The detection of PFOS and PFOA in groundwater prompted the state to name Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach and a Suffolk County fire training center in Yaphank to the state Superfund list. Two public water supply wells near the Hampton Bays Fire Station were closed when the chemicals were detected, while PFOA and PFOS were found in more than 150 private wells in Wainscott, near the East Hampton Airport. 

"This is not a small problem," said James Tomarken, commissioner of the Suffolk County Health Department, which has tested more than 850 private wells in the past two years for the contaminants. "This is a widespread problem, and it needs to be addressed by the federal government."

The EPA has said exposure to the chemicals, which are present in the bloodstream of roughly 98 percent of Americans, can cause testicular and kidney cancer, developmental issues in fetuses or to breast-fed infants, and liver damage.

To regulate a contaminant under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA must find it has adverse health effects, occurs frequently at levels of public health concern and "there is a meaningful opportunity for health reduction risk for people served by public water systems."

"To turn a blind eye to this issue, which is literally affecting thousands of people, and probably thousands more, is really unconscionable," said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. "We need an EPA that fights to protect our water, not to keep it polluted."

The two chemicals can be removed from wells using a carbon filtration system, which runs approximately $750,000, Esposito said.

"The good news is we know how to filter these chemicals out," Esposito said. "The bad news is it's going to cost a lot of money."

The EPA in 2016 established a voluntary health advisory for PFOS and PFOA, recommending a limit of 70 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. A separate federal report released by the EPA last summer found the chemicals dangerous at much lower levels.

Last October, the state announced $200 million in grants to help communities remove "emerging" contaminants from drinking water, including $9.7 million for a water main in Wainscott and $1.65 million to the Bethpage Water District to treat 1,4-dioxane, which is found in paint strippers, solvents and household products.

With David M. Schwartz

Watch the video.

Schumer Calls On EPA To Set Federal Drinking Water Standards

Source: WCBS 880

Schumer Calls On EPA To Set Federal Drinking Water Standards

Posted: February 4, 2019
Originally Published: February 4, 2019

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Sen. Chuck Schumer on Monday called on the Environmental Protection Agency to make sure drinking water is at safe standards.

During a visit to Long Island, Schumer said it’s vital that the EPA set federal drinking water standards for the cancer-causing chemicals PFOS and PFOA that have been turning up in private wells and public water systems in Suffolk County.

“I met with the nominee for EPA and I asked him to put out these regulations and he said he's not sure he would do it. Today, we are announcing we're going to try to hold up his nomination unless he does this and, if that doesn't work, pass legislation requiring the federal government put out standards about PFOA’s and PFOS’s,” Schumer said.

He notes that the chemicals can be toxic and that there is no current standard for them. They are often found in laundry detergent and firefighting foam.

The chemicals have been plaguing Long Island was months and lawmakers have addressed concerns of toxic drinking water in the past.

Adrienne Esposito, of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, also tells WCBS 880’s Sophia Hall that it can be quite simple to remove the chemicals from drinking water.

“The PFOA’s and PFOS’s can be filtered out with carbon filters,” she said.

Though, the trouble lies in the fact that many private wells and many public water systems do not yet have carbon filtration systems installed.

Listen to the story.

Complaints Arise Over Rapid Growth Of Downtown Farmingdale

Source: CBS New York

Complaints Arise Over Rapid Growth Of Downtown Farmingdale

Some Residents Are Concerned That The Village's Character Is Being Compromised By Aggressive Construction

Posted: February 4, 2019
Originally Published: January 16, 2019

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — One Long Island community is now considering a moratorium on new development.

The mayor of Farmingdale is proposing the move — and it’s getting support from some residents and business owners who say downtown is growing too fast, CBS2’s Jennifer McLogan reported Wednesday.

The turnaround seemed to arrive overnight — explosive growth in the village of Farmingdale. The demolishing and rebuilding has taken center stage near the Long Island Rail Road station.

“One hundred million dollars worth of development in our downtown area,” Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand said.

The mayor, who is also a village pharmacist, has been hearing some complaints.

Farmingdale’s master plan in 2013 was to build 375 units of housing over 25 years, but in just six years it has already surpassed 250 units.

The village is buzzing as an up-and-coming destination, but some residents are pushing back, worried about a sudden change in the character of their hometown.

“It’s almost getting to … have you ever been to New Orleans? It’s like a Mardi Gras,” one person said.

“There’s lot of new shops, a lot of new little restaurants that we can all enjoy,” another said.

“Parking is extremely difficult on Main Street,” another added.

Bars, restaurants, shopping and millennials. Vision Long Island’s Eric Alexander said multiple Long Island villages are going through such a resurgence.

“But of course they want it at a pace that they can digest, that works with their quality of life,” Alexander said. “We always have to listen to the local community.”

Citizens Campaign for the Environment, which is located on Main Street, said challenges come with smart growth.

“Increased litter, a lot more congestion, a lot more truck traffic making deliveries and a lot of noise,” said Citizen Campaign’s Adrienne Esposito.

Entrepreneur Kelly Zhou said municipalities have to address that, but not at the expense of new businesses.

“We see a lot of young people coming into the area from the train station, from the new apartments upstairs,” Zhou said.

When asked if it’s time to hit the pause button, Mayor Ekstrand said, “That’s correct. Let’s look at everything that’s been done in the past six years. Let’s look and see if we have to tweak the master plan a little bit.”

A six-month moratorium on new downtown development will be voted on at the next village board meeting.

Following a contentious community hearing, a proposal to build another 54-unit apartment building and performing arts center on Main Street has been withdrawn.

Watch the video.

Tar balls wash up in Long Beach, Lido

Source: LI Herald

Tar balls wash up in Long Beach, Lido

DEC says it's looking into source of petroleum deposits after beach cleanup

BY ANTHONY RIFILATO

Posted: February 4, 2019
Originally Published: January 16, 2019

As the state Department of Environmental Conservation began removing tar balls that were discovered by residents along the shoreline in Lido Beach and Long Beach last weekend, State Sen. Todd Kaminsky called on the agency to open an investigation to identify the source of the sludge.

Two residents of Lido and Long Beach said they have seen petroleum deposits, or congealed black, blob-like shapes that local environmentalists say are typically associated with oil spills. Lido Dunes resident Carol Barrow said she saw thousands of tar balls while walking on the beach last Sunday.

“I was walking on the beach in Long Beach towards Lido Beach,” Barrow told the Herald on Wednesday, reading a letter that she sent to Kaminsky and County Legislator Denise Ford. “I kept seeing black, ovoid shapes intermingled with shells, but thought that they were pieces of asphalt that had been polished by the waves. Then it occurred to me that there were more than a few of these polished-rock looking solids. I took a closer look. They aren’t asphalt ovoids. They are soft. They are actually what we used to call tar balls.”

“We deserve to know when mishaps, not only full-blown ecological disasters, occur,” she added.

In a letter to the DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos, Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach, called on the agency to open a formal investigation and test the “black, tar-like substances” that were discovered over a more than three-mile stretch, from Matlock Street in Lido Beach to Lafayette Boulevard in Long Beach.

“As the DEC is currently cleaning up the debris, I request that such debris be tested in order to ensure proper cleanup and prevent future contamination,” Kaminsky wrote. “Residents are extremely concerned about the possibility of a petroleum spill.”

In a statement, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen said town workers have been “working collaboratively with state officials during the cleanup and will be performing a clean sweep of our local beaches to ensure that all deposited waste was properly collected and nothing else is washing ashore.”

The DEC said it had completed the cleanup on Wednesday, which included a mix of tar balls and peat deposits, which look similar. Approximately a ton of both materials, the agency said, were collected over the two-day cleanup.

“The DEC thoroughly inspected the site after receiving reports of tar balls in the area,” a spokeswoman said in a statement. “The DEC and a contractor completed the cleanup of the tar balls and peat balls this morning to address this pollution. The tar balls will be submitted for sampling prior to disposal at an approved facility.”

The DEC said that it was looking into the source of the tar balls with the U.S. Coast Guard — a “heavier” impact was found near Lincoln Boulevard beach — but had not received reports of any oil spills in the area. Tar balls, the DEC said, occasionally wash up in small quantities and “are usually picked up by beach maintenance crews when they rake up sea weed and other debris.” They are most often the result of shipwrecks or oil spills in the Atlantic Ocean.

“Tar balls are not regularly reported on Long Island but are found occasionally,” a spokeswoman said in an email. “In this case, the tar balls are old and dried out, indicating they are remnants from an old — perhaps very old — spill.”

City officials, meanwhile, said there was no cause for alarm, saying that only some tar balls had been found among what were described as clay and peat deposits, which are common.

“When the DEC came out, a lot of them were peat and clay, but some were tar balls and they decided to clean them all up,” said Public Works Commissioner John Mirando, adding that “very few” tar balls were discovered. “Our beach people have not found tar balls — everything they’ve been finding has been clay or peat. The ones we’ve been cleaning all year are peat or clay and natural deposits that exist in the ocean.”

Lifelong Long Beach resident Marvin Weiss, a surfer and vice chairman of the Surfrider Foundation Central Long Island Chapter, said that he and others began noticing gray clay deposits wash up on the beach last year — coinciding with the offshore dredging of sand as part of the Army Corps of Engineers’ coastal protection project — but that the substances turned black a few months ago. He said he and others have noticed the objects on all beaches in the city since the dredging began, and on Lincoln and Franklin boulevard beaches as recently as Wednesday.

“We were told that they were clay deposits,” Weiss said, adding that tar balls have not been seen in Long Beach since the early 1980s. “Over the past couple of months, what I noticed is that the gray turned to black … and the black would stay on my fingers, an oily-like substance. There are still gray clay balls on the beach, but some of them have shown up black lately. There are pieces out there that are the size of a basketball, others like the shape of a golf ball — they look like stones on the beach.”

Did the Army Corps “dig too deep? Is this old sediment from the days that we did have oil spills in the late 1970s and early ’80s?” Weiss asked. “Back then, there were tar balls on the beach, but this was cleaned up over the years, and the beaches have been great. Maybe with the dredging, should we take a look and see how deep they’re dredging?”

Earlier this month, the Herald reported that the dune and sand replenishment work in Long Beach had been paused because of rough weather and damaged equipment, and is set to resume in March, according to Army Corps officials, who said that the offshore dredge had been moved.

Officials of both Army Corps and DEC said that the tar balls were not a result of the recent Army Corps work.

“We don’t have any equipment working in the area,” Army Corps spokesman Michael Embrich said.

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, told the Herald that it was unlikely that the tar balls were related to the Army Corps work.

“Dredging occurs all across Long Island for different reasons,” Esposito said, “and we don’t see this happening as a result of dredging on a routine basis. This could be something from a minor leak from a tanker that was heading to the New York City port. It could be from an illegal discharge that occurred out in the ocean.”

Esposito said Wednesday that the DEC informed her group that the tar balls were, in fact, petroleum deposits. “The DEC is handling it as if it’s tar and oil,” she said. “If it was a one-time event, and it’s been cleaned up, we should be OK. However, we’re concerned that more may wash up. It’s a great unknown.”To report a tar ball or oil spill, call the DEC at (800) 457-7362.

Push For Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban Picking Up Steam Statewide

Source: Shelton Daily Voice

Push For Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban Picking Up Steam Statewide

The push to ban single-use plastic bags is gaining steam as elected officials propose legislation to phase them out in Connecticut.

BY ZAK FAILLA

Posted: February 4, 2019
Originally Published: January 21, 2019

Two bills have been sent to the General Assembly’s Environmental Committee in Connecticut that would either ban or disincentive the use of such bags by charging a fee for each one used.

The first bill, co-sponsored by Reps. David Michel and Josh Elliott would potentially ban plastic bags, straws, certain packaging and other products that contain microplastics. The second proposed bill, submitted by Rep. Christine Conley, would see a five-cent tax on any single-use plastic or paper bags. Funds from the fees would then be allocated for environmental projects statewide.

Recently, grocery chain Big Y - which has 30 locations in Connecticut - announced that it would be phasing out all single-use plastic bags in its stores by 2020. Big Y estimates it uses 100 million plastic bags and 3.5 million paper bags annually.

Between 500 billion and one trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Less than 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled in the United States and they are not acceptable at certain recycling centers.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, single-use plastic bags are one of the top five single-use plastics found in the environment by magnitude, and they are one of the top five items encountered in coastline clean-ups.

The EPA estimates that 80 percent of plastic pollution in the ocean originated on land, which includes plastic bags, and in New York, residents use 23 billion plastic bags annually, which contributes to pollution both on and off land. These bags do not biodegrade and they persist for years.

"Plastic pollution has become a serious threat to our lakes, rivers and marine environment as well as public health. Scientists are finding plastic pollution in shellfish and finfish, making its way to our dinner plates,” Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito noted. “Giving up plastic bags and using reusable bags is one easy, reasonable step each member of the public can take to help combat the plastic pollution epidemic. It is time for everyone to get on the plastic bag 'ban wagon.”

Hamden holds meeting to propose ban on plastic bags

Source: WFSB Hamden

Hamden holds meeting to propose ban on plastic bags

BY ROGER SUSANIN , OLIVIA LANK

Posted: January 23, 2019
Originally Published: January 23, 2019

HAMDEN, CT (WFSB) - Hamden leaders took a major step towards banning plastic bags on Tuesday night.

The council is zeroing in on the type of bags you get at places like supermarkets and convenience stores.

Very soon, that age old question paper or plastic could become irrelevant here in Hamden.

Louis Burch is a leading voice in the push to ban carryout plastic bags in Connecticut.

“We support a ban on plastic bags because of the disproportionate environmental impact they have. They wreak havoc on the marine environment,” said Burch.

Burch, who serves as the Connecticut Program Director for the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, considers Tuesday night to be a major victory for his cause.

At Hamden Town Hall, council members took a major step towards eliminating plastic bags from local stores.

“State legislation is coming down the pipeline we know that’s something that’s coming. To be able give Hamden businesses the opportunity to be ahead of that curve, that’s critical,” said Brad Macdowall, Hamden council member.

Town council member Brad Macdowall drafted the proposal.

He says you can see the bags which take hundreds of years to biodegrade into tiny particles all over town and the issue was only getting worse.

“The environmental impact is huge. You can’t walk on the canal line, you can’t go to our parks, you can’t drive on most streets without seeing the kind of litter that’s left behind from these plastic bags,” Macdowall said.

Macdowall says he expected pushback from retailers who stand to lose money if the plan becomes law but says so far, just about everyone has supported the proposal and no one spoke out against it at the meeting.

“Largely, people know that this is something we need to do. They know this is the direction they need to go, and they were really happy to work on it,” said Macdowall.

Burch hopes Hamden adds a customer fee for using paper bags but is pleased overall.

He believes the Hamden proposal along with similar laws in communities like Westport, Greenwich, Norwalk, Stamford, and Weston show that after a decade of hard work momentum is on his side.

“My thought is that within ten years or so these plastic bags are going to be a thing of the past. It’s just a question of how we get there,” Said Burch.

The proposal could become law in early February and go into effect by the summer.

The plan also calls for a soft ban on plastic straws which means customers would have to ask for one before clerks would hand them out.

Watch the video.

Hamden Moves Closer To Plastic Bag Ban

Source: New Haven Independent

Hamden Moves Closer To Plastic Bag Ban

BY SAM GURWITT

Posted: January 23, 2019
Originally Published: January 23, 2019

Hamden’s Legislative Council heard comments from the public in support of a plastic bag ban — and none opposed — at a well-attended meeting Tuesday evening. A council committee voted in favor of the proposed ordinance; the full council is set to vote on it Feb. 4.

If enacted, the ordinance would ban businesses from providing single-use plastic bags to customers upon checkout, and would go into effect six months after passage. The council is also considering an ordinance that would require restaurants to ask patrons if they would like single-use plastic straws rather than providing them automatically. 

District 9 Representative Brad Macdowall introduced the idea of the plastic bag ban in July.

“It’s a critical way of trying to be a more environmentally sustainable community,” he told the Independent. “One of the things we need to do is limit and eventually eliminate our use of single use plastic” and “get people to think about the way that they consume.” He said he hopes that the legislation will allow Hamden to be ahead of the curve when it comes to plastic waste.

The ordinance would still allow single-use plastic and paper bags “that are used by consumers inside stores” to package wet items such as produce or meat. It would also allow dry cleaner bags, bags that contain pharmacy prescriptions, and bags that “safeguard public health during the transportation of hospital waste.”

New Haven has also begun debating banning single-use plastic bags at checkout. (Read about that here.) It had a ban years ago, then revoked it.

In addition to helping clean up Hamden’s environment, the ban would save the town money on cleaning up parks and on tipping fees for removal of plastic bags from recycling bins, Councilman Macdowall said. Though they are made of plastic, plastic bags cannot be recycled in single-stream recycling.

The bill was officially introduced to the council at Tuesday’s meeting. It had previously been introduced in the Environment and Conservation Committee. After Tuesday night’s public hearing on the ban, the committee voted with the support of four of six members to advance the ordinance out of committee into the council as a whole. 

During the public hearing, eight people got up to speak in favor of the ban, and no one spoke against it. Citizens and representatives from activist organizations spoke. No one was present representing the business community.

Louis Burch, Connecticut program director for the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, was the first to speak. He advocated for both a ban on single use plastic bags and a fee on paper bags. When San Jose introduced that combination of band and fee, the percent of shoppers who brought their own reusable bags shopping shot from 4 percent up to 62 percent.

Plastic bags have also contributed to a solid waste crisis, Burch said. China has stopped accepting contaminated American plastic at its recycling plants. He added that plastic bags cannot be recycled in single-stream recycling anyway because they get tangled up in the equipment. 

Robert Mark, chair of Hamden’s Solid Waste and Recycling Commission, told the council that “the passage of this ordinance will be a step forward.” He used anecdotes to illustrate the ubiquity of abandoned plastic bags in Hamden, describing how he has seen people leave a store, remove one item from a bag, and throw out the bag.

Robert Mark: “Our residents, and the environment, will thank you.”“In the long run, our residents, and the environment, with thank you,” he told the council.

Resident Helen Ward told the council that when she and her husband moved to Hamden from Maine, they were shocked by the plastic waste. As time went on, their habits began to change because they were not surrounded by a culture of conservation. As dedicated as they were to recycling and reducing waste, “we still felt like we were slipping in our behavior,” Ward said.
Annes: What About Business?

After the public hearing, and after the Environment and Conservation Committee had voted to advance the bill, the council made a motion to discuss it.

Eric Annes, who represents District 4, raised the concern that the council had not heard from any Hamden businesses. He said he supports reducing plastic. He said he understands plastic bags are terrible for the environment and would like to eliminate them. But he said he could not vote on the bill “without hearing from everyone that is affected.” He added that he is “quite concerned about moving this too quickly.”

At-Large Rep. Marjorie Bonadies agreed with Annes that the council needs more information. She began by making clear that she is “in favor of reducing all plastic.” Then she asked how the ordinance would be enforced, and what the town would do with the money from fines.

Hamden, she said, is not recycling compliant. If the town can’t recycle properly, how will it manage to enforce this ordinance?

“We are going to add another layer of big government, of more rules that people are not going to follow,” Bonadies said.

Clerk of the Council Kimberly Renta, At-Large Rep. Marjorie Bonadies.Macdowall told the Independent that in the process of drafting the bill, he spoke with many of the town’s stakeholders in order to draft the best legislation possible. He first went to the Chamber of Commerce to talk about how the ordinance would affect businesses. He also discussed it directly with small business owners and with activist organizations.

A number of residents turned out to hear the arguments about the ban or to show their support. Katherine Hinds and Fritz Hansen said they were looking forward to the council’s passing the ordinance. “We’re very aware of garbage, and we know how easy it is to use reusable bags,” said Hinds.

Fritz Hansen and Katherine Hinds.Elizabeth Hayes, a Democratic Town Committee member, said she supports the ban overall. “I am for eliminating plastic bags, but at what cost?” She asked how the ban would affect those who can’t afford to buy bags, and what the alternative would be. Paper?

The ordinance does include a section on paper bags. It specifies that businesses may provide recycled paper bags at checkout. A recycled paper bag “contains no old growth fiber and a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content, is 100% recyclable, and has printed in a highly visible manner on the bag the word ‘Reusable’ and ‘Recyclable,’ the name and location of the manufacturer and the percentage of post-consumer recycled content.” Any other paper bag would be off limits, either complimentary or for sale.

The ordinance would still allow single-use plastic and paper bags “that are used by consumers inside stores” to package wet items such as produce or meat. It would also allow dry cleaner bags, bags that contain pharmacy prescriptions, and bags that “safeguard public health during the transportation of hospital waste.”

After the meeting, Macdowall said he is confident that the council will pass legislation on Feb. 4. If it does, Hamden will join Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich, and Westport in having a ban and/or fee on plastic bags.

Until then, Macdowall plans to seek to assuage the concerns of council members, citizens, and businesses. “The next step is to make sure everyone’s questions are answered,” he said.