wildlife

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.

Environmentalists Outraged Over Hochul's Horseshoe Crab Bill Veto

Environmentalists Outraged Over Hochul's Horseshoe Crab Bill Veto

"While this bill is well-intentioned, the management of marine species is better left to the experts at DEC." — Gov. Kathy Hochul.

NEW YORK— Environmentalists are outraged over Gov. Kathy Hochul's recent decision to veto the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act, which prohibits the taking of horseshoe crabs from New York waters. The legislation would have allowed the populations to recover and ensured the survival of the important species, advocated said.

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

Hochul Vetoes Horseshoe Crab Harvest Ban

Hochul Vetoes Horseshoe Crab Harvest Ban

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has vetoed a bill that would have banned the harvest of horseshoe crabs for bait or biomedical research, saying in her veto statement Dec. 13 that she believes the management of marine species “is better left to the experts” at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 

Lee Zeldin didn’t ask to head EPA. Here’s why Trump picked him.

Lee Zeldin didn’t ask to head EPA. Here’s why Trump picked him.

When he served as a Republican congressman from New York, Lee Zeldin delighted environmentalists by championing efforts to protect critical wildlife habitat from potential development efforts, including a golf course proposed by Donald Trump

Jane Goodall advocates for New York’s horseshoe crabs as time runs out on protection bill

Jane Goodall advocates for New York’s horseshoe crabs as time runs out on protection bill

Legendary conservationist Jane Goodall added her voice to those asking Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to sign a bill that would prevent the harvest of horseshoe crabs in New York waters for biomedical or commercial fishing purposes.

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.

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.

Algal blooms, oxygen-depleted zones affected Long Island waters in 2024, report says

Algal blooms, oxygen-depleted zones affected Long Island waters in 2024, report says

Last summer, dozens of Long Island’s ponds, lakes, bays and estuaries were affected by oxygen-depleted zones and harmful algal blooms, researchers from Stony Brook University found, which were triggered by excessive levels of nitrogen and exacerbated by record-high temperatures.

Algae blooms threaten Long Island wildlife and waterways

Algae blooms threaten Long Island wildlife and waterways

Harmful algae blooms spread across LI waters

Harmful algae blooms are popping up in multiple bodies of water across Long Island. FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg explains what’s causing this and the impact it's having on fish and other animals.

LONG ISLAND - Harmful algae blooms are popping up in multiple bodies of water across Long Island.

The Fate of the State’s Abandoned Oil Wells May Depend on the Presidential Election

The Fate of the State’s Abandoned Oil Wells May Depend on the Presidential Election

Mike Hastings, 41, has lived in Western New York his entire life. His home, which he shares with his wife and three children, is situated on 170 acres of forested land near the town of Allegany. The property is home to a winding creek and a diverse range of wildlife, including bears, coyotes and foxes. It also contains 80 abandoned oil wells, remnants of a 19th-century drilling boom in the region.

New trail access point on the South Shore

New trail access point on the South Shore

FAST FACTS

The water-based South Shore Blueway Trail is designed for kayakers, canoeists and other non-motorized boaters along the South Shore of Long Island. It spans the coastal waterways of Nassau County, connecting scenic spots, nature preserves, parks and other access points between the western part of the county near the Western Bays, extending toward Suffolk County.

The trail provides a way for paddlers to explore the diverse coastal ecosystems, including marshes, wetlands and barrier beaches, while offering opportunities for recreation, wildlife observation and environmental education. It features multiple launch sites and stops for paddlers, with varying difficulty levels depending on the weather and tidal conditions.

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.

First step completed of Sands environmental review

First step completed of Sands environmental review

The public spoke at the proposed Sands casino's recent environmental review scoping 

The Sands casino underwent an environmental review scoping hearing as the public informed Nassau County legislators on what to focus on during the environmental impact study.

Along Nassau County's South Shore, new water access points along Blueway Trail make for smooth sailing

Along Nassau County's South Shore, new water access points along Blueway Trail make for smooth sailing

FAST FACTS ABOUT SOUTH SHORE BLUEWAY TRAIL PLAN

The water-based South Shore Blueway Trail is designed for kayakers, canoeists and other non-motorized boaters along the South Shore of Long Island. It spans the coastal waterways of Nassau County, connecting scenic spots, nature preserves, parks and other access points between the western part of the county near the Western Bays, extending toward Suffolk County.