Highlights and Happenings: June 2021

Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

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Highlights

Victory! Priority bills that were passed by the New York State legislature (we’ll be working to ensure that all these bills are signed by the Governor) at the end of session in June: 

• Protecting drinking water from emerging contaminants: This will require drinking water suppliers to test for additional toxic chemicals, including currently unregulated toxic PFAS chemicals. The bill would also require smaller water suppliers to test for emerging contaminants—helping to protect the drinking water for an additional 2.5 million New Yorkers.

• Banning coal car sealant – After a decade of work, we have successfully lobbied the New York State legislature to pass a ban on the use of coal tar in paving products. Coal tar contains a known human carcinogen and contaminates local waterways. Safe and effective alternatives are readily available.

• Expanding kelp aquaculture - Kelp aquaculture is a growing industry with significant economic, health, and environmental benefits. This legislation would allow for kelp aquaculture in Gardiners and Peconic Bays, create a local kelp farming industry, and help restore water quality and fish habitat in our Long Island east end bays.

• Keeping drinking water lead-free at schools: This bill sets a more protective standard for lead in school drinking water and increases the frequency of testing. There is no safe level of exposure to lead, especially for our children.

Victory! Connecticut Legislative Victories: 

• Modernizing the CT Bottle Bill- This law will expand CT’s container deposit law to cover juices, teas, sports drinks, hard seltzer and hard ciders; double the refundable container deposit from $.05 to $.10 cents, and significantly increase access to convenient recycling options for deposit containers! Gov. Lamont signed the bill into law in late June.

• Protecting our health and water from toxic PFAS chemicals- The CT General Assembly unanimously passed a ban on toxic PFAS chemicals in food service packaging and in firefighting foams. The legislation will also enable the state to establish a buyback program for existing stockpiles of PFAS treated firefighting foams that remain in storage at airports and firefighting training facilities across CT.

• Strengthening CT’s Sewage Right-to-Know Law - This is a much-needed update to CT’s sewage pollution right to know law, which requires wastewater treatment operators to provide timely public notification any time raw or partially treated sewage overflows into our waterways and ensures downstream communities are notified of these sewage overflows. This bill has been signed into law.

Victory! Suffolk County Passes Critical Environmental Bills 

In June, the Suffolk County Legislature passed two of CCE’s priority bills. Suffolk has passed a bee protection law that requires homeowners, pesticide applicators, and exterminators dealing with an unwanted honeybee infestation to first call a beekeeper, who can safely relocate the hive. The legislature also approved increased funding for the Suffolk County septic replacement program, which provides homeowners grants to replace outdated septic and cesspools with advanced, nitrogen-reducing systems that protect our drinking water and waterways. NYS provided $10 million, and Suffolk County will allocate $20 million for the program this year. Thanks to all who testified in support! 

Connecticut’s Plastic Bag Ban is in Effect! 

The statewide ban on single-use plastic shopping bags went into effect on July 1st! Plastic bags contaminate our waterways, threaten aquatic wildlife and create costly infrastructure problems. Connecticut residents (and everyone else) – remember to bring your own reusable bags to the store! 

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Happenings

Urging Congress to Invest in Clean Water Infrastructure 

Congress is currently developing next year’s federal budget while also considering a major infrastructure package. This provides our nation with a critical once-in-a-generation opportunity to finally address our long-standing clean water needs! We have launched our campaign pushing Congress to invest in upgrading sewage and drinking water systems and replacing lead service lines, which will protect public health, protect our drinking water for future generations, and create jobs. If you haven’t yet, take action today! 

Fighting for Environmental Justice in Brookhaven, NY 

A massive 228-acre solid waste transfer facility has been proposed on the last heavily forested area of Yaphank. The proposed facility would be the largest in the state, taking up to 6,000 tons of waste per day and then shipping the waste via rail off the island. Instead of going through an important public process, including public hearings, the Town of Brookhaven is considering allowing the federal government to usurp local control and ignore community voices. Last month, we joined the Brookhaven Town NAACP and concerned community members to call on the town to NOT relinquish local control to a federal agency for a massive solid waste facility. 

Exploring the Potential for Great Lakes Wind 

In June, we provided testimony at a hearing held by NYSERDA in support of a study to determine the feasibility of Great Lakes wind (if determined feasible, CCE strongly believes that any future offshore wind project is responsibly-sited and is evaluated to protect the Great Lakes ecosystem and the lakes’ many uses). In June, we also worked to oppose a resolution proposed in Erie County, NY that opposed Great Lakes wind, prior to the completion of the state’s feasibility study. The anti-wind resolution included misinformation on wind power and opposed Great Lakes wind before important studies have even been completed (the anti-wind resolution did not pass!). Want to learn more about exploring the potential for Great Lakes wind? 

Victory! Landfill Lawsuit May Bring Justice for Brookhaven Community Members 

For decades, those living and working in the Brookhaven community near the landfill have complained of foul odors, poor air quality, harmful health impacts, and decreased quality of life. Out of 105 employees at the Frank P. Long Middle School, which is immediately adjacent to the landfill, 38 have developed cancer and 10 have passed away. In June, the court rejected all the Town’s legal defenses in an action by 25 plaintiffs, including 6 estates. The court’s decision essentially assures there will be a trial in front of a jury where the community can get justice. 

Image by doskey12 from Pixabay

Wind Works for Long Island 

In June, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced public scoping hearings on the Empire Wind project. This is an important step for advancing offshore wind in NY and meeting our goals of 9,000 MW by 2035. The Empire Wind Farm, located off the coast of Long Beach, will generate enough renewable energy to power 500,000 New York homes. We submitted comments in support of the project in June, but in case you missed it you can still attend a public meeting and weigh in in support of the offshore project on July 13th. 

Be on the Watch for Harmful Algal Blooms 

As the weather begins to get warmer, and we start spending more time outside and lakeside, it is important to be aware of dangerous harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs pose an immense threat to our communities’ drinking water, public health, outdoor recreation and wildlife! HABs are erupting across NY more frequently and more aggressively—in 2020, over 900 HABs were present in NY waterbodies. If you see a HAB in a lake or waterbody (looks like spilled green paint or pea soup), be sure to avoid it and report it using the DEC Suspicious Algal Bloom Report Form! 

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Upcoming: Bringing Hydropower to New York 

Join us to learn about how transporting excess Canadian hydropower to NYC can help us combat climate change and transition from polluting fossil fuel power plants to renewable energy in our communities. The free virtual event, co-hosted by CCE and the NY League of Conservation Voters and featuring experts from Hydro-Québec and Transmission Developers Inc. will take place July 14th at 12pm. Register today. 

Join us for an Informative Webinar on Bringing Hydropower to New York

Join Citizens Campaign for the Environment and the New York League of Conservation Voters for a webinar on “Bringing Hydropower to New York.” Join us to learn more about this proposal to bring existing, excess power from Canadian hydropower facilities to New York City via a transmission line down the Hudson River. The Hudson Champlain Power Express transmission line is approved and could bring 1,000 - 2,500MW of clean, renewable power to the NYC grid. Join CCE, NYLCV, and experts from Hydro-Québec to learn more about this project and the benefits of bringing Canadian hydropower to NYC.  

New York has advanced the most ambitious climate legislation in the country with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which requires us to achieve 70% renewable energy by 2030 and carbon-free electricity by 2040. One major obstacle our state faces in reaching CLCPA goals is that there is a “tale of two grids,” with upstate New York using 88% zero-emission hydropower resources but only representing 1/3 of the state’s energy load, while downstate still relies primarily on fossil fuels while consuming 2/3 of the state’s total energy. 

Advancing offshore wind, solar, and energy storage downstate is critical, but we will also need to bring additional renewable energy into the New York City energy mix if we are going to reach our CLCPA goals. Join us to find out more about how transporting excess Canadian hydropower to NYC can help us combat climate change and transition from polluting fossil fuel peaker plants to renewable energy in our communities. 

Topic: Bringing Hydropower to New York
Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Time: 12:00PM - 1:00PM 
Where: Zoom - click here to register today! After registering, you will receive a zoom link to participate.
Speakers:

• Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

• Julie Tighe, President, NY League of Conservation Voters

• Gary Sutherland, Director of Strategic Affairs and Stakeholder Relations, Hydro-Québec

• Donald Jessome, CEO, Transmission Developers Inc.

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely, 
Your friends at CCE