A half-dozen Stony Brook University students and professors gathered around a table covered by a blue tarp at a Westbury trash incinerator last month and ripped open a plastic bag.
Long Island Sound network awarded $262K for conservation efforts
The groups that make up the Long Island Sound Coastal Watershed Network have been awarded more than $262,000 to continue their efforts in addressing water quality issues.
The network, a partnership between Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Save the Sound and The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut, received the funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund.
Long Island Sound watershed projects get $12M in grants
LAST CHANCE TO SAVE THE BEES!
Time is Running Out for Governor Hochul to Ban Toxic Neonic Pesticides in New York!
In June, the NYS legislature passed the Birds and Bees Protection Act with overwhelming support. On Tuesday, the bill was finally delivered to Governor Hochul. This started a 10-day clock for her to either sign or veto this landmark legislation. This bill would protect our pollinators from the most dangerous and toxic pesticide since DDT, neonicotinoids (A.K.A. “neonics”). Neonics kill bees, pollute water, and harm our health! Even if you’ve taken action in the past, we once again need your help in calling on Governor Hochul to sign this monumental legislation. Time is running out and we need YOUR help today!
Email Governor Hochul TODAY and tell her to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act!
The Birds and Bees Protection Act (S.1856A/A.7640) would ban neonic treated corn, soybean, and wheat seeds; as well as cosmetic uses of neonics on lawns, gardens, and ornamental plants. This will eliminate at least 85% - 90% of all neonics used in New York, protect water quality, and ensure we are not poisoning our birds, bees, and pollinators from this toxic pesticide. Neonics are contaminating surface and ground water across the state, often found at high levels. This toxic pesticide is threatening drinking water quality and our health. We need Governor Hochul to sign this crucial legislation into law! Email Governor Hochul today and urge her to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act.
Background:
Pollinators, such as honeybees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds, are essential components of our food web. Massive bee die-off events and colony collapse disorder are putting our ecosystem and food production at risk. This rise in bee deaths has been largely linked to the explosive growth in the use of neonicotinoids and other harmful pesticides. Neonicotinoids (A.K.A. “neonics”) are pesticides that attack the nervous system of insects. These pesticides largely added as a seed coating to plants, such as corn, wheat, and soybeans and used as a spray for ornamental plants and turf. As a seed coating these chemicals persist and spread as the plant grows, making the entire plant toxic to bees and other pollinators.
Neonics are also threatening New York’s waters. A 2018 U.S. Fish and Wildlife study found neonics in New York’s streams “in excess of toxicity and regulatory thresholds.” Additionally, extensive testing of New York’s surface waters by the USGS in 2016, found the neonic imidacloprid in nearly 40% of samples. There are currently 117 pesticides found in Long Island’s groundwater, with neonics being one of the most prevalent pesticide detected. Neonics are persistent in our water and environment, posing a serious threat to health and pollinators.
Corn, soy, and wheat treated seeds account for an estimated 73% of all neonics used in New York. Lawn, garden, ornamental, and turf (aka cosmetic) uses make up an additional 15%. A 2020 report by Cornell University found that neonic treated corn, soy, and wheat seeds provide "no overall net income benefits" to farmers yet pose significant risk to bees and other pollinators.
Likewise, cosmetic uses pose a high risk to pollinators but are easily replaced with safer alternatives. These uses are unnecessary and must be banned to protect our pollinators.
Thank you! Together we can make a difference.
All of Us at CCE
Highlights and Happenings: November 2023
Image by Tracey O'Brien from Pixabay
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
Telling Governor Hochul to Save the Bees!
Bees are one of the most important species on the planet. Unfortunately, they are dying at an alarming rate. This loss of our bees and other pollinators has been largely linked to the excessive use of neonic pesticides. The Birds and Bees Protection Act was resoundingly passed by the NYS Legislature and is now waiting to be signed by Governor Hochul. This bill would ban the most harmful and unnecessary uses of toxic neonic pesticides. In November, we held a press conference on Long Island with our partners urging the Governor to sign this crucial bill into law, which you can watch here. Several of our partner groups also held a big rally in NYC. There was also a great op-ed in Newsday, check it out if you missed it. Help us fight the pesticide industry and protect our pollinators by sending an email to Governor Hochul and tell her it is time to save the bees and to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act!
Happenings
Transitioning to Offshore Wind. There were a lot of big developments for offshore wind in November:
NY Announces New Bidding for Offshore Wind Projects. Due to the pandemic, supply chain issues and inflation, the offshore wind developers for the projects already selected in NY (Sunrise, Empire, & Beacon Wind) requested subsidies from NYS to ensure they could viably move forward with their projects. In October, their request was rejected. We joined many of our Wind Works NY partners in supporting the subsidies and have been pushing for an expedited rebidding process so that projects can move forward to meet our climate change mandate of 70% renewables by 2030. In November, New York State announced they will be holding the rebidding process with a very quick turnaround timeline (bids due in January, selection of winners in February) and that the existing contracts will not be canceled. This will allow early projects, if re-selected, to move forward on a reasonable timeline. This is very good news!
New York State also announced plans to hold a fourth solicitation for additional offshore wind projects. Last month, we joined Governor Hochul as she announced three projects (Excelsior Wind, Community Offshore Wind, and Attentive) that will power over two million homes as a result of the third offshore wind solicitation. Another round of projects, in addition to the re-bidding process, is a huge step in moving offshore wind forward and achieving 9,000 mw of offshore wind by 2035.
BOEM NY & NJ Environmental Justice Forum. We attended an excellent NY and NJ Environmental Justice Forum at UPROSE in Brooklyn last month. We toured Equinor’s facility at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, a large offshore wind port that will house operations and maintenance for several large offshore wind farms. It was a great discussion and was very exciting to tour the facility and see that an abandoned industrial facility will be transformed into a productive offshore wind terminal.
Lunch and Learn: Why Wind Works. We joined our partners at the NY League of Conservation Voters to host a virtual presentation on Why Wind Works last month, featuring expert panelists from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS Energy Research and Development Authority, and US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. We want to provide the facts on why offshore wind works, why it is needed in our state, and what benefits it brings to several regions throughout New York. Thanks to the almost 200 people who joined. If you missed it, check it out here.
Fighting to protect the Great Lakes in Washington
We joined with NY partners from the Healing our Waters Great Lakes Coalition for a trip to Washington DC last month. We had very productive meetings with our US Senators and Representatives from NYS—calling for continued investment in the successful Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and programs to upgrade our drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. We need Congress to support clean water in the final 2024 budget!
South Shore Estuary Reserve Stewardship Awards
We joined Deputy Secretary of State Kisha Santiago-Martinez to host the South Shore Estuary Reserve 2023 Stewardship Awards. The SSER Stewardship Award program is designed to recognize citizens and organizations that have made significant contributions to the improvement of the estuary. Congratulations to Richard Groh, Chief Environmental Analyst at the Town of Babylon and Dr. Artie Kopelman, President of the Coastal Research & Education Society of Long Island (CRESLI), who won awards for their dedication in protecting and restoring the Reserve!
Understanding the Health Risks of 1,4-Dioxane on Long Island
Yale Superfund Research Center has crafted a study to better understand the impact of 1,4-dioxane exposure on Long Island residents. This spring, we launched our partnership with Yale to provide education and outreach to inform Long Islanders about this new, exciting program. If you live on Long Island and are interested in participating and finding out if you have been exposed to 1,4-dioxane, you can find out more here.
UBS Arena Sustainability
We joined UBS Arena for their launch of new sustainability goals—100% renewable energy and zero waste! UBS Arena, located in Belmont, Long Island, is a certified LEED building and is now going further with their sustainability goals. The venue will make its own renewable energy and meet a zero waste goal, which includes donating and composting excess food. We applaud these efforts by UBS Arena and thank you for a terrific event.
Talking Pollinators at REI
REI held a grand opening for the new location in Huntington Station, Long Island, and we were there to talk about bees! We spent the day at the store opening, educating shoppers about the Birds & Bees Protection Act and the importance of banning neonic pesticides. Shoppers were eager to sign on and urge Gov Hochul to sign the Birds & Bees Protection Act!
Celebrating Board Member Richard Olsen-Harbich
We were honored to attend the book signing of our longtime board member Richard Olsen-Harbich at Bedell Cellars. Check out his great book, “Sun, Sea, Soil, Wine” available for purchase here. Congrats Rich!
4 LI water districts exceed state's 1,4-Dioxane limit, raising possible health concerns, increasing risk of cancer
For Long Island and nation, a timeline to get the lead pipes out
Expedited Renewable Energy Solicitations Launched As Part of Governor Hochul’s 10-Point Action Plan
SOURCE:
November 30, 2023
Proposals for Offshore Wind and Land-Based Renewable Projects Due in January 2024
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced the launch of expedited renewable energy solicitations as part of New York’s 10-Point Action Plan to bolster the State’s growing large-scale renewable industry. Final proposals for both offshore wind and land-based renewable projects are due in January 2024. These expedited solicitations support progress toward achieving New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act) goals to obtain 70% of New York’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035.
Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, “These expedited solicitations will continue to build upon our momentum toward achieving a zero-emissions electric grid. We welcome into this competitive process all developers who are committed and eager to participate in New York's energy transition, and we look forward to working together to deliver significant economic, public health, and grid reliability benefits to New York State.”
The solicitations, initially announced by Governor Hochul earlier this month, encourage all project developers, including those that previously petitioned the New York State Public Service Commission for financial relief and new market entrants to compete in the solicitation process, ensuring the integrity of the State’s competitive procurement process and best value for New Yorkers. As part of these solicitations, NYSERDA included key provisions from the latest rounds of renewable energy procurements such as inflation indexing, labor provisions, stakeholder engagement requirements, disadvantaged community commitments, agricultural land preservation, and related priorities to maintain the policy objectives introduced in prior solicitations to ensure an equitable energy transition that benefits all New Yorkers.
NYSERDA is streamlining these expedited solicitations by selectively removing certain bid requirements that historically required substantial efforts to develop, but provided nominal value in bid evaluations. The full breadth of these modifications is outlined within the solicitation documents.
Offshore Wind Solicitation
Final proposals for the offshore wind solicitation will need to be submitted by January 25, 2024, with award announcements expected to be made in February 2024.
Details on the offshore wind solicitation are available on the Offshore Wind Solicitation page on NYSERDA’s website.
Land-Based Renewables Solicitation
The process for submitting proposals into the land-based renewables solicitation will be conducted in two steps, with eligibility requirements due on December 21, 2023 to confirm that interested projects are eligible to bid, and final proposals due on January 31, 2024. Award announcements are expected by the end of April 2024.
More details on the land-based renewable energy solicitation are available on the Tier 1 Solicitation page on NYSERDA’s website.
These expedited solicitations will build on the momentum established by the Governor’s announcement last month of the largest state investment in renewable energy in United States history. The conditional awards included three offshore wind and 22 land-based renewable energy projects totaling 6.4 gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power 2.6 million New York homes and deliver approximately 12% of New York’s electricity needs once completed. When coupled with two marquee offshore wind blade and nacelle manufacturing facilities, New York’s latest round of awarded projects is expected to create approximately 8,300 family-sustaining jobs and spur $20 billion in economic development investments statewide, including developer-committed investments to support disadvantaged communities.
New York State Department of Labor Commissioner and Climate Action Council Member Roberta Reardon said: “The expedited process announced by NYSERDA not only accelerates a greener New York but also builds on our continued effort to expand workforce development. By streamlining the process and encouraging a broader range of competitors, we are not only upholding the values of equity and inclusivity in our energy sector but also ensuring that we are on track to meet our Climate Act goals.”
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "The solicitations announced by NYSERDA today will advance New York's sustained efforts to transition to cleaner energy sources and help meet the state’s aggressive goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, provisions included in these expedited solicitations will help advance climate justice by prioritizing present-day challenges like inflation and reconfirming the State’s commitments to disadvantaged communities and environmental protection."
New York State Department of Ag and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball said, “The agricultural community has long been at the table in the discussion of protecting and preserving the natural resources that sustain us. Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy is a critical and urgent piece of this puzzle, and the solicitations announced today mark a huge step forward in strengthening New York's clean energy development and meeting the climate goals that will help preserve our land for generations to come.”
Alliance for Clean Energy New York Executive Director Anne Reynolds said, “The renewable energy industry is encouraged by New York’s speedy issuance of solicitations for renewable energy projects, both offshore wind power and land-based wind and solar power, knowing that companies are looking forward to competing for these contracts. Moving ahead with projects will bring construction jobs, local tax revenue, and clean electricity. I applaud New York’s fast action, because this sense of urgency is exactly what is needed to bring infrastructure projects to construction and achieve clean energy and climate goals.”
New York Offshore Wind Alliance Director Fred Zalcman said, "NYSERDA's issuance today of a major solicitation, providing market-based offtake opportunities for both early and advanced stage offshore wind projects, offers crucial and timely support for New York's rapidly developing clean energy economy. Actions speak louder than words, and we applaud the Hochul Administration for providing, through this expedited RFP, a clear and unambiguous statement of support for offshore wind as an essential part of New York's evolution towards a carbon-free grid."
New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe said, “In order for New York to green the grid and meet our CLCPA goals, we can’t just talk about clean energy, we need to get projects in the queue as soon as possible. NYLCV applauds Governor Hochul for expediting the next round of solicitations for offshore wind and land-based large scale renewable energy projects and helping ensure New York remains a national leader in the fight against climate change.”
New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento said, “We applaud Governor Hochul and NYSERDA on the publication of expedited offshore wind and land-based renewable energy RFPs. The projects built pursuant to these RFPs will be subject to precedent-setting statutory labor standards and protections. We thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to ensuring that New York’s clean energy future is built, operated, maintained, repaired, and manufactured by workers who earn good wages, and enjoy the benefits and protections guaranteed by union contracts.”
New York State Building Trades President Gary LaBarbera said, “If New York is going to meet the standard-setting climate goals set out by the CLCPA, we must get moving on key green infrastructure projects that will not only set us apart in renewable energy creation, but also generate thousands of good-paying, family sustaining union careers for hard working New Yorkers. This is why we applaud the expedition of solicitations for offshore wind and land-based renewable projects as we head into 2024. The submission and selection of proposals is an important first step in getting these crucial initiatives off the ground and unlocking a clean energy future that will improve the lives of all New Yorkers today and for future generations as we build a healthy environment to live and thrive in. Our tradesmen and tradeswomen look forward to driving forward these projects as they pursue the paths to the middle class forged by the unions worker who came before them.”
Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito said, “Transitioning to renewable energy and moving away from fossil fuels is a challenge, but New York is up for that challenge! Today’s announcement marks another important leap forward with an aggressive and strategic plan to bolster renewable energy development, and wean us off of dirty fossil fuel power plants. The public supports cleaner air and fighting climate change, and this transition will help achieve both important objectives. We commend Governor Hochul and NYSERDA for continuing to take the bold actions necessary to move New York towards a renewable energy future.”
New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State's nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35%, with a goal of 40%, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70% renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $55 billion in 145 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021 and over 3,000% growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and more than 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change.
Setting the standard: UBS Arena says it will soon make its own renewable energy and meet zero-waste goal
ELMONT, N.Y. -- On its second anniversary, UBS Arena on Long Island announced Tuesday it's going even greener.
First Offshore Wind Turbine Installed at South Fork
New York’s First Offshore Wind Project Marks Historic Milestone in Offshore Construction
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completed installation of the first offshore wind turbine for South Fork Wind, a historic milestone for New York’s offshore wind development and what will be the first completed utility-scale wind farm in the United States in federal waters. Once completed, the 130-megawatt offshore wind farm will address a growing reliability challenge for Long Island’s electrical grid, while also generating enough renewable energy to power approximately 70,000 Long Island homes, eliminating up to six million tons of carbon emissions, or the equivalent of taking 60,000 cars off the road annually over a 25-year period. Today’s announcement supports progress towards the State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to install nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035.
Long Island environmentalists renew calls for the Birds and Bees Protection Act
Save the Great South Bay to start grading ecological health of South Shore bays
Environmental groups putting pressure on Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign Birds and Bees Protection Act
LONG ISLAND -- Corn, wheat, and soybean seeds, pre-treated with pesticides, may be a thing of the past in New York state.
Environmental groups told CBS New York on Tuesday they are putting pressure on the governor to sign legislation targeting the protection of birds and bees.
Why Wind Works
Join us on November 30th for a virtual lunch and learn forum on Why Wind Works for New York
There has been a lot going on with offshore wind over the past year and we understand it may be hard to keep current! If you want important news and facts, then please join us for the upcoming Lunch and Learn entitled Why Wind Works, hosted by Citizens Campaign for the Environment and New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund.
Join us and a panel of experts to provide facts on why offshore wind works, why it is needed in our state, and what benefits it brings to several regions throughout New York. Learn more about the environmental impacts of offshore wind and the programs to protect marine life and our oceans as we move forward with this renewable energy infrastructure.
Our expert panel will include speakers from:
U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
NY State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
There will be an opportunity for Q & A with our expert panelists after the presentation.
Date: Thursday, November 30, 2023
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
This event is free and open to the public. Make sure you save the date and register today.
Thank you for joining us.
Sincerely,
All of us at CCE
WHAT HAPPENS TO PUBLIC LETTERS SENT TO THE GOVERNOR TO PROTECT BEES?
RETURN TO SENDER
Public comments addressed to the Governor, sent c/o NYS Ag and Markets, in support of the Birds and Bees Protection Act, were opened and sent back to grassroots advocacy group
Farmingdale, NY—Today, Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) received an opened and resealed package of public comments supporting the Birds and Bees Protection Act, sent to Governor Hochul via NYS Ag and Markets, with “return to sender” written on it. CCE, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots organization has been working to ensure the Governor hears from the public on critical environmental issues. Over a thousand postcards from the public have been sent to the Governor in support of this critical bill in recent weeks. With just a few weeks left for the Governor to sign this nation-leading environmental legislation, it’s critically important that the Governor hear from the public and that her staff values public input. However, the return of over 80 postcards indicates that the voice of the public is being dismissed and ignored.
Over the last several months, CCE has sent several packages containing signed postcards from members of the public to the Governor, via NYS Ag and Markets, requesting she sign the bill. They are being sent to Kevin King, Deputy Commissioner at NYS Ag and Markets. State agencies, including NYS Ag and Markets, provide important input to the Governor on bills being considered to be signed into law. This is the first-time public comments have been returned.
In response Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment said:
“In over 30 years of advocating on behalf of the public and sending New York Governors public correspondence, this has never happened. It’s highly disturbing and sends a message that public comments are not valued. CCE has collected and mailed approximately a thousand postcards from the public to the Governor, sent via NYS Ag and Markets, in support of the Birds and Bees Protection Act. To have them opened and sent back is insulting and demeaning to the public. Although his name is Kevin King, he should be reminded that there are no kings in our democracy, only public servants. We have been talking to the public about this bill and we hear how much they care about saving bees and protecting our pollinators. CCE works to ensure the public voice is being heard, and we need the Governor to listen and have access to her mail.”
The Birds and Bees Protection Act is science-based legislation that strategically eliminates unnecessary uses of neonics. Corn, soy, and wheat treated seeds account for an estimated 73% of all neonics used in New York. Lawn, garden, ornamental, and turf (aka cosmetic) uses make up an additional 15%. A 2020 report by Cornell University found that neonic treated corn, soy, and wheat seeds provide "no overall net income benefits" or yield benefits to farmers yet pose significant risk to bees and other pollinators. Likewise, cosmetic uses pose a high risk to pollinators but are easily replaced with safer alternatives. The Birds and Bees Protection Act will eliminate at least 85% - 90% of all neonics used in New York, protect water quality, food security, and ensure we are not poisoning our birds, bees, and pollinators with this toxic pesticide.
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THANKSGIVING WON’T BEE THE SAME WITHOUT BEES
Advocates call on Governor Hochul to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act and ban unnecessary uses of toxic neonics pesticides
For immediate release: November 14, 2023
Contact: Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director: 631-384-1378 (mobile), aesposito@citizenscampaign.org
Farmingdale, NY—Ahead of Thanksgiving, advocates came together to fight for the protection of one of earth’s most important species, bees, and call on Governor Hochul to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act. This law would ban the use of neonicotinoid (neonic) treated seeds for corn, soybean, and wheat seeds, as well as ornamental uses such as on lawns, gardens, and golf courses. The harmful overuse of neonics has devastated pollinator populations in New York. Honeybee keepers are losing over 45% of their colonies annually. These pollinator losses are attributed to the use of neonics, mainly from coated seeds. Corn, soybean, and wheat treated seeds account for over 73% of all neonics used in New York and ornamental uses make up an additional 15%. According to a 2020 report by Cornell University, these uses provide no net income benefit to users yet pose some of the highest risks to pollinators.
Many of the staples at the Thanksgiving table are pollinator dependent crops, such as pumpkins, squash, and apples. Unfortunately, the unnecessary use of neonics has decimated pollinator populations and as a result we are starting to see smaller yields of these crops. To avoid future Thanksgiving dinners without pumpkin pie, Governor Hochul must sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act.
View a recording of the press conference here.
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment said, “Governor Hochul, give us something to really be thankful for this Thanksgiving, sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act! This bill is the most environmentally important bill awaiting the Governor’s signature and the entire country is watching to see if New York acts as a leader. Our bees and pollinators are essential to produce so many of the foods we love at Thanksgiving. We can start thanking them by not continuing to poison them with toxic neonics. The bill needs to be signed without weakening amendments. We won’t settle for just a piece of the pie, Governor Hochul needs to go for it all and ban neonic treated corn, soybean, and wheat, seeds as well as ornamental uses. If the Governor can’t save the bees, we are going to rely on the Legislature to override her and save the bees themselves.”
Caitlin Ferrante, Conservation & Development Program Manager, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter said, “Science has shown that neonicotinoids are one of the main causes of an alarming crash in pollinator populations nationwide,” said Caitlin Ferrante, Conservation Program Manager, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. “The Birds and Bees Protection Act is an historic, nation-leading bill that will end the unnecessary use of these toxic pesticides and has been crafted to reflect the concerns raised by ag communities. The Sierra Club strongly urges the Governor to sign this important bill into law, to address the unnecessary use of neonics in treated corn, wheat, and soy seeds, and also in turf and ornamental environments. S1856-A/A7640 reflects key findings of NY’s own Cornell University. The Birds and Bees Protection Act is gearing up to be a defining moment for Governor Hochul’s environmental legacy and we urge her to sign it into law today.”
“Neonics are the most ecologically destructive pesticides since DDT, and extensive, state-commissioned research shows their largest and most widespread use—toxic seed coatings on corn and soybean seeds—provides $0 in benefits to New York farmers,” said Dan Raichel, Acting Director, Pollinator Initiative, Natural Resources Defense Council. “Add that to the bee losses diminishing fruit and vegetable production, extensive neonic water contamination, and the growing threats to New Yorkers’ health, and there is no good argument left for inaction. The Birds and Bees Protection Act gives the Governor a commonsense way to follow through on her stated commitment to pollinators and be the environmental leader New York State needs.”
Joy Flynn, Conservation Chair of Garden Clubs of America said “For the past two years, garden clubs in New York State have been advocating for the elimination of neonicotinoids on edible seeds and their use in home gardening products. The NYS legislature has passed the bill and we're counting on Governor Hochul to do the right thing and sign it into law."
Moira Alexander-Master Beekeeper said “Honeybees are an integral part of New York State's agriculture and economy. The income produced by the beekeeping industry for pollination services generates about $300 million with an additional $11 million dollars for the sale of honey. Honeybees are a vital part of our ecosystem and are part of the biodiversity on which we all depend for survival. It is in our best interest to protect them from harmful pesticides by signing this bill into law.”
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Highlights and Happenings: October 2023
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
Tell Governor Hochul to Save the Bees!
Bees are one of the most important species on the planet. Unfortunately, they are dying at an alarming rate. This loss of our bees and other pollinators has been largely linked to the excessive use of neonic pesticides. The Birds and Bees Protection Act was resoundingly passed by the NYS Legislature and is now waiting to be signed by Governor Hochul. This bill would ban the most harmful and unnecessary uses of toxic neonic pesticides. Help us fight the pesticide industry and protect our pollinators by sending an email to Governor Hochul and tell her it is time to save the bees and to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act! Then, join us and our partners on November 15th for a rally in front of Governor Hochul’s NYC office to call on her to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act into law. We will be hosting a press event on Long Island too, so stay tuned for more news!
NY Selects 4,000MW of Offshore Wind!
Despite some setbacks for offshore wind last month, there was one HUGE step forward. We joined Governor Kathy Hochul and many of our Wind Works partners as she announced the state’s largest ever investment in renewable energy. The state has selected three offshore wind projects, plus 22 land-based renewable energy projects, which will power a total of 2.6 million homes. This is a massive investment in offshore wind, with these three projects making nearly half of the state’s offshore wind goal of 9,000 megawatts (MW) by 2035. Congratulations to the awarded projects: Attentive Energy, Community Offshore Wind, and Excelsior Wind!
Happenings
Testifying in Support of Waste Reduction in Albany
One of our priority bills in NY is the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, which would hold manufacturers—not taxpayers—responsible for their waste. We were in Albany last month to testify to the Senate and Assembly in support of this bill to reduce plastic packaging, improve recycling, and save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually! Many thanks to Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Deborah Glick for their leadership on this issue. NY must get the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure act passed in 2024!
Heading to D.C. to Protect Long Island Sound
Our annual Long Island Sound Study Education Day was an absolute success! We met with our NY and CT Representatives to update them on all the progress the coalition made over the last year to restore Long Island Sound, and to push for increased federal funding to further these LIS protection programs. Thank you to all our coalition partners who joined us on the trip, and thanks to all our Representatives and Senators who met with us and who continue to be champions for protecting Long Island Sound.
The Problems with Artificial Turf
Throughout the nation, natural grass playgrounds and athletic fields are being replaced with “artificial” or “synthetic” turf. The use of artificial turf raises significant environmental, health, and safety concerns that parents, schools, and policymakers must be made aware of. Last month, we joined the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) to co-host a virtual educational presentation to discuss the significant problems associated with artificial turf, including water quality impacts, PFAS contamination, microplastic pollution, and more. If you missed it, check it out here.
Transitioning to Offshore Wind
New York is poised to be a national leader in offshore wind, with a mandate of 9,000MW of offshore wind by 2035. In addition to the announcement on 4,000 MW of offshore wind mentioned above, there were other important developments in October:
Empire Wind 2 Public Hearings and Wind Rally
In October, the NY Public Service Commission held public hearings in Long Beach on the Empire 2 project, which would power 600,000 Long Island homes via a cable connection through Long Beach to a substation in Island Park. We had a huge rally ahead of the hearing in support of offshore wind, particularly about the need to move forward with the existing projects and grant needed subsidies for offshore wind so we can hit our Climate Law targets. It was a fantastic rally with our environmental and labor partners.At the hearings, hundreds of people were in attendance and City Hall was packed. One thing is clear – NYS must move the cable route instead of taking their planned route through Long Beach. The Governor recently vetoed a bill alienating parkland to allow for the planned Long Beach cable route, so stay tuned for updates on what is happening Empire Wind 2 and the cable connection!
NY Denies Subsidies for Offshore Wind
Due to Covid, supply chain issues and inflation, the offshore wind developers for the projects already selected in NY (Sunrise, Empire, & Beacon Wind) requested subsidies from New York State to ensure they could viably move forward with their projects. In October, their request was rejected. We had joined many of our Wind Works NY partners in supporting the subsidies, without which we could see years-long delays in bringing these projects online, particularly for the early projects that are nearly through the approval process and have already made massive financial investments in the community. This was a major setback to our ability to reach our climate change mandate of 70% renewables by 2030. We are now urging New York to move forward quickly with a rebidding process to keep these early projects on track and ensure we do not lose four years of work!Our Offshore Wind Future, Part 2.
Back in July, we placed an 8-page educational piece, “Our Offshore Wind Future”, in the Long Island Herald. It was a big hit, so we’ve created another piece with even more great educational info about offshore wind. It just ran in local papers all along the south shore. Check out the new factsheet here.
Long Island Water Quality Summer 2023
We joined Stony Brook University’s Dr. Christopher Gobler in October to announce the water quality results for Long Island’s surface waters this summer. The news was not good! The 2023 Assessment of Water Quality Impairments for Long Island found more dead zones, toxic tides, fish kills, and a record-setting season for harmful algal blooms this past summer. Excessive nitrogen from sewage and septic systems has caused water quality impairments across Long Island and the problem is only going to get worse. This data highlights the need for a recurring revenue stream and significant investments to upgrade our wastewater infrastructure.
Fighting Contamination at the Brookhaven Landfill
Last month, a Newsday investigation found that Brookhaven Town had ignored whistleblower concerns about contaminated and improperly handled ash from local waste incinerators that was sent to the Brookhaven Landfill for disposal. This went on for years, and the Town sided with incinerator despite potential health risks to the local community. We joined the NAACP, Brookhaven Chapter for a press conference to call for an independent investigation into the dumping of potentially hazardous waste at the Brookhaven Landfill. This is just the latest in a long history of health concerns and environmental hazards associated with the Brookhaven Landfill. The community deserves better!
Working Together to Protect and Restore our Great Lakes
In October, we headed to Cleveland for the annual Healing Our Waters (HOW) Great Lakes Coalition Conference. The conference brings together advocates from all eight Great Lakes states to share information, visit successful restoration projects in Cleveland, and develop joint strategies to advance Great Lakes restoration. CCE serves as a state lead for the HOW coalition in New York State, and will continue working with our partners to advance Great Lakes restoration priorities in 2024, including addressing the impacts of climate change, fighting for environmental justice in Great Lakes communities, and more!
Understanding the Health Risks of 1,4-Dioxane on Long Island
Yale Superfund Research Center has crafted a study to better understand the impact of 1,4-dioxane exposure on Long Island residents. This spring, we launched our partnership with Yale to provide education and outreach to inform Long Islanders about this new, exciting program. If you live on Long Island and are interested in participating and finding out if you have been exposed to 1,4-dioxane, you can find out more here.
SBU News: Season of discontent In Long Island’s coastal waters
New 2023 Map Shows Record Number of Harmful Algal Blooms and Dead Zones Across Long Island
Scientists at Stony Brook University have completed their assessment of water quality in Long Island’s surface waters for 2023 and the news was not good –the announcement was made today at a press conference on the shores of Great South Bay. During the months of April through September, every major bay and estuary across Long Island was afflicted by harmful algal blooms (HABs), oxygen-starved, dead zones, and fish and turtles kills. Excessive delivery of nitrogen from onsite wastewater has been cited as the root cause of these disturbing events.
Great South Bay’s new harmful algal blooms are in unsewered communities, study finds
Court Orders and Threats of Fines Fail to Curb Rogue Long Island Mine
WHAT DOES IT TAKE to shut down a mine?
Court decisions, a restraining order, legal violation notices, and a stop work order apparently aren’t enough. Sand Land, a sand mine in the Hamptons, has faced each of these this year — and ignored them all.
The latest notice came earlier this month, when the Department of Environmental Conservation (dec) sent Sand Land a letter citing its repeated legal violations and threatening thousands of dollars in fines. Still, the mining has continued.
