NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today filed a lawsuit against JBS USA Food Company and JBS USA Food Company Holdings (JBS USA), the American subsidiary of the world’s largest producer of beef products, for misleading the public about its environmental impact. JBS USA has claimed that it will achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, despite documented plans to increase production, and therefore increase its carbon footprint.
This spring, through our Audubon in the Parks partnership and as NY co-lead for the Healing Our Waters coalition, Audubon hosted three young conservationists from the Great Lakes basin to attend "Great Lakes Day 2024" in Washington D.C., where they were invited to share their stories and passion for the health of the Great Lakes with legislators.
Photo by Tom Fisk: https://www.pexels.com/photo/bird-s-eye-view-of-landfill-3181031/
New York State is suffering from a solid waste and recycling crisis—recycling costs for municipalities and taxpayers have skyrocketed, recycling rates have declined, and our environment and health are suffering from pollution caused by excessive plastic packaging. Currently, corporate brand owners bear no responsibility in managing the product packaging waste they have created.
To help address this solid waste crisis, the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S.4246B/A.5322B) has been introduced by Senator Harckham and Assemblymember Glick in the NYS Legislature. The policy requires product manufacturers—not taxpayers—to be responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling the packaging they create. If passed into law, this legislation will reduce packaging waste, increase recycling, eliminate toxic chemicals in packaging, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save local governments across the state over $400 million annually!
Plastic packaging and paper recycling are in crisis: New York generates more than 17 million tons of municipal solid waste annually. An estimated 40 percent of that waste is composed of product packaging and paper products, such as plastic containers, steel cans, plastic film, glass bottles, paper, and cardboard. Unfortunately, less than 20% of this waste is being recycled properly. Instead of being recycled, much of this waste ends up as litter in our communities, shipped to landfills, or burned in trash incinerators.
Costs to local governments—and taxpayers—have skyrocketed: Municipalities were once getting paid for recyclables, but now they must pay to recycle. Instead of generating revenue from recyclables, many municipalities face recycling costs in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars per year. The solid waste and recycling crisis is estimated to cost New York’s local governments over $400 million annually. Local officials are now forced to consider raising fees on residents and/or reducing the recycling services provided to their communities.
New York’s waterways are suffering from increased plastic pollution: All too often, plastic packaging is littering our communities, ultimately making its way into our treasured rivers, lakes, bays, and ocean. Plastics do not biodegrade once they enter the environment—instead they break down into tiny pieces known as microplastics, which are frequently mistaken for food and ingested by fish and other aquatic wildlife. Recent research indicates that Lake Erie contains 381 metric tons of plastic—more than 50 times greater than the previous estimates at the surface. In NY/NJ Harbor Estuary, there are an estimated 165 million plastic particles floating in the water at any given time. In Long Island Sound coastal communities, voluntary clean ups report finding over 110,000 pounds of marine debris on beaches over the course of 8 years.
Large Brands are Failing to Take Responsibility: Currently, manufacturers bear no responsibility for recycling the packaging waste they create. Large brands have externalized the cost of disposing of and recycling packaging onto our municipal recycling programs and local taxpayers. For example, an estimated 165 billion packages are shipped in the U.S. every year, and yet companies currently bear no responsibility for managing any of this packaging waste that their businesses create. Instead, taxpayers and local governments are shouldering the financial burden of packaging disposal and recycling—the cost to New York State’s local governments is estimated at over $400 million annually.
The Solution to Reducing Waste and Saving Taxpayers Money: Hold Manufacturers Responsible for their Waste! The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (often referred to as Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR) would require manufacturers to take responsibility for their products throughout their entire product life cycle, by bearing the cost of properly recycling their packaging. Not only does this provide relief to taxpayers, but it also requires producers to minimize packaging materials, improve recyclability, and reduce the toxicity of their products. These policies have existed in Canada and the EU for decades and resulted in recycling rates upwards of 80%.
Thank you for taking action. Together we make a difference!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE
Image by Joshua Choate via Pixabay
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Fighting for Clean Water Infrastructure
Since 2017, New York has invested $5 billion in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, and this funding has produced significant results for clean water from the Great Lakes to Long Island Sound. But there is still work to be done to address New York’s $80 billion drinking water and wastewater infrastructure needs. In her Executive Budget, Governor Hochul proposed to slash this critical funding in half. We are calling for $600 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the SFY 2024-25 budget. Last month, we joined Assemblymembers Michaelle Solages and Keith Brown for a bi-partisan press conference highlighting the need for this funding. The good news is that both the Assembly and Senate have restored the funding in their one-house budgets, but the fight continues to make sure clean water funding makes it into the final budget. Now is not the time to turn off the tap for clean water infrastructure funding, we need to increase state investments in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act. If you haven’t yet, take action today!
Victory! Construction of NY’s First Offshore Wind Farm is Complete
We were thrilled to join Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to flip the switch on South Fork Wind. This is NY’s first offshore wind farm, with 12 turbines now powering 70,000 homes on the south fork of Long Island. New York is officially receiving clean renewable energy from offshore wind power. Thank you to all the leaders, civics, environmentalists, and labor organizations working together to forge a clean energy path!
Fighting for the Great Lakes in Washington, D.C.
We led a team of Great Lakes advocates—students, business leaders, and environmental advocates—to meet with New York’s Congressional delegation in D.C. on Great Lakes Day. Our group shared stories of successful restoration projects from Buffalo to the eastern shore of Lake Ontario and called for continued investment in Great Lakes protection. Specifically, we are calling on Congress to reauthorize the successful Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which would provide the program with $500 million annually over 5 years to continue cleaning up toxic hot spots, restoring habitat, protecting drinking water, and more!
Advocating for our Ocean, Estuaries and Great Lakes in Albany
New York’s environment, economy, and public health are dependent upon the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). From Buffalo to Long Island, all New Yorkers benefit from the numerous programs and projects in the EPF. One important line item in the EPF is the state’s primary source of funding to initiate projects to protect and restore our Ocean, Estuaries, and Great Lakes. We joined advocates from across the state fighting to support $25 million for crucial work to protect and restore our ocean, estuaries, and Great Lakes, within a $400 million EPF.
Charging Ahead with Route Zero
In March, we were proud to stand with New York League of Conservation Voters, Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages, Assemblymember Charles Lavine, and Nurses Alliance for Healthy Environments to urge the EPA and the Biden Administration to move forward with Route Zero vehicle pollution standards. These standards would reduce emissions from heavy trucks and buses, which will provide significant environmental and public health benefits to our communities!
Talking Waste at UBS Arena
Last month, we had a great time participating in the first ever Sustainability Conference at UBS Arena on Long Island. We participated in the waste panel to talk about Long Island’s recycling crisis, how we can reduce waste and improve recycling locally, and how the NY Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act will ensure manufacturers, not municipalities, are responsible for dealing with the waste they produce. Thanks to UBS Arena for inviting us and for a lively event.
Transitioning to Offshore Wind
In addition to the major announcement on the completion of the South Fork Wind Farm, there are other important announcements on offshore wind:
Sign the Offshore Wind Petition – Take action today to show your support for offshore wind! As New York’s offshore power kicks into action, it’s a critical time to come out strong for a clean energy future. Join us in urging Governor Hochul's administration to grow New York's renewable energy, including offshore wind! Sign the petition today!
BOEM approves Sunrise Wind - The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has issued a Record of Decision approving Sunrise Wind. This project will be built off the coast of Montauk and provide 924MW of renewable energy to Long Island homes via a cable connection to the Holbrook substation. Sunrise Wind is now the next offshore wind project moving forward for NY and gets us closer to meeting our climate mandates, including 9,000 MW of offshore wind by 2035. The project developers, Orsted and Eversource, have also taken a Final Investment Decision on Sunrise Wind. This is another huge step forward for offshore wind in NY.
Lunch and Learn: Battery Storage Basics - As part of our transition to offshore wind, we will need to use battery energy storage systems (BESS). These systems provide capacity that will reduce our reliance on fossil fuel based generated power, thereby providing significant environmental and public health benefits. They will also help stabilize the energy grid as we move towards achieving our state energy mandates, powering thousands of homes and bringing significant economic benefits to our region. In March we hosted a virtual event with our partners at the NY League of Conservation Voters. Check it out here.
Upcoming Lunch and Learn: Propel NY - We will join our partners at the New York League of Conservation Voters for a webinar on Propel NY Energy. The Propel team will be giving updates on their proposed project to bolster the electric transmission network through parts of Long Island, New York City and Westchester County and create clean energy pathways to deliver clean energy, including offshore wind. Wind - developed by RWE Offshore Renewables and National Grid Ventures. Join us on April 9th at noon, register today.
Upcoming; Earth Day Advocacy Day
Join us and our environmental partners in Albany on April 16th to make your voice heard in support of key bills to protect New Yorkers and our environment. Urge legislators to pass bills that protect drinking water quality, reduce solid waste, prevent lead poisoning, promote clean energy and environmental justice, and much more! Register today and we will see you in Albany!
Upcoming: Clean Water Symposium: Global Challenges and Local Solutions.
We are joining North Shore Land Alliance to co-host a conference that will bring together leaders in the field of water science. Leading experts will update attendees about the condition of local water, including surface water and drinking water. There will also be a robust panel discussion that will focus on solutions that both municipalities and homeowners can use to address the protection of Long Island’s critical natural resources. The symposium will be held on Thursday, May 16th, 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm at the Gold Coast Cinema at the LIU Campus in Brookville. Register here.
Upcoming: Protecting Northport Harbor
We are working with Village of Northport, LI to install 2 new rain gardens on Bluff Rd and James Street. Rain gardens prevent polluted stormwater runoff from reaching local waterways. They capture, store, and filter contaminants while protecting the shoreline and harbor. Join us April 10th at 7pm at Northport Village Hall for a presentation and to offer your feedback on this beneficial new project and learn more about the importance of protecting Northport Harbor from polluted runoff. Register here.
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. Last year, 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. Later this month, we will hosting a free community forum at the Hicksville Library so residents can learn more about this groundbreaking study and how they can participate. Join us on April 22nd from 7:00-8:30pm. Register today.
Join Citizens Campaign for the Environment and the NY League of Conservation Voters Education Fund on April 9th for a free informational Lunch and Learn presentation with Propel NY Energy. The Propel team will be giving updates on their project to bolster the electric transmission network through parts of Long Island, New York City and Westchester County to create clean energy pathways for delivering clean energy, including offshore wind. The Propel project was selected by New York State in June of 2023. The Propel project includes nearly 90 miles of new underground transmission and several new sub stations to aid NY in achieving our climate goals. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026 to put the project in service in 2030.
This is a great opportunity to learn about Propel NY Energy and have a discussion with their team. There will be an opportunity for Q & A after the presentation. We hope you can join us. Please register for this free Zoom event today!
When: Tuesday, April 9, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Thank you for joining us!
Sincerely,
All of us at CCE
Much of New York’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure is aging and failing. As a result, sewage is overflowing into waterways, emerging contaminants are being discovered in drinking water, and water main breaks are closing streets and businesses. Critical funding to fix our water infrastructure is at risk of being cut in the final state budget that is due April 1—we need you to take action today!
The NY Clean Water Infrastructure Act has been funded at $500 million annually since 2019, yet Governor Hochul has proposed to cut funding for this successful program by 50%, down to $250 million, in her 2024-2025 executive budget proposal. To make drinking water safe and affordable for all New Yorkers, protect our environment, and create jobs, Governor Hochul and the legislature must restore full funding to the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the final 2024-2025 NYS budget! Email Governor Hochul and legislative leaders today.
Since 2017, New York has invested $5 billion in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, which has made significant progress in upgrading sewage treatment plants, filtering toxic contaminants out of drinking water, replacing lead drinking water pipes, replacing failing septic systems, protecting drinking water at its source, and more. This is helping to make drinking water safe and affordable, protect our environment, and create thousands of good jobs in every community across the state.
While progress is being made, now is not the time to turn off the tap on clean water infrastructure funding. The state has conservatively estimated that it will cost about $80 billion to upgrade our wastewater and drinking infrastructure over 20 years. This massive estimate does not include the cost of complying with two forthcoming federal regulations—the first will require New York to replace nearly 500,000 lead drinking water pipes over the course of a decade and the other will require an estimated 300 communities across NYS to remove toxic PFAS chemicals from drinking water. Complying with these important public health protections will cost billions of additional dollars.
Governor Hochul and the legislature must continue to invest in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act to provide clean and affordable water for all New Yorkers. Governor Hochul and the legislature should provide $600 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the 2024-2025 NYS budget!
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
All of us at CCE
They’re doing it for the shellfish.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation and U.S. Food and Drug Administration have just announced a joint effort to track the ebb and flow of Patchogue wastewater.
To that end, the agencies will conduct a hydrographic dye study of wastewater from the Village of Patchogue Wastewater Treatment Plant on Hammond St. from March 24 to March 30.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine at an environmental symposium on Wednesday, March 13 at Stony Brook University.
This year marks the beginning of the end for Brookhaven Landfill.
That is what spurred discussion among industry groups and environmental advocates at an environmental symposium on Wednesday, March 13 at Stony Brook University, seeking answers for the future of waste disposal on Long Island.
State officials and the Food and Drug Administration are using a water-tracing dye to track Patchogue's wastewater in order to protect consumers of shellfish harvested in waters off Long Island's South Shore.
On March 25, wastewater from the Patchogue wastewater treatment plant will be treated over a period of 12.5 hours with low concentrations of dye, as part of a study to understand the treated effluent discharging into the Patchogue River and Patchogue Bay.
MONTAUK, NY — It was a milestone day in Montauk Thursday as Governor Kathy Hochul today, alongside other elected officials, announced the completion of the South Fork Wind project, with all 12 offshore wind turbines constructed and the wind farm successfully delivering power to Long Island and the Rockaways.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, and Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) recently introduced the bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024, which extends this critical program for another five years through 2031, and increases annual funding levels from $475 million in 2026 to $500 million from 2027 through 2031.
Rain Gardens, also referred to as “green infrastructure,” use natural landscapes and native plantings as a successful and cost-effective way to reduce flooding, save energy, prevent polluted runoff, and increase property values.
Citizens Campaign for the Environment and the Village of Northport are working together to install two new rain gardens on Bluff Rd and James Street. There is already a successful functioning rain garden built in front of the Northport Yacht Club. Rain gardens prevent polluted stormwater runoff from reaching Northport Harbor and Long Island Sound. They capture, store, and filter contaminants while protecting the shoreline and harbor.
Join us for a presentation on this beneficial new project, offer your feedback, and learn more about the importance of protecting Northport Harbor from polluted runoff.
Date:
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Time:
7:00pm
Location:
Northport Village Hall, 224 Main Street, Northport
The event is free and open to the public — please register here.
Thank you for joining us!
Sincerely,
All of us at CCE
Governor Kathy Hochul today, alongside the United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and other elected officials, announced the completion of the landmark South Fork Wind project, with all 12 offshore wind turbines constructed and the wind farm successfully delivering power to Long Island and the Rockaways. Today marks a historic milestone as New York becomes home to America’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm.
Join Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Operation SPLASH and The Nature Conservancy at the next Operation SPLASH meeting for new updates on restoring our Western Bays. After 15 years of advocacy, we have good news!
The forum will review the scientific need for diverting sewage from the Western Bays, provide updates on the connection of the South Shore Water Reclamation Facility (Bay Park Sewage Plant) and Long Beach Sewage Treatment Plant to an existing ocean outfall pipe at the Cedar Creek Sewage Treatment Plant, and provide an overview of upgrades that already made to South Shore Water Reclamation Facility. There will be a panel discussion at the end to answer your important questions!
When:
Tuesday, April 2, @ 7:30pm
Where:
Operation SPLASH Building
202 Woodcleft Ave
Freeport, NY 11520
Speakers:
Representatives from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Nassau County, and Veolia
Adrienne Esposito, Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Carl Lobue, The Nature Conservancy
Rob Weltner, Operation SPLASH
The Western Bays are dying. The science has been very clear— treated sewage effluent entering into Reynolds Channel is choking our bays. For over a decade, we advocated for significant upgrades to the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant and to divert the treated sewage to the ocean instead of the bay. New York State and Nassau County are advancing a monumental project, which is close to completion, known as The Bay Park Conveyance Project that uses an aqueduct under Sunrise Highway to connect the SSWRF and Long Beach Sewage Treatment Plant to an existing outfall pipe at the Cedar Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. This plan saves money and time—a win for the Western Bays and the public.
Thank you for joining us!
Sincerely,
All of us at CCE
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said Wednesday he would convene a meeting of the county’s 10 towns to begin discussing plans for a regional solid waste program to prepare for the closure of the Brookhaven landfill.
Speaking at a Stony Brook University environmental symposium, Romaine warned the landfill closure, expected by early 2028, would have a ripple effect across Long Island as contractors and municipalities ship more waste to out-of-state landfills — boosting construction costs and taxes.
Under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s leadership, New York has been a national leader in funding the protection of clean water, but now is not the time to rest on our laurels. Given the massive clean water needs that exist throughout New York, it’s perplexing that the governor proposed to slash clean water funding by 50%, from $500 million down to $250 million, in this year’s budget.
New York State has conditionally awarded new contracts to the developers of offshore wind farms with the goal of countering headwinds that the industry has faced since South Fork Wind went online.
