Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as administator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Donald Trump.
Zeldin Confirmed To EPA; Environmentalists Ask That He Remember Roots
LONG ISLAND, NY — As the Senate confirmed former Rep. Lee Zeldin as administrator of the Environmental Agency, local advocates are imploring that he "hold strong and do what's right to protect our environment and our future."
Zeldin was confirmed by the Senate in a vote of 56 to 42, with two not voting.
"CONFIRMED! Thank you to the 56 senators for your vote and confidence," Zeldin wrote on X, adding that he was "grateful" to President Donald Tump for "having the faith in me to be part of his Cabinet as EPA Administrator."
Highlights and Happenings: January 2025
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Highlights
Fighting for our Environment in the NYS State Budget
This year’s New York State budget process is underway. In January, we testified at the Senate and Assembly Joint Hearing on Environmental Conservation and Energy to push for our top budget priorities, including investing $600 million in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, providing $500 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, increasing state agency staffing, and funding to fight climate change. Watch a recording of our budget testimony here.
Kickstarting Our Campaign to Advance Great Lakes Protection
In January, we celebrated the introduction of federal bipartisan legislation that would accelerate progress to restore our Great Lakes, protect drinking water, and support economic development in the region. The legislation reauthorizes the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), allowing up to $500 million annually in support of actions in New York and throughout the region to clean up toxic pollution, fight invasive species, protect drinking water, and more. We need Congress to pass this vital legislation before the program expires next year. Please contact your representatives in support of the GLRI today!
Pushing to Get Lead Out of Drinking Water
We joined with elected leaders, drinking water suppliers, and others at a press conference in Albany to call for increased funding in the NYS budget for replacing lead drinking water pipes. There is no safe level of exposure to lead, especially in children. New York State has an estimated 494,000 lead service providing drinking water to homes and businesses, from Buffalo to NYC. Federal regulations require that all lead pipes are replaced by 2037. Urge your representatives to support increased clean water funding in the 2025-26 state budget!
Happenings
Calling for Action at Assembly Hearing on Horseshoe Crab Protection
One of biggest legislative priorities in NYS this year is to protect horseshoe crabs. Last month our Executive Director, Adrienne Esposito, provided testimony to the NYS Assembly on the importance of protecting horseshoe crabs. This ancient species is being overharvested by commercial fishermen and the biomedical industry to the point where they face local extinction in New York. Last year, Governor Hochul failed to protect this vulnerable species by vetoing the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act. At the hearing we urged the NYS Assembly to reintroduce and pass the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act, replicate proven, successful protection efforts happening at the local level, and prohibit the taking of horseshoe crabs on state land. Watch a recording of our testimony here.
Updates on Our Work to Advance Offshore Wind:
• Offshore Wind Legislative Breakfast – We joined our partners at the NY League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Climate Jobs NY, Long Island Federation of Labor, and Nassau and Suffolk Counties last month to host the Long Island Offshore Wind Legislative Breakfast. It was a fantastic event where we spoke with elected leaders, key stakeholders, and offshore wind developers to discuss the future of offshore wind projects in New York and their impact on Long Island. Thanks to Vineyard Wind, Community Offshore Wind and Haugland Group for your presentation and a big thanks to all of the elected officials who attended for a great discussion.
• Follow Wind Works New York - We’re excited to share that Wind Works New York has officially moved to a new public Facebook page! Follow or Like Wind Works New York to get the latest updates on offshore wind news, events, and actions and share with the people you know who care about clean energy.
• A Windy Day on the Water – This past fall, we joined many of our Wind Works NY partners for an incredible trip out to see South Fork Wind, NY’s first offshore wind farm located 35 miles off the coast of Montauk. The project is now supplying clean, renewable energy to 70,000 homes on the south fork of Long Island. In fact, it is generating more power than expected! To find out more about the trip and South Fork Wind, check out our video, A Windy Day on the Water and check out our YouTube Channel for additional Offshore Wind Chats.
• Fighting for Battery Energy Storage - As part of NY’s transition to renewable energy, especially offshore wind, we will need to use battery energy storage systems (BESS). BESS systems store energy from renewable energy sources and deliver it when electricity demand is greatest, helping to create a more reliable grid. In January, we attended an excellent community forum on BESS hosted by Town of Brookhaven. The event featured presentations by NYSERDA and the Energy Safety Response Group followed by Q & A by a panel of experts. If you missed the event, you can watch the video here.
Planting Rain Gardens in Northport, LI
Over the past year, we have been working with the Village of Northport on Long Island to install new rain gardens on Bluff Rd and James Street. These 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 prevent pollution from entering our local waterways. To learn more, check our new video, Building a Rain Garden in Northport Harbor.
Upcoming: Long Island Water Quality Town Hall
We are joining Operation SPLASH and Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages to co-host a Water Quality Town Hall on March 6. Presenters will discuss critical water quality challenges on Long Island and explore the diverse solutions available to protect and restore our local waterways. This free educational forum will take place at the Valley Stream Village Hall Auditorium at 6pm. Please RSVP here if you’d like to attend.
Upcoming: Long Island Sound Summit
The Long Island Sound Coastal Watershed Network will be hosting its second LIS Summit on March 27 from 11am-2:45pm at Housatonic Community College in CT. The Summit is for everyone who lives, works, and plays in the Long Island Sound region. Clean water advocates, municipal leaders, and local individuals and groups looking for actionable ways to reduce their pollution contributions to LIS might find it especially engaging and helpful. This is a great opportunity to gather in person to learn, network, exchange ideas, and celebrate the work we’ve already accomplished for Long Island Sound. Registration will go live in the coming weeks so stay tuned and mark your calendars.
Bill Introduced to Reauthorize Great Lakes Restoration Funding
Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) and his 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.
Trump's halting of EPA limits on PFAS in drinking water "a tragic setback," Long Island environmentalist says
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. -- President Donald Trump has withdrawn a Biden administration plan to set new limits on chemical discharge into drinking water.
State regulators around the U.S. had been waiting for the Environmental Protection Agency to take the lead on PFAS requirements so they could incorporate effective monitoring and treatment into their discharge permits.
Trump Throws Wrench Into Offshore Wind, Putting New York’s Clean Energy Plans In Doubt
Navy agrees to more testing of private drinking wells near Grumman Calverton, sets open house
Facing renewed calls for clean water, the U.S. Navy has agreed to a new round of testing private drinking wells in the shadow of a former Grumman plant in Calverton.
The Navy is seeking permission from property owners in its sampling area to test drinking wells for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a class of manmade “forever chemicals” that have been linked to cancers, developmental disorders and other health impacts.
Lee Zeldin’s Confirmation as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
In the face of tragic environmental and economic impacts of climate change, nationwide PFAS contamination, degrading wastewater infrastructure and a growing need for renewable energy development, Americans need EPA Administrator Zeldin to hold strong and do what’s right to protect our environment and our future.
For more information, contact: Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director: 516-390-7150, aesposito@citizenscampaign.org
Farmingdale, NY – In response to Lee Zeldin’s confirmation as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment said:
“Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) congratulates Lee Zeldin on his confirmation as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The past Trump administration has a track record of anti-environment actions including rolling back critical water protections, attempts to halt renewable energy development, abdicating its responsibility to fight climate change, and prioritizing polluting industry profits over American’s health. In contrast, as a Congressman, Lee Zeldin fought to prevent offshore drilling on the East Coast, protected drinking water from PFAS, and supported offshore wind, all while living in a community directly impacted by climate change.
Wildfires continue to rage in California, sea level is rising, extreme weather events are now commonplace, PFAS and lead contamination in drinking water are rampant throughout America. Americans need the EPA to do its job. Americans need the EPA to provide us a future filled with promise, not a future filled with pollution. We are counting on Administrator Zeldin to remember his roots and past votes and to continue to fight climate change and stand strong against efforts to weaken protections for the air we breathe, the water we drink, and our family’s health. At the end of the day his job description is in the title, environmental protection. CCE looks forward to continuing to work with Administrator Zeldin in his new role to be the guardian of our nation’s environment.”
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
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.
Navy will test private drinking water wells near the former Grumman plant in Calverton for PFAS
Christmas trees can be recycled to help curb beach erosion, nourish soil, give habitat to wildlife
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.
Village receives environmental award for living shoreline project
Senator Harckham, Assemblymember Otis, and Advocates Call on Governor Hochul to Protect Clean Water in State Budget
New York State Senator Peter Harckham and State Assemblymember Steve Otis joined labor unions, local leaders, and environmental organizations at the Ossining Water Treatment Plan today to urge Governor Hochul to continue New York’s commitment to clean water programs in the upcoming state budget. Attendees, including members of the New York Clean Water Coalition, called on the Governor to invest $600 million in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in her executive budget proposal for FY2025-2026.
Environmental Advocates Press for More Clean Water Funding From State
Southampton's proposal to close sand mines near homes divides town
NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE RELEASES $3.5 MILLION STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN TO PROTECT AND RESTORE LONG ISLAND’S SOUTH SHORE ESTUARY RESERVE
Battery Energy Storage System Community Forum
New York is a leader in the fight against climate change, with targets of 70% renewable energy by 2030 and carbon neutral electricity by 2040. We are in the process of transitioning from polluting fossil fuels to renewable energy, including wind and solar energy.
As part of this transition, 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.
Brookhaven Town and Suffolk County Community College are hosting a free forum to provide information about Battery Energy Storage Systems. Qualified panelists will address community questions and concerns. There will be no live questions at the forum. Residents are strongly encouraged to submit their questions online by visiting brookhavenny.gov/battery.
Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Shea Theater
Suffolk County Community College Ammerman Campus
533 College Road, Selden, NY 11784
Thank you for your interest in battery energy storage!
Sincerely,
All of us at CCE
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.
