Long Island Clean Water Symposium: Global Challenges and Local Solutions

Join us for this informative and free event to hear from global and local water experts!

Citizens Campaign for the Environment, North Shore Land Alliance, and The Nature Conservancy are co-hosting 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 this critical natural resource. This event is free, but advanced registration is required! Register today.

• Raingardens and native plants 

• Low-nitrogen septic systems

• Better lawn fertilizers

Topics include: 

• Innovations in water technology 

• Drinking and surface water quality 

• Land conservation and water quantity 

Date: Thursday, May 16, 2024
Time: 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Location: Long Island University Student Center Auditorium 
720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville, NY 11548

Keynote Speaker: David L. Sedlak, Author and Professor of Environmental Engineering at University of California, Berkeley

David Sedlak is a Vice Chair for Graduate Studies and Plato Malozemoff Professor of Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley. Sedlak’s research focuses on the fate of chemical contaminants, with the long-term goal of developing cost-effective, safe, and sustainable systems to manage water resources. Sedlak’s research has addressed water reuse—the practice of using municipal wastewater effluent to sustain aquatic ecosystems and augment drinking water supplies—as well as the treatment and use of urban runoff to contaminated groundwater from contaminated industrial sites as water supplies. 

Sedlak also received the Fulbright Specialist Award for New Zealand in 2019 and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2016, one of the highest honors given to an engineer, among other notable achievements. Sedlak is also the author of "Water 4.0", a book that examines the ways we can gain insight into current water issues by analyzing the history of urban water systems.

Featured Speakers:
Dr. Christopher Gobler, Director, Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Expert Panelists:
Brian Schneider, Program Development Specialist, U.S. Geological Survey
Lisa W. Ott, President & CEO, North Shore Land Alliance
Kevin McDonald, Long Island Senior Policy Advisor, The Nature Conservancy
Patti Wood, Executive Director, Grassroots Environmental Education
Nancy Seligson, former Town Supervisor for the Town of Mamaroneck
Derek Betts, District Manager, Nassau County Soil & Water Conservation District
Justin Jobin, Environmental Scientist at Coastal Wastewater Solutions
Thomas Murphy, Building Inspector and Code Enforcement, Village of East Hills
Rusty Schmidt, Landscape Architect at Nelson Pope and Voorhis

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

Turn Off the Tap to Dangerous PFAS Chemicals Now!

New York State Must Ban PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in Everyday Products

In recent years, communities across NY and the nation have discovered their drinking water sources are contaminated with harmful PFAS chemicals. PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are very persistent, meaning they build up in our bodies and don’t break down in the environment. New science indicates that there is no safe level of exposure to PFAS in our drinking water and we must do more to protect public health from this growing threat.

New York State is considering legislation that will ban the use of PFAS chemicals in a host of everyday products. The use of PFAS in these products is unnecessary, contributes to harmful PFAS pollution, and threatens public health. Take action today and urge your elected representatives to support passage of this critical legislation today!  

Background

What is PFAS and where does it come from?
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products for many decades, due to their non-stick, grease-resistant and waterproof properties. PFAS is used in cookware, packaging, textiles, furniture, adhesives, paint, and numerous other products. According to the U.S. EPA, there are 3,500 industrial sites across New York State that may be handling or using PFAS chemicals.

PFAS Threatens our Health
Studies show that human exposure to PFAS is widespread—it’s estimated that 98% of people in the U.S. have PFAS compounds in their blood. Exposure to PFAS can lead to higher rates of kidney and testicular cancer, higher cholesterol levels, thyroid problems, adverse developmental effects and decreased immune response in children, and other adverse health impacts.

PFAS Pollutes our Environment and Drinking Water
Due to widespread use of PFAS chemicals in numerous products and industries, PFAS chemicals have become ubiquitous in the environment, including our soil, air, and drinking water. Testing has revealed some levels of PFAS in approximately 50% of public water systems across NYS, with about 250 water systems exceeding NY’s drinking water standards for two PFAS chemicals—PFOA and PFOS. EPA recently adopted stronger drinking water standards for several PFAS chemicals, which will cause an estimated 296 additional communities across NYS to exceed standards and have to treat drinking water for these harmful chemicals.

It’s Time to Turn Off the Tap to PFAS!
As we make important progress to remove PFAS from our drinking water, it does not make sense to continue using more PFAS and allow more contamination to occur! New York must get serious about limiting further PFAS contamination by banning unnecessary uses of PFAS in products. New York has already enacted laws to limit PFAS in firefighting foam, food packaging, carpets, and apparel; however, there are numerous other products that continue to use PFAS unnecessarily.

Legislation has been introduced in New York State (A.3556C/S.5648C) that bans the sale of PFAS in a host of everyday products—textile articles, rugs, fabric treatments, cookware, ski waxes, architectural paints, children’s products, anti-fogging sprays and wipes, dental floss, and cleaning products, beginning in 2026. This bill targets products in common use for which there are ample alternatives, and in most cases, restrictions already exist in other states or countries. Email your elected representatives and urge them to support a ban on PFAS in everyday products now!

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely, 
All of us at CCE

Victory for Clean Water! New York State Budget Restores Crucial Clean Water Funding

Proposed cut is rejected with final budget providing full funding at $500 million for clean water infrastructure projects

CCE applauds elected leaders for securing vital funding that helps to provide safe and affordable drinking water to New York’s communities

For immediate release: April 19, 2024

For more information, contact:

Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, 516-390-7150, aesposito@citizenscampaign.org

Brian Smith, Associate Executive Director, 716-472-4078, bsmith@citizenscampaign.org

Albany, NY— Today CCE is celebrating the allocation of $500 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act (CWIA) included in the final 2024-25 state budget. The CWIA program allows communities to upgrade sewers and septic systems, fix drinking water pipes, install treatment technology for emerging contaminants, protect source water, and more. Since 2017, New York has provided $5 billion for this important program, which has provided significant results for New York’s environment and economy. While previous budgets have allocated $500 million per year for clean water, Governor Hochul originally proposed $250 million in her SFY 2024-25 Executive Budget proposal. The Senate and Assembly budgets both proposed to restore the funding for this important program, and $500 million for the CWIA was ultimately included in the final budget.

Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director at Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE), issued the following statement:

“Citizens Campaign for the Environment is thrilled that Clean Water Infrastructure Act funding, which helps protect our water from its source to our taps, was restored in this year’s budget.  New York has made significant investments in clean water in recent years, but it’s only a drop in the bucket of the $80 billion needed to upgrade aging wastewater and drinking water infrastructure over 20 years. Our communities continue to struggle with nitrogen pollution and harmful algal blooms caused by aging sewage infrastructure, sink holes and water main breaks, lead pipes, and emerging contaminants such as PFAS and 1,4-dioxane in drinking water. Ignoring these problems does not make them go away. It will only become more expensive over time while putting our environment and public health at greater risk.

Robust funding in recent years has helped to advance numerous successful clean water projects, and we are thrilled to see funding restored in this year’s budget, which will allow communities to continue progress toward safe and affordable drinking water for all New Yorkers. CCE thanks environmental champions Senator Harckham and Assemblymember Glick, along with Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Stewart Cousins, and Governor Hochul for working to restore this critical funding in the final budget.”

Join Us for a Community Meeting on 1,4-Dioxane and Public Health!

CCE and the Yale Superfund Research Center will be hosting a free community meeting to discuss the impacts of 1,4-dioxane in drinking water and Yale’s new health study on Long Island

1,4-dioxane is a contaminant of concern in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. This chemical, referred to as a "forever chemical," has been used in industrial practices and common household products including shampoo, body wash, laundry detergent, baby products, and dish soaps. The EPA classifies 1,4-dioxane as a likely carcinogen, but its effects on public health are still not well known. Unfortunately, Long Island had some of the highest levels of 1,4-dioxane in drinking water in the nation. 

The Yale Superfund Research Center is in the initial phase of investigating 1,4-dioxane exposure on human health in Long Island communities. CCE has partnered with Yale Superfund Research Center in a 1,4-dioxane health study for Long Island residents. This critical study seeks to engage Long Island residents to participate in this drinking water and blood sample health study.  

To learn more about this groundbreaking study, please join our community meeting with the Yale Superfund Research Center. 

When: Monday, April 22, from 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Where: Hicksville Public Library, 169 Jerusalem Ave, Hicksville, NY 

Register Today!

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,
All of us at CCE

What to know about the EPA's new limits on "forever chemicals" in drinking water

SOURCE:

https://youtu.be/jewwCKF9h8Q?si=8ct7koONpvQLaTmT

April 10, 2024

Reduce Waste and Increase Recycling in New York

Photo by Tom Fisk: https://www.pexels.com/photo/bird-s-eye-view-of-landfill-3181031/

Hold manufacturers—not taxpayers—responsible for their waste! 

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!

Email your NYS Assemblymember, NYS Senator, and Governor Hochul. Urge them to support passage of the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act this legislative session!

BACKGROUND

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%.

To learn more about the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, visit CCE’s YouTube playlist.

Thank you for taking action. Together we make a difference!

Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE

Highlights and Happenings: March 2024

Image by Joshua Choate via 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

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! 

---

Happenings

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.