Highlights and Happenings: January 2025

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 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.

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.”

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

Highlights and Happenings: December 2024

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

Gearing Up to Turn off the Tap to PFAS in NYS in 2025!
In recent years, communities across NY and the nation have discovered their drinking water sources are contaminated with harmful PFAS chemicals. These toxic chemicals are unnecessarily added to many of the products we use every day, such as cookware, cleaning products, dental floss, children’s products and more. Due to widespread use, PFAS chemicals have been polluting our drinking water, soil, air, and even our bodies. To protect public health, drinking water, and the environment, NY needs to pass legislation in 2025 to ban PFAS from a number of everyday products. Take action today and urge your elected representatives to support passage of this critical legislation in 2025! 

Important Bills to Fight Climate Change Signed into Law at the End of 2024 in NY! 
While it’s been years since we worked to successfully ban hydro-fracking (which uses water to extract gas) due to its inherent threats to our climate, water, and health; a company recently attempted to exploit a loophole by offering leases to residents in the Southern Tier to extract gas by instead injecting CO2 into shale formations (which poses similar threats to our environment as hydro-fracking). To close this loophole a bill was signed to prohibit the process of fracking using CO2 in NY. Additionally, the Climate Superfund Act, which will require fossil fuel corporations, rather than taxpayers, to pay for the cost of damage caused by climate change and to make NY more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Once implemented, this “polluter pays” law is expected to generate $3 billion per year for NYS.

---

Happenings

Governor Vetoes Horseshoe Crab Protection Bill 
Horseshoe crabs have existed for over 350 million years, having shared this planet with the dinosaurs. Sadly, the species is now vulnerable to local extinction unless action is taken soon. Horseshoe crab populations are being depleted, and one contributing factor is the commercial fishermen who catch them and chop them up for use as bait. Horseshoe crabs are an essential species in the food web. In order to save the horseshoe crab, and the species that depend upon them, the New York State Legislature passed a bill to ban harvesting of horseshoe crabs. Unfortunately, Governor Hochul vetoed the bill in December, leaving horseshoe crabs on the chopping block and at risk of further population loss. Thanks to the thousands of you who sent emails and made calls in support of the bill. We will keep fighting to save the horseshoe crab! 

Protecting New York’s Water in 2025 
Much of New York’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure is aging and failing, putting public health and our environment at risk. New York State has made significant investments to upgrade water infrastructure in recent years; however, much more needs to be done to provide clean water for all New Yorkers. To make drinking water safe and affordable for all New Yorkers, protect our environment, and create jobs, we are urging Governor Hochul and the legislature to provide at least $600 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the 2025-2026 NYS budget! Email Governor Hochul and your elected representatives today!

Updates on Our Work to Advance Offshore Wind 

• 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 December, we urged Town of Babylon to not extend their moratorium on battery storage and to move forward with zoning changes that will allow good BESS projects to move forward. Unfortunately, Babylon passed a moratorium extension. Several other Long Island towns have moratoriums or extensions to existing moratoriums up for vote in the coming months, so stayed tuned for more info on how you can help support BESS. We also joined Jupiter Power for a public meeting on their proposed 275-megawatt battery energy storage system in Glenwood Landing, New York. 

• Upcoming: Battery Storage Educational Forum - The Town of Brookhaven will be hosting a free community meeting on January 21, 2025, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Shea Theater at Suffolk County Community College. There will be a panel of experts to discuss how battery energy storage systems work and address safety concerns. You can register and submit questions in advance here. 

Celebrating the South Shore Estuary Reserve Awards 
The South Shore Estuary Reserve is a unique network of 173 square miles of bays along Long Island’s south shore. In December, we joined the South Shore Estuary Reserve (SSER) Office to host the 2024 SSER Stewardship Award Breakfast. Thanks to all who joined us to celebrate our progress in protecting the South Shore Estuary Reserve and learn what is needed for the future. Congratulations to our 2024 SSER Stewardship Awardees: Village of Patchogue, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, and Tom Wilson from Stony Brook University. 

Saying No to Sandmining Southampton 
Sand mining operations have threatened Long Island’s sole source aquifer and public health for decades. Last month, Southampton Town held a public hearing on the Proposed Amortization of Nonconforming Sand Mines, which would allow the town to prevent these sand mining operations that have contaminated drinking water for decades. We testified in support of finally closing down these harmful mines. You can check out our testimony here.