Latest News: Federal

The EPA is looking to weaken the Clean Water Act (CWA) enforcement process by decreasing states’ authority to enforce the law. The proposed changes target states like New York that have used the CWA to block or delay projects that may harm the environment.

The Endangered Species Act helps conserve biodiversity in ecosystems around the country. However, recently-approved changes to the way the ESA is enforced will weaken protections for thousands of protected species

Slowly but surely, school districts across the country are initiating programs to introduce electric school buses as a cleaner way for students to get to school.

Legislation geared towards PFAS and 1,4 Dioxane contamination passed with near-unanimous support in both chambers of the State Legislature late last month positioning New York as a national leader in addressing both contaminants.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently finalized its repeal of the Clean Power Plan. It will be replaced by the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, a less stringent regulation.

With the continuation of the Land & Water Conservation Fund now guaranteed, we now need to draw our attention towards ensuring that the Fund receives its full appropriation every year.

Recently, a delegation from NYLCV joined members of 29 other state LCVs across the country as part of the largest Capitol Hill lobby day in the history of the conservation voter movement.

In December 2018, most of the Transportation and Climate Initiative states committed to developing a clean transportation policy by the end of 2019. But New York was not part of that commitment. NYLCV joined other advocacy groups in Our Transportation Future to press for New York to act and advocate for the best approach to address emissions from the transportation sector.