Public Health News

In New York, Harmful Algal Blooms are rising at an alarming rate. One cause of HABs is agricultural runoff, which occurs when chemicals from fertilizer end up in our waterways. Some houses in rural New York neighborhood leach nitrogen into waterways because they are not connected to a public sewer system. Another cause of HABs is climate change.

Governor Cuomo and DEC announced that the settlement funds will be invested in clean transportation including earmarking 40% for buses - a successful step forward in our Clean Buses for Healthy Niños advocacy campaign. DEC will prioritize these emissions reduction projects in environmental justice communities that have traditionally been overburdened by pollution, which leads to higher rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

This past July, New York City had to suspend its use of speed cameras after lawmakers in Albany were unable to renew the program. Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, and the New York City Council worked together and developed a solution to state lawmakers’ lack of support.

New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood is taking steps to preserve the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, which would have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 30% nationwide.

If you have been keeping up with the news lately, you are bound to have heard that this year is projected to be one of the hottest on record … again. New York suffers from increased temperatures compared to its suburbs and exurbs due to a phenomenon called the urban heat island effect.

The Trump Administration has rolled back federal clean car standards of vehicle fuel efficiency and emissions regulations, previously established under the Obama Administration as part of the Clean Air Act. The new regulations will revoke the previous standard held for car manufacturers which obligated them to create more fuel-efficient vehicles every year.

As part of Vision Zero, DOT is bringing streets into the public realm by building pedestrian plazas. Turning streets from car-filled conduits into attractive places to relax makes city streets more inviting for pedestrians and help drivers become more aware of the need to drive slowly and attentively.

As climate change effects become increasingly more prevalent, people will be forced to move to safer spaces. A World Bank report predicts that the developing world could experience more than 140 million climate migrants.