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During Scott Pruitt’s tenure, it became evident that fighting climate change and protecting our environment would not be the EPA’s priority.  There is little reason to believe that new Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler will be any different.

While New York City’s municipal sanitation workers collect waste and recycling from our curbsides by day, private carting companies are responsible for collecting from commercial properties at night. Community advocates and city policymakers have been combating environmental, health, and safety issues within the commercial waste industry.

Justice Anthony Kennedy was a key proponent of environmental protection in cases posed to the court. If Judge Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed as his replacement, many court-watchers worry about the future of environmental protection.

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.

The Community Risk and Resiliency Act was signed into law in 2014 after NYLCV and other environmental advocates pushed for its passage. The Department of Environmental Conservation recently released two new flood management documents developed under the CRRA that address flood risk and sea-level rise, as well as approve state funding for mitigation and resiliency programs.

During Lobby Day on Capitol Hill, NYLCV met with Congressmembers about three main issues: the need to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), protecting the clean car standards, and drawing attention to the newly-launched Clean Energy for All Campaign. The team stressed the importance of maintaining New York’s leadership role on green energy and clean air.

Improper drug disposal is an issue that affects us here in New York and across the nation. While researchers in Washington State recently found water contamination from improperly disposed drugs, New York State recently approved a policy to combat this issue.

As part of the Reforming Energy Vision initiative, the New York State Department of Public Service, Con Edison, National Express, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority are participating in a demonstration project to operate five electric school buses throughout the White Plains public school district. The plan is for school buses to operate normally through the year and charge at night, while in the summer months they will be plugged into the grid and used as energy storage assets.