Water News: State Wide

More than 125 organizations including NYLCV joined together to hold a virtual lobby day in support of a range of environmental programs. Cutting environmental funding in 2021 would be pennywise and pound foolish, and we were glad to find on November 10th that so many of our state legislators agree.

Harmful algal blooms have been on the rise in bodies of water across New York State—arriving earlier in the year, sticking around later, and blooming more severely. New York State is taking the threat of HABs very seriously and has been working to both better understand the causes of HABs and develop better techniques for combating them.

New York has adopted historic and protective measures to ensure clean water quality for drinking supplies and public health.

The State Legislature recently passed several of our priority bills that will improve water quality, protect natural areas, remove toxins from our environment, and encourage clean transportation.

The Environmental Bond Act would allocate $200 million for wastewater infrastructure projects and $100 million for municipal stormwater projects in New York.

The $3 billion Environmental Bond Actwill provide $550 million for open space land conservation and recreation projects if approved by voters this fall.

The Environmental Bond Act, officially known as the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act, will be on the ballot November 8 (with early voting starting Oct. 29), giving New Yorkers the opportunity to pass the state’s first environmental bond initiative this century.