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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.

Organic materials comprise about 30% of NYC's waste stream, which amounts to 1 million tons of waste. That’s why the NYC Department of Sanitation launched a voluntary composting pilot program. It expanded over the past few years to serve 3.5 million residents but expansion was recently paused.

The impacts of Florence were and continue to be deadly. As hurricanes become more severe and more frequent, scientists have been able to better predict just how much of a role climate change has played in the intensity of these storms.

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.

A recent study by Data Driven Yale shows that sub-national efforts have the potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and represent a significant step forward in meeting the global temperature goals of the Paris Agreement.  However, they are still not enough to prevent the dangerous warming that will trigger increased heat waves, mightier storms, rising seas and displacement of people.  

A coalition of over 40 environmental, governmental, housing, labor, and real estate groups recently unveiled the Blueprint For Efficiency plan to mandate dramatic energy use cuts in New York City’s large buildings. In conjunction with the plans release, City Council Member Costa Constantinides announced plans to introduce legislation this fall that would reflect much of the plan’s recommendations. The plan and accompanying legislation come after two years of discussions and negotiations between the city administration, City Council, and stakeholder groups on how to address the biggest contributor to the city’s greenhouse gas emissions - buildings.