Latest News: Federal

We're in for a major shift in political power come January. And our environment will be better for it. With the White House trying to undo environmental progress, New Yorkers fought back.

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.

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.  

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.

Over the last fifty years, there has been a major increase in extreme weather, such as heat waves, droughts, and intense hurricanes. One of the most direct ways we experience the effects of climate change first-hand is when our communities are hit with extreme weather - and we can expect extreme weather events to increase in frequency and severity over time.

China recently shut its borders to plastic imports, creating a mounting recycling crisis in New York, and across the western world.

Technology and digital innovations have had a positive impact on our environment - we have the internet to thank for a large reduction of paper and waste. But these innovations can also have negative impacts that we should be aware of.

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.