Long Island, particularly Suffolk County, has a serious drinking-water problem, and the New York League of Conservation Voters is urging local government leaders to take action to help remedy the problem. Long Island gets its drinking water from a single source underground aquifer. Groundwater filtrates into the aquifer, often carrying pollutants that exceed EPA standards.

Governor Kathy Hochul recently vetoed A. 6652/S. 4162, known as the Class C Streams bill, which was designed to protect New York’s streams by putting them under the supervision of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection. Given the recent veto, NYLCV is calling for the bill to be included in the Governor’s Executive Budget.

Late last week City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced her appointees for committee chairs. The most important chairs to keep an eye on for sustainability, and building a greener city, are those for environmental protection, transportation, parks, sanitation, and resiliency. Housing, health, and finance are also important chairs that can help facilitate environmental legislation. 

As New York City begins strategizing for the new year, our new administration and Council Members have the opportunity to start making transformative investments in our environmental infrastructure and resiliency. NYLCV’s newest Policy Agenda lists what issues should be made top priority in the transportation, energy, public health, conservation, and environmental justice sectors, and highlights the legislative opportunities that will get us there. We hope to build upon our progress made last year and continue making bold policy decisions for the good of our community. Below are some of the main points made in this year’s Policy Agenda.

Read more about The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) and NYLCV Education Fund (NYLCVEF) 2022 State Policy Agenda.

The deal secures an investment of $1.2 trillion, some of which will be used to fund new climate resilience projects, such as electric school buses, EV infrastructure, zero-low emission public transit, the removal of lead pipes & PFAS to improve drinking water, and pollution remediation. These investments are part of a comprehensive effort to both build resilience against the climate crisis and completely stop it in its tracks, and it marks the largest federal investment into infrastructure in U.S. history.