Yonkers Insider: New York League of Conservation Voters.

 

Here’s what we’re reading this week:

 

Our Forum on Reducing Transportation Emissions: We recently held a forum on reducing emissions from the transportation sector as part of our series on implementing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. A recording of the forum is available here.

 

Congestion Pricing Delayed by the Trump Administration: The Federal Highway Administration has indefinitely held up approval of New York’s congestion pricing plan - one of NYLCV’s top priorities - refusing to raise any substantive concerns. NYLCV is working with other advocates to reach out to New York’s Congressional delegation and President-elect Biden’s transition team to emphasize the need to support transportation, and we are hopeful that we will see positive action on congestion pricing early in 2021. 

 

Green Tips: Shopping Smart for the Holidays: The holiday season has begun, and it’s a good time to green our shopping habits. Check out some of our tips below for shopping smart for the holidays. 

 

News Roundup:

 

Governor Cuomo signed a bill banning incineration of PFAS-laden firefighting foam. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are known as “forever chemicals' since they resist decomposing. PFAS compounds have raised concerns since they can persist in a person’s bloodstream for years. They are associated with illnesses such as thyroid disorders, cancer and other ailments, mostly in people where the public water supplies have been contaminated. (Albany Times Union)

 

A new ramp in New York City connecting the RFK Bridge and Harlem River Drive will help slash air pollution and improve traffic congestion in East Harlem. (Bronx Daily)

 

A harmful algal bloom in Lake George has diminished but residual blooms still remain in the lake. State officials and the Lake George Park Commission are monitoring nutrient levels. (Schenectady Daily Gazette)

 

Verdant Power’s East River Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy project has been in development since 2002. In late October, the initiative took another step forward when a new tidal power array consisting of three turbines was installed. The development of tidal power is a form of renewable energy that could have an important role to play in the years ahead. (CNBC)

The Youth Climate Program at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake near the center of New York state's Adirondack Park, won nearly half a million dollars from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) this fall to support and expand environmental literacy. The total $449,278 award extends across three years and will put in motion The Wild Center's youth project: "Empowering Rural Youth for Community Climate Resilience in New York State." (The Sun)

 

In 2010, the Swinomish tribe became one of the first communities to assess the effects of climate change and enact a climate action plan.  Their ambitious strategy caused an additional 50 Native American tribes to follow with their own climate strategies to protect their lands and waters. (Washington Post)

 

 

Sincerely,

New York League of Conservation Voters