Putting Out the Planetary Fire

In Tuesday’s State of the State, Governor Hochul announced that she was further delaying implementation of her cap-trade-and-invest program to put a price on greenhouse gas emissions. Caroline Chen of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest talks to Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine why this is bad news for environmental justice.

On Tuesday, January 28, over 200 advocates came to the State Capitol to join faith leaders and elected officials to urge the state legislature to pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act and the Bigger Better Bottle Bill, kicking off this year’s campaign to end plastic pollution, save tax dollars, provide new revenue for localities, reduce plastic packaging, and protect New Yo...

On Tuesday, January 28, the NYS legislature held a twelve hour hearing on the environmental and energy issues in Governor Hochul’s proposed state budget. Many expressed concerns about the slowing down of climate action by the Hochul administration, including the ongoing delay in implementing some form of carbon pricing. In part two of our coverage, we hear from Laurie Wheelock, Executive Director...

The State Legislature has begun their marathon hearings on the state budget, with 12 issue areas spread out over 4 weeks. The Environment and Energy was one of the first hearings on Tuesday Jan. 28. The public had to wait 8 hours before they were allowed to testify for 3 minutes as lawmakers spent hours asking questions - with often vague answers - from state agency heads. Governor Hochul's re...

On Tuesday February 4, several hundred climate activists were at the State Capitol to promote the Renewable Heat Now Campaign. The main push was to finally pass the NY Heat Act. The Act, which has passed the NYS Senate, Would stop subsidies for gas expansion (e.g., the 100 foot rule); would align state agency actions (e.g., PSC) with the state's climate law (CLCPA); and would cap utility bills...

A new report found that gaps in environmental regulations enabled 89 million gallons of landfill leachate, chemically-laced water runoff, to be dumped into the Mohawk and Hudson rivers annually from 2019 to 2023. Many communities obtain their drinking water from these rivers. Leachate is created as water such as rain or snow melt percolates through landfills, becoming toxic after picking up chemic...

On December 17, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace held a forum on Climate Change and Resource Wars. Many wars are fought over access to resources, such as oil and rare minerals, major factors in the present conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. The military accounts for an estimated 5% of the global greenhouse emissions and diverts critical funds from the transition to a clean energy future. In this report w...

Rewiring America has released Breathe easy: Household electrification as a public health intervention to improve outdoor air quality, a new analysis that models the health benefits of electrifying homes in communities across the U.S. Electrifying the nation’s homes would notably improve outdoor air quality, leading to 3,400 fewer premature deaths, 1,300 fewer hospital admissions and ER visits, 220...

The three day occupation at the Capitol which began on Dec. 10 to urge Governor Hochul to sign the Climate Superfund Act ended by joining a press conference outside the Assembly chambers on Dec. 12 in support of the Renewable Heat Now campaign, one of a dozen regional events across the state. The campaign includes support for the Renewable Capitol Act and the NY HEAT Act. In part 2 of our coverage...

Rewiring America has released Breathe easy: Household electrification as a public health intervention to improve outdoor air quality, a new analysis that models the health benefits of electrifying homes in communities across the U.S. Electrifying the nation’s homes would notably improve outdoor air quality, leading to 3,400 fewer premature deaths, 1,300 fewer hospital admissions and ER visits, 220...

In June, in the closing hours of the legislative session, Governor Hochul upheaved the political world by shockingly unilaterally announcing that she was pausing congestion pricing in downtown Manhattan, apparently in an effort to help Democrats with suburban voters. Now that the election is over and with her facing several lawsuits over her action, Hochul has announced that congestion pricing wil...

On Saturday, November 9 elected officials, city residents and environmental leaders gathered on the banks of the Hudson River near the BASF toxic waste site in the City of Rensselaer to express strong opposition to a new incinerator project being proposed by a New Jersey company called Harbor Rock. In part two of Hudson Mohawk’s coverage, we hear from Rensselaer Mayor Mike Stammel; Bob Welton of R...

On Saturday, November 9 elected officials, city residents and environmental leaders gathered on the banks of the Hudson River near the BASF toxic waste site in the City of Rensselaer to express strong opposition to a new incinerator project. A New Jersey company called Harbor Rock is eyeing the property to incinerate river sediment from the bottom of the Hudson River and possibly other rivers and...

Nov. 13 - The state Department of Environmental Conservation has denied the various air and waste permits for the controversial biochar plant proposal in the Town of Moreau. The company wanted to process up to 15 percent of the biosolids generated in New York without first demonstrating that its process works at scale and is protective of human health and the environment. Tracy Frisch of the Clean...

New Yorkers will gather at the State Capitol on Dec. 10 to 12, with some participants pledging to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience, to underscore the urgency of the climate crisis. The three-day sit-in demands Governor Hochul sign the Climate Change Superfund Act, part of a growing national movement to hold Big Oil accountable. Sheldon Pollock of Third Act talks to Mark Dunlea of Hudson Moh...

On December 10 to 12, climate activists held a 3 day occupation of the state capitol to call upon Governor Hochul to sign the climate superfund act into law to make polluters pay. A few days before the rally, Governor Hochul began negotiations with the state legislature on changes she wants. The Climate Superfund Act would raise $75 billion over 25 years from the largest greenhouse gas emitters ov...

The three day occupation at the Capitol which began on Dec. 10 to urge Governor Hochul to sign the Climate Superfund Act ended by joining a press conference outside the Assembly chambers on Dec. 12 in support of the Renewable Heat Now campaign, one of a dozen regional events across the state. The campaign includes support for the Renewable Capitol Act and the NY HEAT Act. The NY HEAT Act will cap...

200 climate activists rallied at the Capitol on Tuesday December 10 to get Governor Hochul to sign the climate superfund Act. In part one, we hear from rally organizer Michael Richardson of Third Act and Blair Horner of NYPIRG. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

The three day occupation at the Capitol which began on Dec. 10 to urge Governor Hochul to sign the Climate Superfund Act ended by joining a press conference outside the Assembly chambers on Dec. 12 in support of the Renewable Heat Now campaign, one of a dozen regional events across the state. The campaign includes support for the Renewable Capitol Act and the NY HEAT Act. The NY HEAT Act will cap...

Climate Can’t Wait, a collaborative of dozens of climate groups, has given Governor Hochul a D minus on a climate report card, including implementation of the state's climate law (CLCPA) passed five years ago. The report graded the Governor on 13 policy implementation and legislative proposals. Ruth Foster talks to Mark Dunlea for the Hudson Mohawk Magazine You can listen to an interview with Mark...

Public Power NY says that the draft plan by the New York Power Authority to build renewable energy falls short of the state's climate goals. Alex Patterson of Public Power NY discusses the plan with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine. (Press release 

On October 11 and 12, Siena College hosted a two- day symposium on sustainability, integral ecology and climate justice. We hear about climate justice from the keynote speaker, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine

Siena College hosted a two- day symposium on climate justice on October 10-11. We hear from two of the panelists who responded to the opening remarks by the UN Secretary General. We hear the concluding remarks from Medha Palnati a Siena graduate and current medical student. We then hear from Rev. Kathryn Beilke of Beyond Plastics. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine

On Tuesday October 22, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander announced a plan to develop a new policy to exclude prospective private markets investments in downstream and midstream fossil fuel infrastructure for the portfolios of three of the City’s public pension systems, expanding upon prior divestment actions. This would make the NYC funds the first pension systems in the country known to do so...

A new report shows how scaled-up demand management can accelerate the phasing out of New York City’s harmful fossil fuel power plants—which disproportionately impact the most vulnerable New Yorkers—while ensuring a reliable and resilient energy grid. The report shows how governments can avoid costly investments in fossil fuel infrastructure, reduce energy burdens for ratepayers, and meet the state...