Putting Out the Planetary Fire

A new NYPIRG–Environment America report found that 42% of New York State public schools had at least one drinking or cooking water outlet testing above the state’s 5 parts per billion (ppb) lead limit, representing over 12,000 outlets statewide . Blair Horner discusses the report with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Elizabeth Kolbert will speak on Sat. Sept. 26 at 3:45 PM at UAlbany as part of the 9th Annual Albany Book Festival with the NYS Writers Institute. Kolbert is one of America’s best-known journalists covering the climate crisis and the natural world. Her new book is Life on a Little-Known Planet: Dispatches from a Changing World (2025), a landmark collection of her most important pieces, and a New Y...

September 25 was the close of the public comment period to the State Public Commission (PSC) on the state’s Advanced Nuclear Policy Options Paper, which lays out potential approaches to Governor Hochul’s desire to add five new nuclear power plants. Three dozen lawmakers submitted a letter urging the PSC to reject any public subsidies for the nuclear power expansion. Fred Harrison, a long time util...

Environmentalists are calling on Starbucks to stop telling customers that its single-use plastic cold cups are “widely recyclable,” after a nationwide tracking investigation by Beyond Plastics could not confirm a single cup being recycled. As part of a national week of action, a protest will be held at the Starbucks at 1244 Western Ave. in Albany (near UAlbany) on Saturday Oct. 3 at noon. Alexis G...

“Climate hushing” refers to the trend among some U.S. Democrats to downplay or avoid talking about climate change, focusing instead on issues like affordability, It has also become a trend in the media, with fewer stories highlighting the issue., such as making the connection between extreme weather and global warming. Covering Climate Now is a global journalism initiative dedicated to improving a...

From September 28 to October 14, Beyond Plastics has organized 22 actions in 11 states targeting Starbucks . Environmentalists called on Starbucks to stop telling customers that its single-use plastic cold cups are “widely recyclable,” after a nationwide tracking investigation by Beyond Plastics could not confirm a single cup being recycled. In NY groups pushed for the state legislature to finally...

The 108 mile Women’s Water Walk to protest the Constitution Pipeline ended on October 6 at the NY State Capitol. Prior to their press conference at the Capitol urging Governor Hochul to deny the water permit, Mark Dunlea talked to Owl (Ramapough Lenape), Erin Dudley of the Waterfall Unity Alliance, Ashni Sanders of the Mumbets Freedom Farm, Ethan Gormley of Citizen Action, and Sandra Owén:nakon De...

After completing the Women’s Water Walk, a 108 mile walk along the route of the proposed Constitution pipeline, participants rallied at the Capitol to urge Gov. Hochul to stop the project. We hear from Renee Vogelsang of Frack Action, Karenna Gore of the Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary; and Tanja Konwinski of Warnerville NY.

On Tuesday, June 30th, nine events were held across New York State to oppose Governor Hochul’s nuclear proposals as too expensive and bad for the environment. At the state Capitol in Albany, we hear from Mark Dunlea for PAUSE / 350Albany; Ethan Gormley of Citizen Action; Isaac Silberman-Gorn of Frack Action; Peter Lavenia of Green Party of NY; and Tom Ellis of Upper Hudson Peace Action.

On June 30 and July 1, events were held in nine communities to express opposition to Governor Hochul’s proposal to build 5 nuclear power plants. Ann Heindenrich of the Campaign for a Nuclear Free North Country talks to Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine. about why they feel nuclear is too expensive, too slow, and too toxic.

July 28 - Climate hushing is a strategy where politicians deliberately avoid mentioning climate change. It stems from the belief that emphasizing planetary crises alienates voters or draws unwanted scrutiny amid rising costs of living and political polarization. Following the 2024 elections, many elected Democrats scaled back explicit climate mentions, pivoting instead to narrow messaging on energ...

On August 5, the developers of Kenwood Commons in the South End of Albany made a presentation to the Council of Albany Neighborhood Associations. The proposal includes data and tech centers along with housing, with the goal of adding a grocery store and child care center. The developers also did a Q and A with the 100 or so attendees, which included a number of climate and energy advocates. We her...

On Tuesday, August 11, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, the lead sponsor of the bill for a one-year moratorium on data centers, held a press conference along with community groups to announce the New York Fights AI Data Centers statewide tour from August 22 to August 30. The Senator will be visiting 13 sites with active or proposed data centers across New York State to hear the concerns from impact...

August 18 - Environmental Advocates of NY has released their annual scorecard of the state legislature on key issues. They also analyze the environmental actions of Governor Hochul.. stating that it has been Two Steps Back, One Step Forward, starting with the weakening of the state’s climate law (CLCPA). Vanessa Fajans-Turner, Executive Director of EA, talks with Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magaz...

August 20 - Jason West, the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Albany, talks with Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine about the status of the update to the City’s Climate Plan.

Audio from press conference.. On Thursday, August 27, 75 local activists and community leaders gathered at Albany City Hall to highlight overwhelming local resistance to unfettered data center development and call on Gov. Hochul to sign a strong data center moratorium bill, the Responsible Data Center Development Act. The event is part of the statewide ‘Stop Data Centers’ tour being led by bill sp...

Sept. 1, 2026 - A federal court judge has struck down New York’s climate superfund law, holding that the attempt by the state to require companies to pay $75 billion over 25 years for the damages from their air pollution is pre-empted by the federal Clean Air Act. The state is expected to appeal. Blair Horner of NYPIRG, which helped pass the law, discusses the situation with Mark Dunlea for Hudson...

On Thursday, June 4th, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace is sponsoring a forum on the issue of data centers coming to the Capital District and their impact on electricity and water use. A main focus in the proposal to redevelop the old Kenwood Center in the South End of Albany. Professional engineer Oliver Holmes talks with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine. The event will be at 7 PM at the Bethl...

Governor Hochul wants to build 5 new nuclear reactors in New York, starting with one by the New York Power Authority. Legislation has been introduced to enact a 2 and a half year moratorium on any state financing of any nuclear power plants so that an independent financial and environmental analysis can be done. From a press conference on Wednesday May 27th we hear from lead Assembly sponsor JoAnn...

Press conference on last minute push to pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act.

On Thursday, June 4, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace held a forum on data centers with a focus on the proposal for the one in the old Kenwood Convent in the South End of Albany. We hear from one of the presenters, Isaac Silberman-Gorn of Frack Action. Much of the data center explosion in the US is being driven by the development of artificial intelligence. We hear from Joe Lombardo of the United Ant...

In 2021, New Yorkers voted overwhelmingly to amend the state constitution with what became known as the “New York Green Amendment” (NYGA): “Each person shall have the right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment.” The Earth Law Center works with municipalities and community leaders to help translate this constitutional right into meaningful local policies. Flo Perez and Gary Bowitch d...

On Tuesday night, New Yorkers voted in the Democratic primaries to send public power champions, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier to congress and eight socialists will join the increasingly powerful bloc of state legislators in Albany demanding the New York Power Authority (NYPA) step up and build at least 15 gigawatts (GW) of public renewables. Valdez supports building a federal public...

No Kings Collective Albany joined with Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace and Delmar Indivisible to hold a protest on Saturday, June 20th, against the proposed data center at the old Kenwood Convent in Albany’s South End. The rally took place outside of the offices of the City of Albany Planning Board at 200 Henry Johnson Boulevard. Speakers raised issues such as excessive energy demand, water impacts,...

On Tuesday, June 30 at 11 AM, concerned residents and climate groups will hold a media event at the State Street entrance to the Capitol in Albany to announce opposition to Governor Hochul’s ill-advised plan to drastically expand expensive, dangerous nuclear power production throughout the state. The event is one of 9 events happening throughout New York on Tuesday as part of a statewide day of ac...