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Over a three-decade span, 71 percent of  industrial greenhouse gas emissions  - that is, emissions from factories and manufacturing - were fueled by just 100 fossil fuel producers. Researchers documented the pollution from these so-called  "Carbon Majors," companies including Chevron, BP and Shell , in a database that came to inspire  two dozen lawsuits . Now, climate activists are apply...

Backers of President Joe Biden's  rent cap proposal  said it could benefit many New Yorkers. The plan calls for capping rent increases at 5% in apartments owned by corporate landlords, or those landlords risk losing federal tax breaks. It comes as statewide rents are rapidly increasing. As of this month, New York City rents are 147% higher than the national average. Cea Weaver, campaign coordi...

New York  legislation  can address growing anti-trust concerns. The 21st Century Anti-Trust Act updates the state's aged anti-trust laws and closes loopholes companies have abused. This comes as an Institute for Local Self-Reliance  report  finds corporations in New York and nationwide leverage structural racism and use other tactics to establish market dominance. Susan Holmberg, associate dir...

A  new report  shows New York will have to delay its 2030 climate goals. The report from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority showed the state will be a few years off from its climate goals despite a fervent push toward renewables, due to pandemic-era inflation and growing clean energy demand. Marguerite Wells, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, s...

New York doctors are advising people how to stay healthy in the summer heat. Temperatures across the state will reach the high 80s and mid-90s in the coming days. Some climatologists estimate 2024 will overtake 2023 as the hottest year on record, and New York's average temperature has  risen 3 degrees  since the 1970s. Dr. Steven Foulis, a physician at UBMD Primary Care , said people need to a...

New Yorkers could see detrimental impacts from a proposed federal budget. The Republican Study Committee's  proposed 2025 budget  calls for sweeping cuts some experts feel are not fiscally responsible. It comes as congressional Republicans are calling for trimming government spending. Part of the budget extends Trump-era tax breaks benefiting corporations and wealthy people. Hae-Lin Choi, Dist...

New York is seeing ripple effects from Gov. Kathy Hochul pausing " congestion pricing ." The Metropolitan Transit Authority halted  numerous capital projects  like Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades at subway stations and track replacements. The pause is costing the state 100,000 jobs congestion pricing's $15 billion in revenue would have paid for. Rachael Fauss, senior policy...

New York human-rights groups want a program providing detained immigrants 500 free minutes of  phone calls  restored. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement terminated the program after pandemic-era funds ran out. Karim Golding, organizer for the nonprofit Freedom to Thrive, spent time in an ICE detention center for convictions which have since been overturned. He said mental health is important and...

Their efforts in the Empire State come as the group, which protects wilderness, working, and natural spaces, announced it has protected more than  1 million acres  of at-risk U.S. forestland. Studies show 13 million acres of forestland nationwide will be at risk in the coming decades due to many factors.

The report found New York has an  88% response rate  for 988 calls, slightly below the 90% standard. The report and some experts feel some improvements can be made.

The 2023 law bans natural gas and other fossil fuels in new buildings. All-electric cooking and heating will be required for new buildings of less than seven stories by 2026, and 2029 for taller buildings.

Regents exams  will no longer be a graduation requirement for New York State students. The State Department of Education announced the change several months after  reviewing the findings  of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures. Education advocates are grateful since studies show no evidence exit exams increase student achievement or raise a high school diploma's value. Juliet Eis...

A new report finds New York's rising cost of living and having living-wage jobs  are priority issues for young voters . Research shows a single person has to make almost $27 per hour to afford to live in New York State. On average, tipped-wage workers make almost $18 an hour with tips. One way to help young voters is  eliminating the $10 subminimum wage . Saru Jayaraman, co-founder and preside...

A new report found New York kids' well-being is improving despite lingering pandemic issues. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's  Kids Count Data Book  ranks the state 29th, up from 30th. While some indicators saw mild increases, education saw vast growth but it is not a sweeping victory. Fourth graders' reading and eighth graders' math proficiency dropped considerably since 2019. Abe...

New York State's legislative session has ended with climate bills a top priority. Legislation such as the  Climate Change Superfund Act  awaits Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature. Other bills such as the  Renewable Action Through Project Interconnection and Deployment Act  passed with the budget. The bill speeds up clean-energy project permitting and power grid interconnection. Marguerite Wells...

New York elected officials are kicking off a tour to tout the benefits of electric vehicles. The Elected Officials to Protect America tour is planning stops in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Georgia, to encourage state leaders to transition their states to EVs. New York  climate goals  stipulate all new cars sold in New York will be all-electric by 2035. Asm. Angelo Santabarbara, D-Amsterdam, said c...

New research shows younger New Yorkers have different ideas about civic engagement.

The new Buffalo Bills stadium may not be the best environmentally but it has some green qualities. The steel for the stadium is being made locally and climate-consciously, using an electric-arc furnace. Studies show the process emits  75% less carbon  than traditional steel manufacturing. Brian Raff, vice president of sustainability and government relations for the American Institute of Steel Cons...

With less than a month left in the New York Legislature's session, environmentalists are pushing for the  HEAT Act's  passage. Last-minute stalling from the Assembly kept it from being in the 2025 budget. The bill phases out gas line extension allowances and gives the Public Service Commission authority to align utility companies with the state's climate laws. Lisa Marshall, advocacy a...

New York's 2025 budget improves access to mental-health services. Budget legislation  stipulates commercial insurers have to pay rates similar to Medicaid for in- and-out-of-network behavioral health services. While many New York adults can access care,  younger people can't  because of insurance coverage. Matthew Shapiro - senior director of government affairs for the National Alliance on...

New York's  2025 budget  takes proactive steps to address rural housing. In the budget, $10 million was allocated for improvements to rural housing built by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's  Section 515 program . Rural housing organizations asked for $25 million but are grateful the state is taking action. Mike Borges, executive director of the Rural Housing Coalition of New York, said...

New York's  2025 budget  creates universal access to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid program. School districts statewide will have the resources to help high schoolers complete the application. Those who do not fill it out must sign a waiver stating they know of the available aid but are not pursuing it. Sen. Andrew Gounardes, D-Sunset Park, the bill's sponsor, said FAFSA'...

The state of New York is removing forever chemicals from various places, just as the Environmental Protection Agency  issued limits  on PFAS in drinking water.

New York's medical  aid-in-dying bill  is gaining further support. The Medical Society of the State of New York is  supporting  the bill. New York's bill allows terminally ill people with only six months to live to use this option, with safeguards requiring two physicians' approval.

New York State housing advocates say they are furious about the so-called "good cause eviction bill" in the  new state budget . It grants tenant protections to people in New York City but all other municipalities will need to opt in. It also requires renters to know their landlord's portfolio to determine eligibility for "good cause" eviction protections and the information...