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On October 7, 2022, the EPA proposed changes to the New Source Review Regulations (NSR) related to how fugitive emissions are treated in physical or operational changes to an industrial facility. Before a facility can begin construction on a major modification, an NSR permit must be granted by local or state governing body.

The CLCPA came into effect on January 1, 2020, and stands for the Climate Leadership Community Protection Act. It maintains the most ambitious climate change action in the country. The plan is geared towards switching our state over to clean energy and ensuring our communities have access to clean air. Clean energy is planned to come from a variety of different sources.

New York City has notoriously had an immense problem with food waste throughout its boroughs. It is estimated that less than 1% of organic waste get diverted from landfills. The borough-wide curbside composting program will turn food and plant waste from residents homes into soil used for city parks and community gardens.

The NYSDEC has been putting into consideration ways to limit PFAS in our environment and invites the stakeholders to attend a public meeting regarding the PFAS in Food Packaging Law. The webinar will include an overview of the planned implementation of the law in December 2022. PFAS is short for pre- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and is regarded as many as “Forever Chemicals”.

Last week President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, a historic climate change law that will take the most aggressive action on climate and clean energy in American history. The bill passed into the hands of President Biden after receiving a 220-207 vote from the U.S. House of Representatives will all Democrats voting in favor and all Republicans against.

Starting January 1st 2022, Institutions and Businesses throughout the state will be required to recycle or donate all food waste. This law will apply to all businesses that generate an annual average of two tons of wasted food per week. Food waste is all food that does not get used for its intended purpose.

Have you noticed that this summer has been surprisingly drier than those in the past? Each day we look at the forecast to see clear or partly cloudy skies, and maybe a small percentage of rainfall that doesn’t actually happen. Despite the beautiful summer days with no use of rain dates, the little to no rain in our forecast has placed Suffolk and 21 other counties in New York on a drought watch by the NYS DEC.

The Phase I ESA is performed as due diligence to assess the environmental health of a site. One year ago, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) modified how the assessment is performed. The new ASTM E1527-21 standard was released in place of the ASTM E1527-13 to adequately satisfy the Appropriate Inquiry Rule (AAI) as part of CERCLA.

In the world we live in today, new laws and regulations come out constantly regarding the protection of the environment and public health. Whether the regulations are regarding limiting greenhouse gas emissions, protection of groundwater, or limiting noise in a bustling area, it is important that your project is approved with all of the proper permits and certifications needed to operate at the desired level.

NYS has finalized the regulations that will reduce methane emissions from all oil and natural gas infrastructure throughout the state. These regulations will significantly improve the state’s chances of meeting its ambitious goal of reducing 14,000 tons of methane, and 2,000 tons of VOCs emissions per year. The regulations are set to take hold at different dates throughout the year.

On Monday, February 1st, the mayor of NYC announced that the Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice will better integrate justice work into the city’s comprehensive approach to climate change. The office unifies existing agencies and stresses for them to focus on environmental coordination and remediation, resiliency, and sustainability.

Nowadays, all of our electronics run on either single-use or rechargeable batteries. The makeup of these batteries differ depending on their intended use. It is estimated by the EPA that every year, millions of single-use and rechargeable batteries are bought by Americans and disposed of improperly. The materials that make up these batteries are precious metals that need to be recycled and recovered for reuse.

Just recently approved by Suffolk County Officials, a $400 million sewer expansion project funded by a combination of state and federal grants, is expected to kick off at the beginning of this month. Known as the Suffolk County Coastal Resiliency Initiative, the project will connect roughly 6,000 South Shore parcels and eliminate the use of thousands of cesspools and septic systems.

COP26 (Conference of Parties) is the United Nations Climate Change Conference that is scheduled to take place in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31st to November 12th. For 12 days, roughly 200 counties from all over the globe will meet to discuss the state of our planet.

For many of us, all we need to put a smile on our face is nice weather and a breath of fresh air. We are all very aware of why too. Whether we are taking a short walk or run, reading on a bench, or even just enjoying our lunch break at a picnic table, being outside makes us feel grounded.

In our day-to-day life, we are hearing more and more lately about how our actions affect our planet. Whether it is someone telling us not to litter or about the importance of recycling, many of us try to stay conscious about the advance effects of our actions. We will always need to get ourselves from place to place and heat our homes in the winter to stay warm.

On September 23, 2021, Major de Blasio of New York City, announced a $191 million offshore wind plan to propel New York City into being the number one destination for the off-shore wind industry. The plan is set to take place over the course of 15 years and ensures that the city will meet its climate goals of 100% clean energy by 2040 and carbon neutrality by 2050.

The change in the Earth’s climate over the past couple decades has revealed more information to us than ever before. Evidence has made it clear that we must change the way we generate electricity. Energy production is the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions and totals more than both vehicle and air travel combined.

Beginning January 1st, 2022, the DEC will place a ban on polystyrene containers and filling for packages. The DEC released these proposed regulations to build on New York’s environmental plans to reduce waste and litter. The first of these regulations was the ban on plastic bags from stores and the implementation of the food scrap recycling program and food waste prevention efforts.

Don’t you hate throwing out spoiled food from your refrigerator and cupboards? The first thought that pops into our minds is what a waste. Food waste is a huge contributor to the production of greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA, NYS DEC, and other environmental agencies have set a goal to achieve sustainable management of food to ensure that the right amount gets produced and that all of it gets used.

Do you ever drive past an abandoned gas station, strip mall or manufacturing site and wonder, why can’t someone make something out of this? These lots have a high possibility of containing hazardous chemicals that can be very dangerous for human health and the environment. Past contamination of these sites is something that must be identified and cleaned before any new development can take place.

Hot and humid summer days have more of an effect on us than just sweaty clothes and a desire to stay cool. The hot days have sparked an increased amount of poor air quality advisories throughout the state. With the effects of climate change knocking on our doors more persistently in recent years, poor air quality has spiked and become a common issue during the summer months.

One of the greatest threats to our world today is the changing climate due to the emission of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) into the atmosphere. Of those, the most concerning greenhouse gasses is methane (CH4) which is produced from agriculture, waste management, use of energy, and transportation.

Over the past few years, we have experienced a drastic increase in the number of devastating storms, poor air quality advisories, and wildfires. The evidence has been apparent for years to scientists, but it is just now becoming obvious to many others- the climate is changing. There is no use denying it. Over the past 30 years, the number of named storms, hurricanes, and severe hurricanes have increased significantly.

As time goes on, we run into new problems that arise from old practices. We are learning every day that many of the old practices we participate in are now out-of-date and are leading to a global catastrophe. The release of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) is causing our climate to gradually heat up creating the hottest summers and average temperatures of all time.