Putting Out the Planetary Fire

Divest NY Endorses NYS Comptroller Candidates

The climate crisis is upon us. The upcoming summer is expected to be brutal with dangerous heatwaves, severe drought across the country, wildfires, and extreme storms. We know the solution to the climate crisis is to stop burning fossil fuels, yet, despite his commitment to divest from fossil fuels in 2020, Comptroller DiNapoli continues to invest heavily in Exxon, Shell, Chevron and other Big Oil companies that continue to destroy our climate. In addition, continued investments in risky fossil fuels have hurt the pension fund. Ruth Foster of Divest NY talks with Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine as to why the group decided to endorse comptroller candidates Drew Warshaw and Raj Goyle in the democratic party primary. Ruth also discusses the effort to shut down the Sheridan Ave. Steam Plant and convert the Capital Complex to renewable energy, including geothermal.

100 Rally for Moratorium on Data Centers

More than one hundred New Yorkers were at the Capitol on Wednesday April 13 calling for a three-year moratorium on new data-center development while the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) complete comprehensive reports evaluating the industry’s current and projected effects on electricity rates, energy use, water resources, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and electronic waste, and issue new regulations to mitigate those negative impacts. At the rally, we hear from Eric Weltman of Food and Water Watch, Assemblymember Anna Kelles, Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Reverend Dr. Majadi Baruti of PUSH Buffalo, and Assemblymember Dana Levenberg. This has been Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Hundreds Rally at Capitol for Packaging Reduction (Part 1)

On Monday May 11, several hundred people attended Beyond Plastic’s lobby day and rally. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act – known as PRRIA – would require producers of single use packaging to reduce the amount by 30% over 12 years and ban 13 toxic chemicals from packaging. The bill has twice passed the Senate but the Assembly Speaker has refused to let it come up for a vote despite having a majority of members as co-sponsors. The sponsors recently did an additional 38 amendments to the bill to help with its passage. In part one of our coverage, we hear from Senator Rachel May; Kurt Kruperman of Capital District Zero Waste; Yvonne Taylor of Seneca Lake Guardian; singer Taina Asili; Assemblymember Chris Eachus; and Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Hundreds Rally at Capitol for Packaging Reduction (Part 2)

On Monday May 11, several hundred people attended Beyond Plastic’s lobby day and rally. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act – known as PRRIA – would require producers of single-use packaging to reduce the amount by 30% over 12 years and ban 13 toxic chemicals from packaging. The bill has twice passed the Senate but the Assembly Speaker has refused to let it come up for a vote despite having a majority of members as co-sponsors. However, a few days after the rally, the Speaker announced that the Democratic members of the Assembly would be reviewing the legislation in conference. The sponsors recently did an additional 38 amendments to the bill to help with its passage. In part two of our coverage, we hear Dr. Charles Moon of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Chris Alexander of the NYS NAACP Conference, Assemblymember Deborah Glick, and Jay Buckiewicz of the Peekskill NAACP. This has been Mark Dunlea for the Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Farmers, Environmentalists Sue Trump Over EPA Cuts

Environmental groups and Alaskan tribes sued the Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency for unlawfully repealing the endangerment finding and motor vehicle emissions standards. The EPA’s 2009 endangerment finding is the scientific determination that greenhouse gas pollution harms public health and welfare.. The rollback ignores established science and removes critical safeguards at a time when farmers need them the most. Every season, farmers are navigating more uncertainty – excessive rain, lack of rain, excessive heat, and everything in between. Wes Gillingham of Wild Roots Farm and NOFA-NY talks ot Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine.