Riverkeeper unveils 2025 Policy Agenda to safeguard NY’s waterways and communities
January 8, 2025
Riverkeeper Team
Riverkeeper highlights solutions to protect clean water and the environment across NY with first-ever policy agenda
January 8, 2025 (OSSINING, NY) - Riverkeeper today announces the release of our 2025 Policy Agenda, underscoring the budgetary, legislative, and regulatory solutions on the local, state, and federal levels necessary to protect and restore clean water across New York. Our Policy Agenda includes a wide range of policy solutions to meet the growing number of challenges facing our communities and waterways. This includes strengthening protections at all levels, while strongly opposing any rollbacks to critical safeguards.
Jeremy Cherson, Riverkeeper Associate Director of Government Affairs said:
“Protecting the Hudson River and the communities that depend on it requires an expansive vision spanning local, state, and federal government, and that is what our policy agenda provides. In 2025, Riverkeeper will fight to gain ground where we can and defend against attempts to roll back environmental protections that benefit communities and wildlife alike. In this new political climate, New York State and New York City have an outsized role to play in advancing local solutions to clean water and environmental protection, and Riverkeeper will push state leaders to both embrace the opportunities and confront the challenges head on.”
Emily Ruby, Riverkeeper Advocacy and Policy Coordinator said:
“New York City faces multiple overlapping challenges from climate change, including from rising sea levels, coastal flooding, inland flooding from extreme rainfall, extreme heat, and prolonged drought. Investing in water infrastructure at the local and state level is crucial to ensuring a resilient future for New York City and its residents. In 2025, Riverkeeper will work with city leaders to move forward solutions to clean water and climate resilience that will protect New York City for decades to come.
Riverkeeper is urging that the upcoming New York State and New York City budgets include critical increases to funding compared to 2024:
- State: $600 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act (a $100 million increase): As the state tackles aging sewer infrastructure, it also faces new challenges like climate-driven flooding, sewer overflows, "forever chemical" contamination, harmful algal blooms, and road salt pollution. With federal infrastructure funds drying up, it is critical that New York State increases water infrastructure funding by $100 million to meet the backlog of projects waiting for funding around the state.
- State: $500 million for the Environmental Protection Fund (a $100 million increase): The Environmental Protection Fund is the backbone of New York State’s environmental budget. The current funding allocation of $400 million is insufficient to meet the growing need across the dozens of programs the EPF supports. Riverkeeper is a proud partner of the New Yorkers for Clean Water and Jobs Coalition seeking a $100 million increase to this critical fund for New Yorkers and our environment.
- State: $9.5 million Hudson River Estuary Program & Mohawk River Basin Program (a $1.5 million increase for the Hudson and a $500,000 increase for the Mohawk):Currently funded at $7.5 million, the Hudson River Estuary Program serves as the driving force behind projects that enhance the vitality, health, and beauty of the Hudson and its tributaries. To meet current and future needs, Riverkeeper is urging Governor Hochul and the legislature to increase Hudson and Mohawk funding by $2 million.
- NYC: $2 billion Department of Environmental Protection budget (a $400 million increase): Funding for the NYC DEP (currently funded at $1.6 billion), will support critical infrastructure maintenance and upgrades to stormwater management, drinking water source protection, wastewater management, and coastal resiliency. To ensure waterways around NYC are protected, and that the city is resilient in the face of climate change, Riverkeeper is urging Mayor Adams and the City Council to increase the NYC DEP’s budget by $400 million.
- NYC: Reject $313 million NYC Water Board rental payment:The rental payment is an outdated agreement that allows the mayor to take funds generated by water rate payers and transfer them to the city’s general fund. These funds are critical for water infrastructure, as they form the majority of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection’s budget for sewer and water projects and maintenance. It is crucial that the city rejects the rental payment and secures funding for water infrastructure.
- NYC: $8.5 million Bureau of Coastal Resilience (a $5 million increase for staff, and $3.5 million increase from City of Yes for flood mapping): This funding would fully staff the NYC DEP’s Bureau of Coastal Resilience, which has been tasked with leading and coordinating the planning, implementation, and operation of the city’s coastal resilience infrastructure.
Riverkeeper’s comprehensive policy agenda also includes:
- $330M Congressional appropriations to fulfill new water infrastructure programs authorized in the Water Resources Development Act, including a historic new $100 million program for the Mohawk River.
- Opposing repeals to Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds and any anti-environmental modifications to the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Reducing sewage and stormwater pollution: Rain Ready NY (NYS A9435/S8861), Clean Water for Westchester, Renewable Rikers Sustainability Masterplan (NYC Int 1038-2024), Holding NYC accountable to reach zero Combined Sewer Overflows by 2060
- Safeguarding against toxic chemical contamination:PFAS Discharge Disclosure (NYS: A3296A/S227B), PFAS Accountability Act of 2024 (U.S. S3725/HR7194), Compel General Electric and EPA to clean up Hudson River PCBs, Compel EPA to clean up Newtown Creek and Gowanus Canal Superfund sites.
- Protect and Enhance Drinking Water: Advocating for the NYS Department of Health to advance new watershed rules and regulations to give communities the tools they need to protect their drinking water beyond their municipal boundaries.
- Protecting wildlife and habitat: Seeking new protections for Atlantic Sturgeon through legal action against New York, New Jersey, and Delaware; preventing passage of invasive species through canals (NYS), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relicensing for eel passage on the Wallkill River dams (U.S.)
- Increasing Resilience to Coastal and Inland Flooding: Codify NYC’s Bureau of Coastal Resiliency into law, Rain Ready NY (NYS A9435/S8861), Flood Mapping for Coastal and Inland Flooding (NYC Int 085-2024), Develop a citywide Climate Adaptation Plan (NYC Local Law 122 of 2021).
On the state level, Governor Hochul’s upcoming State of the State and Executive Budget announcement provides a key opportunity for Riverkeeper and advocates to push for a strong commitment to increasing water and environmental funding. This investment is essential to address New York’s growing needs and to ensure that programs dependent on this funding can expand and thrive under Governor Hochul’s leadership.
ABOUT RIVERKEEPER
Riverkeeper protects and restores the Hudson River, and safeguards drinking water supplies through community partnerships, science, and law. Our core programs improve water quality, restore habitat for an abundance of life, and address the impact of climate change on our waterways. Founded in 1966 as the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association, Riverkeeper became the model for more than 320 Waterkeeper organizations around the world and helped establish globally-recognized standards for waterway and watershed protection. We continue to work toward the goal of a swimmable, fishable, and drinkable Hudson River for all. Learn more, get updates, and support our work by visiting riverkeeper.org.
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