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Proposal would transport 445,000 tons of toxic ash per year on local roads. Catskill, NY — More than 200 people packed a community meeting last night at the Catskill Community Center to learn about the threats from a proposed incinerator toxic ash dump in an abandoned quarry in Catskill. This would be the first such use of a quarry in New York State. A diverse coalition supported by more than 50 community and environmental groups organized the meeting and will hold a follow-up organizing meeting on May 3, at 6pm. […]

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Statement on Governor Cuomo signing plastic bag ban bill at the Hudson River Maritime Museum   Kingston, NY —  Governor Andrew M. Cuomo joined advocates and lawmakers at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, New York today for a signing ceremony for the statewide plastic bag ban that will go into effect on March 1, 2020. The new law seeks to address some 23 billion single-use plastic bags New Yorkers use every year. “At our annual Riverkeeper Sweep, volunteers remove tons of plastics, including single-use bags from NewYork’s shorelines,” said Riverkeeper President Paul Gallay. “Plastic pollution is […]

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Riverkeeper President Paul Gallay released this statement today: Riverkeeper has major concerns about Tuesday’s announcement that Entergy will sell the Indian Point reactors to Holtec for decommissioning.  Both Holtec and its intended partner, SNC-Lavalin, have problematic operating histories, including a bribery scandal in Canada that threatens to topple the Trudeau government. This proposed license transfer therefore needs careful scrutiny by New York State, and, ideally, by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The stated goal of decommissioning more rapidly than the 60 years allowed by the federal government is welcome, but that […]

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Storm surge flood barriers being considered by the Army Corps of Engineers in response to Hurricane Sandy, threaten river health Contacts: Eileen Shader, American Rivers, (570) 856-1128, [email protected] Leah Rae, Riverkeeper, (914) 478-4501 ext. 238, [email protected] Washington, D.C. – American Rivers today named the Hudson River among America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2019, citing the grave threat that the potential construction of storm-surge barriers could pose to this rich tidal estuary. American Rivers and its partners called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to consider alternative solutions that address […]

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More than 50 environmental and community groups detail opposition to proposed incinerator ash dump in Catskill   Proposal would transport 445,000 tons of toxic ash on local roads.   Groups call on Catskill Town Supervisor to reject proposal, release sign-on letter opposing the dump.   Wheelabrator Technologies, the second largest trash incineration company in the U.S., has proposed creating a large incinerator ash dump in a former quarry in the Town of Catskill near the shore of the Hudson River. The company is in the process of applying for permits […]

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Scenic Hudson and Riverkeeper slam decision that makes it much harder to compel GE to continue cleanup   Groups thank Gov. Cuomo for his leadership and pledge support for his legal challenge of Certificate of Completion   HUDSON VALLEY—Scenic Hudson and Riverkeeper strongly condemn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—for issuing General Electric a Certificate of Completion for the Hudson River PCB cleanup while simultaneously admitting that the Superfund project has not achieved its mandated goal to be “protective of human health and the environment.” The EPA has concluded its […]

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ALBANY — Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and New York lawmakers passed their $175 billion state budget including a ban on single-use plastic bags and $500 million in funding for clean water projects that includes repairing and upgrading water infrastructure, protecting drinking water at its source, and responding to sources of toxic contamination such as PFAS and toxic algal outbreaks. Additionally, the Governor and lawmakers rejected the proposed language to raid the Environmental Protection Fund and instead continued to fund the state’s dedicated environmental program at $300 million. The single-use plastic […]

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