You may have already received your yearly appeal letter in the mail; it is a reminder of how crucial our work in New York continues to be.
In 2014, New York is primed to make major energy decisions that will shape our environment and economy for years to come.
With our State Legislature in gridlock, much of the decision-making will fall on Governor Cuomo. And the stakes are high. The Governor can decide to continue the status quo of dirty fossil fuels—or usher in a clean energy revolution with solar, wind and high-efficiency technology. He can decide to advance fracking for natural gas or ban it. He can decide to listen to the moneyed interests of the fossil fuel industry or the millions of us calling for a clean energy economy.
The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter has been working tirelessly to make the right energy decisions possible. And to continue that work, we need your financial support.
Thanks to donors like you, the Atlantic Chapter has been at the forefront in fighting off the use of dirty, carbon-based fuels. Our six-year fight against fracking has been successful thus far, but we need your support to build on this momentum.
We must not let up.
New York’s environmental challenges can be daunting, but with the help of our dedicated volunteers and staff, along with your financial support, we can make a critical difference.
The Club’s national agenda leaves only a tiny portion of your membership dues for the Chapter. Therefore, we depend heavily on your direct donations to support our Chapter’s operations, including the work of our top-notch staff, Roger Downs and Caitlin Pixley.
Help us prevent the degradation of our air, water, wildlife, and agriculture, as well as the many threats that could undermine tourism—such an important part of the economy in so many regions of the state.
Any donations our members and supporters make to the Chapter will stay with the Chapter to back our critical work here in New York.
To donate, you can use the reply card from your appeal letter, or send a check to Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, PO Box 38225, Albany, NY 12203. You can also donate online by clicking here.
And as always, the efforts of our many dedicated volunteers make all the difference. Thank you again for all you do to protect New York’s environment!
How the Chapter is putting your donations to work
When you give to the Atlantic Chapter, you will have the
satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to preserve New York’s irreplaceable wild land and water resources; working to hinder the negative impacts of global climate change; and protecting this fragile environment we call home.
You can be sure your voice will be heard through lobbying and grassroots action on the environmental issues that matter to you most.
Some of the work we are doing around the Empire State:
Fracking
Our six-year fight against fracking has been successful thus far, and we are building on this momentum by working to stop the build-out of gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas facilities, as well as working to stop the dumping of Pennsylvania frack waste in NY landfills.
Bomb Trains
We helped to sound the alarm on the highly dangerous rail shipments of fracked crude oil from North Dakota and tar sands from Canada to East Coast refineries via the Port of Albany and the Hudson River. The governor has since issued an executive order directing five state agencies to examine and strengthen the state’s oversight of shipments of petroleum products. See the Albany Update (page 5).
Renewables/Energy Efficiency
The Atlantic Chapter believes energy efficiency and conservation along with the use of renewable energy is not only plausible, but is also the best possible option for our sustainable future. We are escalating our work at the state and local levels to make a renewable energy future possible.
Water Withdrawal Lawsuits
In the town of Painted Post, the Atlantic Chapter is involved in a lawsuit that stops the exploitation of New York’s water resources where the town is shipping water to frack sites in Pennsylvania. This suit could set a precedent for similar water withdrawals throughout New York. We are also fighting the 1 billion gallons/a day water withdrawal permit requested by the Ravenswood power plant in Queens.
Land Preservation
We are involved in fighting to protect the State Constitution’s Forever Wild clause as well as preserving the character of our last remaining wild places. This includes stopping the mega-developments in the Adirondacks (Tupper Lake) and Catskills (Belleayre) that threaten New York’s wilderness resources. The Chapter was also very active in urging voters to vote against Proposition 5 this past November (would allow mining within the Adirondack Forest Preserve). While the proposition passed, it was only by a slim margin (53-47% - the closest of any of the propositions on the ballot). We will continue to urge the State to uphold the “Forever Wild” clause of the State’s constitution.
Legislation
While there are many pieces of important legislation moving through the Legislature, there are several bills that stand out:
- Protecting NY’s Pesticide Law (in the Budget),
- Child Safe Products Act (A.6328/S.4614);
- Banning Plastic Microbeads in Cosmetic Products (A.8744);
- Ivory Sale Ban (A.8824);
- GMO Labeling (A.3525/S.3835).
To get more information on legislative issues, contact Roger Downs or Caitlin Pixley.