On the final night of the 2025 legislative session, the New York State Assembly had the chance to pass bills that would cut plastic waste by 30% over the next 12 years and ban the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in a range of everyday products from nonstick cookware to cosmetics to dental floss. Instead, Save the Sound left the Capitol disappointed by the Assembly’s decision not to take on these priority issues.
“We had the opportunity Tuesday night to make real progress toward stopping plastics and toxic PFAS from getting into our waterways, our communities, our bodies, and our lives. Bills that addressed these challenges passed the Senate but couldn’t get to the floor for a vote in the Assembly,” said David Ansel, vice president of Save the Sound’s Center for Water Protection. “Missed opportunities are the story of the 2025 session.”
The Assembly’s inaction on the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S1464/A1749), a bill that would ban the addition of PFAS in several categories of consumer products (S187A/A7738), and the Beautify Justice Act (S2057A/A2054A), which restricted the use of PFAS in cosmetics and personal care items, were emblematic of a session in which available steps toward meaningful solutions were not taken. There were similar outcomes for bills related to transitioning New York off fossil fuels and preparing communities in the Long Island Sound region and across the state for the escalating challenges of climate change.
“We thank Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Deborah Glick, who sponsored the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, for their tireless commitment to passing this important legislation. We will continue working closely with them and other champions in the Legislature to protect environmental and public health throughout New York,” said Ansel.
Progress was made toward some of Save the Sound’s legislative priorities. Here is a recap of how the process played out over the 23-week session:
EMPOWERING WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
Upgrading outdated wastewater infrastructure across our region is critical to protecting water quality in Long Island Sound. This was one priority area that saw progress during session with the passage of S8241A/A8807, which increases the reimbursement from $10,000 to $25,000 for upgrading from inadequate septic systems to nitrogen-reduced enhanced septic systems, and S7927A/A1004B, which allows the four municipalities of the New Rochelle Sewer District (City of New Rochelle, Town of Mamaroneck, Village of Larchmont, Village of Pelham Manor) to explore the option of transferring its sewer system property and their management to Westchester County.
“It’s always a good thing whenever elected officials are talking about clean water anywhere in the Long Island Sound region,” said Ansel. “It’s vital to that we continue to consider all possible solutions to the wastewater challenges we face in Westchester County. We thank Senators Pete Harckham and Shelley Mayer and Assemblywomen Rebecca Kassay and Amy Paulin for sponsoring these bills.”
Earlier in the session, Governor Hochul and the Legislature increased investment in clean water funding, boosting the Environmental Protection Fund to $425 million in the final state budget for FY 2026. Disappointingly, the Clean Water Infrastructure Act remained flat for another year.
PROTECTING PUBLIC PARKLAND
Before the New York State Gaming Association announces its decision later this year regarding which sites will be awarded three downstate casino licenses, two New York City-based applicants needed approval from the state legislature to use portions of two city parks for their projects. Both parkland alienation bills passed—one that will alienate 50 acres of Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens (S7121A/A6781B), and one that will alienate at least 19 acres of waterfront parkland in Ferry Point Park in the Bronx (S7049A/A7514A).
Save the Sound opposed both parkland alienation bills but remains particularly concerned about the potential for water pollution that could result from the proposed Bally’s casino and hotel complex in the Bronx. Both the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements submitted by Bally’s left many questions unanswered regarding the management of, and the pollution risks associated with, increased stormwater runoff and wastewater generated that could affected Westchester Creek and the upper East River, two impaired waterways in the western narrows of Long Island Sound. Other potential environmental impacts were insufficiently addressed in the FEIS as well.
“These bills failed to protect public parkland in New York City from private development,” said Ansel. “The community has made it clear they do not want the Bally’s project on this site, as evidenced by the local Community Board’s vote not to support the project. We’re disappointed that the state legislature passed a bill that causes this community to lose a significant parcel of irreplaceable parkland that happens to be sitting directly on Long Island Sound. We’re counting on the City Council to act before the state’s June 27 application deadline and keep this project from advancing.”
COMBATTING CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
Last summer, a report issued by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the Department of Public Service noted that the state is not on pace to hit its legally mandated targets under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act: generating 70% of its electricity by renewable sources by 2030. That prompted Save the Sound and other environmental organizations to come into the legislative session with a heightened emphasis on getting the state back on track.
Unfortunately, little meaningful progress was made.
“Our planet is sick, and we experience the worsening consequences of climate change every day,” said Ansel. “It’s more important than ever that we strengthen state-level policies to protect Long Island Sound communities across New York. The Legislature failed to make meaningful progress on climate this session, despite state law obligating us to do so.”
Once it became clear the full NY Home Energy Affordable Transition Act (NY HEAT—S4158/A4870A), which sought to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs, was not going to pass, the Legislature took a smaller but valuable step by repealing the 100-foot rule (S8417/A8888)—ending an “obligation to serve” policy that required utility companies to provide gas to customers within 100 feet of an existing line and passing along the cost of building those new hookups to the customer base.
Other opportunities to address either the cause or consequences of climate change struggled to gain momentum.
- A cap-and-invest program that would charge polluters for excessive greenhouse gas emissions was tabled by Governor Hochul and left out of the budget for FY 2026. Earlier this month, Save the Sound joined the Environmental Defense Fund and Riverkeeper in submitting an amicus brief to support a lawsuit claiming the Department of Environmental Conservation violated its legal obligations, jeopardized the state’s climate goals, and endangered public health, particularly in communities disproportionately affected by pollution.
- The Senate passed two bills designed to help communities across New York manage increased stormwater runoff resulting from more frequent and intense rainstorms caused by climate change. The Assembly did not act on either Rain Ready NY (S4071/A7467A) or the Climate Resilient NY Act (S3590/A8088A).
SAVING A VULNERABLE SPECIES
For the second straight session, the Legislature passed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S4289/A4997), which provides a 450-million-year-old species the same protections already on the books in Connecticut—prohibiting the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial and biomedical purposes.
Governor Hochul vetoed the 2024 bill in December. In the coming months, Save the Sound will continue to work with coalition partners to persuade her to sign this bill into law and start protecting this species Sound-wide.