Letters
Environmental advocates urge state to enact Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act
The 1/8-cent sales tax increase is needed to finance the installation of clean water septic systems. State lawmakers must adopt it and allow Suffolk voters to make it a reality.
Editorial
Riverhead’s comprehensive plan must make sea-level rise a top priority
Instead of changing local zoning and building codes to prevent or even just discourage development in vulnerable, flood-prone coastal areas, Riverhead is actually encouraging high-density development along its downtown riverfront, an area overwhelmed by Sandy’s powerful storm surge and regularly inundated when storm systems far less intense than Sandy bear down on our region.
Upcoming
‘Getting to Zero Waste’ — learn how at NFEC virtual presentation Oct. 20
Learn more about how the planet works and the systems involved for the principle of zero waste during a virtual presentation on...
News
County legislators pass honey bee protection bill
Commercial exterminators in Suffolk will be prohibited from destroying honey bee colonies or swarms without first consulting a beekeeper for assistance in...
News
Zeldin at the bottom of N.Y. congressional delegation on environmental group’s scorecard
The League of Conservation Voters' 2020 scorecard ranked the NY-01 representative at the bottom of New York's congressional delegation based on 21 votes taken last year on issues ranging from PFAS cleanup and air pollution to land conservation and renewable energy.
Greg Blass
Where have all the bluefish gone?
Vanishing bluefish bring to mind the compelling metaphor on a grand scale of the canary in the coal mine. Common sense dictates that we act far more decisively with restraint, care and rationality as fish in the wild face their unprecedented peril.
News
Suffolk bill banning outdoor release of helium balloons is signed into law
In a ceremony at Cathedral Pines Park Friday afternoon, County Executive Steve Bellone signed legislation banning the intentional release of helium balloons. The county legislature unanimiously passed the bill last month.
Government
Riverhead Town seeks volunteers for new environmental advisory committee
The new committee will "exchange ideas and implement strategies to form a long-term plan to create a more sustainable and greener community,” Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith said.
Letters
Urges support for federal carbon fee bill
The bill would decreases U.S. carbon emissions 33 percent over the next decade — and create over 2 million new jobs, lower health care costs and promote energy innovation.
Suffolk Closeup
Plastic pollution is overtaking Earth’s oceans — Can the crisis be reversed?
The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2050 there will be more plastics than fish in our oceans. Can anything be done to reverse this environmental crisis? Column by Karl Grossman