New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

pollution

Forever Adirondacks Campaign Celebrates Budget Victories

by Leave a Comment

The coalition supporting the new Forever Adirondacks Campaign for clean water, jobs and wilderness – led by the Adirondack Council’s Aaron Mair – declared victory as state government moved to approve a budget that includes funding for a series of top campaign priorities.

The Forever Adirondacks Campaign is a coalition of advocates, government officials, business leaders, educators, college administrators, grassroots activists and not-for-profit organizational partners seeking clean water, jobs and wilderness. [Read more…] about Forever Adirondacks Campaign Celebrates Budget Victories

Adirondack Lake Survey Explores Merger with Ausable River Association

by Leave a Comment

Phil Snyder of the Adirondack Lake Survey, collects a water sample on Little Clear Pond near St. Regis Falls courtesy Sue CaponeThe governing boards of the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation and the Ausable River Association have announced plans for a merger. The merger is hoped to advance their shared goal of deploying critical field and laboratory science in the Adirondack Park to inform the protection of waterways, lands, and air for the benefit of all stakeholders. [Read more…] about Adirondack Lake Survey Explores Merger with Ausable River Association

Algae to Eagles: Effects of Acid Rain on the Food Web

by Leave a Comment

food webFrom the tiniest water flea up to the biggest black bear, each plant and animal in the food web plays a vital role within their ecosystem. When even one species is taken away, the entire food web and ecosystem can become unbalanced.

In most aquatic environments, phytoplankton form the foundation of the food web. Many small fish, insects, and mollusks eat them to survive. Air pollution can enter bodies of water in the form of acid rain and kill off the phytoplankton. With much less food to eat, the fish, insect, and mollusk populations decrease and the entire food web is weakened. [Read more…] about Algae to Eagles: Effects of Acid Rain on the Food Web

Migratory Birds Face Increasing Light Pollution

by Leave a Comment

continental U.S. at night from satellite photosNighttime light pollution levels are increasing the most in the southeastern United States, Mexico, and Central America according to findings based on year-round data collected over the last two decades in the Western Hemisphere.

This trend is a real concern for birds that fly at night during spring and fall migration and even during non-migratory seasons. Results of the study by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Colorado State University are published in Ecosphere. [Read more…] about Migratory Birds Face Increasing Light Pollution

Salt Survey Being Conducted By Ausable River Association

by Leave a Comment

Mirror Lake courtesy Ausable River AssociationThe Ausable River Association’s (AsRA) has released a salt use survey for residents, businesses, and independent contractors in Lake Placid, with emphasis on Mirror Lake. Developed in partnership with the Adirondack Watershed Institute, the survey is essential to determining the amount of salt entering Mirror Lake and the Chubb River. [Read more…] about Salt Survey Being Conducted By Ausable River Association

DEC’s Intent to Restrict Certain Neonicotinoid Pesticide Products

by Leave a Comment

honeybee courtesy DECThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced plans to reclassify certain neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticide products as “Restricted Use” effective January 1st, 2023. [Read more…] about DEC’s Intent to Restrict Certain Neonicotinoid Pesticide Products

Dirty 30: Mylar Balloon Pollution Collected in Herkimer County

by 3 Comments

Mylar Balloons collected by DECNYS Department of Environmental Conservation Region 6 in the Herkimer County office have collected at least 30 mylar balloons in 2021.

Nicknamed the dirty 30, coincidentally, a large 3-0 balloon found this year corresponds with the number of balloons in the pile. [Read more…] about Dirty 30: Mylar Balloon Pollution Collected in Herkimer County

Oyster Slurpers: A Tale of Two Rivers

by 1 Comment

The Cryes of the City of LondonFor thousands of years the Thames provided London’s inhabitants with a plentiful supply and variety of fish. Until the 1820s locally caught fish was the city’s staple diet. Subsequent pollution of the river drove many professional fishermen and their families into financial ruin because of the collapse of fish populations.

Up until the twentieth century New York Harbor oysters reigned as the quintessential New York food long before pizza, pretzels, bagels, or hot dogs took their place. The metropolis once was a Big Oyster. There too, reckless management of the marine environment led to the obliteration of a huge natural resource. [Read more…] about Oyster Slurpers: A Tale of Two Rivers

Statewide Ban on Polystyrene Foam Starts January 1

by Leave a Comment

NYS Foam BanDepartment of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has reminded New Yorkers that the State’s ban on expanded polystyrene foam containers and ‘packing peanuts’ begins January 1st, 2022.

While an estimated 65 percent of New Yorkers are living in communities that have already banned polystyrene, New York’s statewide ban on polystyrene foam containers and loose fill packaging is among the first in the nation. DEC and partners continue outreach efforts to advise affected entities about the ban, particularly sellers and distributors of disposable food service containers, such as retail food stores, restaurants, hospitals, and schools. [Read more…] about Statewide Ban on Polystyrene Foam Starts January 1

DEC Plans Changes to Superfund, Brownfield Cleanup Regs

by Leave a Comment

DEC LogoNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced proposed changes to the State’s regulations for the clean-up of contaminated sites.

The proposals are available for public comment until April 21, 2022, and would create new cleanup standards for the oversight of the emerging contaminants perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanoic sulfonate (PFOS), and affect the implementation of the State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program, State Superfund and other cleanup programs. [Read more…] about DEC Plans Changes to Superfund, Brownfield Cleanup Regs