This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
Accept settingsHide notification onlySettingsWe may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.
Privacy Policy
Ulster County Environmental Management Council urge the DEC to adopt new regulations for onsite treatment and disposal of landfill leachate
The Ulster County Environmental Management Council (EMC) has formally urged the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to take immediate action to protect public health and water quality by closing the “Leachate Loophole.” The EMC is an advisory body made up of representatives from municipalities across Ulster County. Members are appointed by the […]
As EPA abandons drinking water protections, New York must step in with a precautionary approach
In June 2017, six months into the first Trump administration, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli issued a report on drinking water regulation in New York State. Contamination crises in the Village of Hoosick Falls and City of Newburgh had exposed “significant gaps in protections,” and in response, his office analyzed federal and state roles in drinking water […]
Bearing Witness in Brookhaven, NY: A Visit with Monique Fitzgerald of BLARG (Brookhaven Landfill Action and Remediation Group)
By Rebecca Martin This summer, a small group of advocates—including Rhonda Keyser, a talented artist, Program and Policy Director at Cafeteria Culture and member of the Brooklyn Solid Waste Advisory Board, Natalie Russianoff, Program Assistant at Beyond Plastics; and myself—traveled to Brookhaven, NY (North Bellport) to visit Monique Fitzgerald, co-founder of BLARG (Brookhaven Landfill Action […]
Albany Times Union (Sunday): “What’s in Colonie’s drinking water?”
There was a great letter to the editor in this weekend’s Albany Times Union: What’s in Colonie’s drinking water? Albany Times Union (Sunday) 27 Jul 2025 Although it is illegal to discharge landfill leachate directly into waterways, state law allows this poisonous concoction to be piped through municipal sewer systems and then into waterbodies, including […]
Buffalo News: “As feds roll back PFAS regulations, New York needs to step up”
We’re pleased to share an op-ed published in today’s Buffalo News, co-authored with one of our key coalition partners, Yvonne Taylor of Seneca Lake Guardian. Special thanks to Meg Fitzgerald of BerlinRosen for her support and assistance. ANOTHER VOICE | PUBLIC HEALTH Another Voice: As feds roll back PFAS regulations, New York needs to […]
Definition of “Treatment”
Shortly after we published our report, we needed to use different terminology to refer to the facilities that process sewage. In January, we began to use the term Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) rather than Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). We did this because “Wastewater Treatment Plant” implies that these facilities treat a broad […]
Rebecca Martin to Be Honored with Stewardship Award by Woodstock Land Conservancy
The Woodstock Land Conservancy (WLC) will honor Rebecca Martin, project manager of the Leachate Loophole and a longtime Hudson Valley environmental advocate, with the William R. Ginsberg Stewardship Award at its 13th annual Vernal Fling on May 17 at White Feather Farm in the Hudson Valley. Martin, known for her leadership with KingstonCitizens.org, Kingston Land […]
Towns in Ulster County early response to the Leachate Loophole report
It’s encouraging to see the impact of our Leachate Loophole report. After reviewing our report, the City of Kingston, located in Ulster County, NY, stopped accepting leachate from the Town of Hurley’s Superfund landfill—prompting important conversations and progress. We helped connect the town with engineers working on onsite treatment technologies, including one system we […]