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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported neonicotinoids could jeopardize more than 200 plants and animals protected by the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates urge Gov. Hochul to ban harmful pesticides in NY

Wildlife advocates are urging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign what's known as the Birds and Bees Protection Act. The bill bans neonicotinoids…

A National Wildlife Federation survey found mixed opinions about leaving leaves on lawns. While almost half of respondents use collected leaves as mulch or compost, a small percentage are worried about fallen leaves

Survey: Keeping leaves on lawns aids wildlife, environment

A new report found raking and bagging leaves could be doing a disservice to your yard or garden. A National Wildlife Federation survey showed most …

Una encuesta de la Federaci�n Nacional de Vida Silvestre encontr� opiniones diferentes sobre dejar hojas en el c�sped. Si bien casi la mitad de los encuestados utilizan las hojas recolectadas como mantillo o abono, a un peque�o porcentaje le preocupa que las hojas ca�das

Encuesta revela que mantener hojas en el césped ayuda al medio ambiente

Un nuevo informe encuentra que rastrillar y embolsar hojas podría no estar haciendo ningún favor a su patio o jardín. Una encuesta de …

In 2017, the Rusty Patched Bumblebee became the first bumblebee in the U.S. to be added to the Endangered Species List. This stems from growing pesticide use and loss of crop diversity, leaving flowering crops available for shorter periods. (Adobe Stock)

NY Activists Ask Governor to Sign Bill Prohibiting Harmful Pesticides

In honor of National Honey Bee Day, New York environmentalists want Gov. Hochul to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act. The bill prohibits …

According to the report, habitat loss in recent years varies by game species. Mule deer have lost more than 7.3 million acres of habitat, while wild turkeys have seen their range plummet by nearly 19 million acres. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Habitat Loss Causing Significant Impact on Game Species

New York's game species are literally losing ground, as human development and climate change is restricting their native habitats. A new report from …

The Mashomack Preserve is one of more than 100 nature preserves in New York under the care of The Nature Conservancy. (Carl Heilman/The Nature Conservancy)

Partnership Mixes Traditional & Western Ways to Protect NY Preserves

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - New York environmental groups are teaming up to blend Indigenous knowledge of the land with Western scientific knowledge to …

Once near extinction, in 2020 there were an estimated 316,700 bald eagles in the lower 48 states, including 71,400 nesting pairs. (Frank Fichtm�ller/Adobe Stock)

Bald Eagle Populations Soaring

NEW YORK -- A new report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service showed there are now more than 316,000 individual American bald eagles in the lower 4…

Every winter, hundreds of seals bask on the offshore rocks of Plum Island. (Robert Lorenz)

Island Wildlife Haven Saved from Public Sale

NEW YORK -- An island in Long Island Sound with hundreds of acres untouched for 70 years has been saved from the auction block. Plum Island is the …

Conservationists say a new rule change will result in countless avoidable bird deaths. (Vadym/Adobe Stock)

Conservationists: Trump Rule Puts Birds in Danger

NEW YORK -- Conservationists hope to overturn a last-minute rule change by the outgoing Trump administration they say drastically undermines protectio…

Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed, the sole source of food for their larvae. (Bob/Adobe Stock)

Monarch Butterflies Nearing Extinction

NEW YORK -- Conservation groups are working on several major efforts to keep the monarch butterfly from becoming extinct. The monarch is in trouble…

Algal blooms from nitrogen pollution kill fish, close beaches and endanger public health. (Brandon Seidel/Adobe Stock)

Big Boost for Clean Waters Off Long Island

COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y. -- Long Island has taken major steps to reduce nitrogen pollution that seeps into groundwater and is discharged into …

A humpback whale feeds in a school of menhaden off the coast of eastern Long Island. (Sutton Lynch/The Nature Conservancy)

Groups Applaud Major Shift in Menhaden Management

NEW YORK -- Environmental groups are hailing what they call a historic change in the management of menhaden fisheries on the Atlantic Coast, saying …

Project CAT is conserving nearly six million acres of tiger habitat in three countries. (Discovery, Inc. 2018)

International Tiger Day Puts Focus on Conservation

NEW YORK -- Today is International Tiger Day, and conservation groups are highlighting efforts to preserve tiger habitat and increase the numbers of …

A single acre of wetland can store up to 1.5 million gallons of floodwater. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

Using Nature to Protect Against Disasters

NEW YORK -- The toll from natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods and wildfires has been growing every year, but a new report says nature itself …

Proposed changes to NEPA would restrict review of long-term environmental impacts on major federal projects like pipelines and dams. (MaxSafaniuk/Adobe Stock)

Major Environmental Review Law Under Attack

NEW YORK -- Environmental groups testified this week in opposition to proposals they say would drastically weaken a critical law that protects communi…

Spotted turtles, once common, are no longer found in areas of southern New York. (Todd Pierson/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Wildlife Bill Advancing in Congress

NEW YORK - More than a third of America's fish and wildlife species are at increased risk of extinction, but a bill advancing in Congress this week …

The oyster populations from Maine to Florida has shrunk to less than 10% of its historic size. (nulovetoyo/Adobe Stock)

Reclaiming The Big Oyster

NEW YORK – The efforts to restore shellfish to New York Harbor and Long Island have made real progress, but there's still a long way to go…

The LWCF has invested more than $336 million in parks, wildlife refuges and recreational areas in the state of New York. (ataribravo99/Pixabay)

House Set to Vote on Conservation Fund

ALBANY, N. Y. – A package of public-lands bills that would preserve and strengthen the nation's most popular conservation program has broad…

Siting wind farms in developed areas such as agricultural land can avoid impacts on wildlife habitat. (Barmac53/pixaby)

Protection of Wildlife Urged Amid Wind-Power Expansion

ALBANY, N.Y. – Conservationists say the push to expand clean, renewable energy sources is a top priority, but it needs to be done in a way that …

The mountain lion is one of 1,500 species that wildlife experts say would be threatened by a wall on the U.S./Mexico border. (enki0908/pixabay)

Conservationists: Trump's Border Wall Would Put Wildlife at Risk

NEW YORK – As President Donald Trump visits the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas to promote his proposed wall, wildlife conservationists are …

Whale sightings from New York beaches became common after the menhaden catch was limited. (annca/Pixabay)

East Coast Factory Ships Depleting Whale Food Stocks

NEW YORK — The return of a major food fish has brought whales and larger fish back to New York waters, but conservation groups fear factory …

Every year an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enters ocean waters. (byrev/pixabay)

Cleanup Gets Trash Before It Reaches the Oceans

NEW YORK – The 33rd annual International Coastal Cleanup is coming up this weekend, part of a global effort to keep trash out of the oceans…

Each year, 500,000 to 1 million birds die from landing in uncovered oil pits. (USFWS)

Federal Law Protecting Birds for 100 Years is Rolled Back

NEW YORK – The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, one of the first environmental laws in the country, turned 100 this week – but the protection …

Jerry Jung of the group Rethink Ethanol says the ethanol mandate has led to the conversion of 7 million acres of wildlife habitat to agriculture. (GregMontani/Pixabay)

On World Environment Day, a Call to Rethink Ethanol

NEW YORK - A coalition of small-business owners, industry leaders and environmentalists says it's time to take a hard look at the real impact of …

The population of eastern monarch butterflies has decreased by 90 percent in recent decades. (ulleo/Pixabay)

Planting Milkweed to Save Monarch Butterfly from Extinction

ALBANY, N.Y. — Wildlife experts say the "king" of butterflies could go the way of the passenger pigeon unless people step in to plant more of …

Whales and dolphins are returning to the Long Island coast as fish populations rebound. (shadowfaxone/Pixabay)

Conservation Groups Raise Concerns About Offshore Drilling

ALBANY, N.Y. — Environmental groups say a proposal to allow oil and gas drilling off the Atlantic Coast poses real risks to New York. The …

Significant amounts of PCBs remain in river sediments north of the Troy Dam, environmentalists say. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)<br />

EPA Delays Decision on Hudson PCBs Cleanup

NEW YORK – The Environmental Protection Agency has delayed a decision on whether General Electric has properly completed its cleanup of the Huds…

More than 7 million acres of grassland and forest has been converted to agricultural production for ethanol production. (GregMontani/Pixabay)

Research Shows Ethanol Fueling Climate Change

NEW YORK – The federal mandate to add ethanol to fuel has led to a big increase in climate disrupting pollution, according to new research from …

Populations of monarch butterflies and other pollinators have declined sharply. (PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay)

Planting a Million Gardens to Save the Butterflies

NEW YORK – Conservationists are closing in on their goal of creating 1 million gardens that support pollinating insects. Loss of habitat…

A new lawsuit contends drilling for oil in the Atlantic Ocean would threaten critical habitat for whales, fish and coral. (NOAA)

Lawsuit Challenges Reversal of Offshore Drilling Bans

NEW YORK – Environmental groups and Alaska Native Americans say President Donald Trump has exceeded his authority by reversing the ban on drilli…

The order requires regulations to only consider cost, not the value of protections. (CGP Grey /flickr.com )

Lawsuit Challenges Trump Order on Regulations

NEW YORK – Public-interest law, environmental and labor groups are suing to stop the Trump administration's executive order to cut government …

The Atlantic canyons are considered hotspots of biodiversity. (tpsdave/Pixabay)

Obama Bans Drilling in Atlantic, Arctic Waters

NEW YORK — President Obama has designated hundreds of millions of acres of federally-owned Atlantic and Arctic waters off-limits to oil and gas …

Between 2008 and 2012, 162,000 acres in New York were converted to agricultural production. (Ken Lund/Flickr)

Report: Biofuel Mandate Harms Wildlife, Water Quality

NEW YORK - The federal Renewable Fuel Standard has led to the destruction of millions of acres of wildlife habitat and has endangered water supplies…

Large schools of menhaden bring larger fish, dolphins and whales to New York waters. (Brian.gratwicke/Wikimedia Commons)

Abundant Fish Return to NY Waters

NEW YORK – The return of huge schools of forage fish to waters off Long Island is paying off for New York in a lot of ways. For larger fish …

Finger Lakes National Forest is part of the 104,000 acres of federally managed land in New York. (U.S. Forest Service)

Report Debunks States' Claims to Federal Lands

NEW YORK – Claims by anti-government groups that federal lands must be turned over to the states would not stand up in court, according to a …

Restoration of the Buffalo River has been central to the economic revitalization of Buffalo, New York. (George Burns/Wikimedia Commons)

Putting the Great Lakes on the Presidential Agenda

BUFFALO, N.Y. - A broad coalition of business, industrial and environmental leaders wants to know where the presidential candidates stand on …

The Northeast Marine National Monument is a hotspot of biological diversity. (NOAA)

Marine National Monument a Victory for Habitat, Science

NEW YORK - President Obama on Thursday announced the designation of the first marine national monument in Atlantic waters. Spanning almost 5,000 …

The pipeline would pass under 277 bodies of water. (Catskill Mountainkeeper)

Pipeline Opponents Ask NY to Deny Permit

ALBANY, N.Y. - Opponents of a proposed gas pipeline want the state to stop the project by denying a water quality certificate. The 30-inch pipeline …

Some animal rights advocates in New York oppose the use of powerful air rifles for hunting big game. (Erdogan Ergun/freeimages)

NY Animal Rights Advocates: Big Bore Air Rifles a Big Problem

NEW YORK - New York's Department of Environmental Conservation has proposed amending state law to allow certain air-powered firearms, also known as …

As much as 19 tons of microbeads may be entering New York state wastewater annually, and are being ingested by fish. Credit: Dr. S. Mason, SUNY Fredonia

Albany County Legislators Propose Microbead Ban

ALBANY, N.Y. - A common ingredient in toothpaste is bad for the environment and should be banned, some Albany County legislators say. Microbeads…

PHOTO: Animal rights organizations say chimpanzees are intelligent and self-aware, and are working to free them from research facilities. Photo courtesy of Nonhuman Rights Project.

A NY Court Denies Freedom to Research Chimps

NEW YORK – A New York State Supreme Court justice has denied a petition to free Hercules and Leo, two research chimpanzees at the State …

PHOTO: More than 125,000 people have signed a change.org petition demanding the New York Blood Center restore funding to care for 66 of its former research chimps who advocates say were abandoned by the nonprofit organization. Photo credit - Agnes Souchal for the HSUS.

Outcry Grows: NY Blood Center “Abandoning” Research Chimps

NEW YORK – It's a nonprofit organization that New Yorkers normally associate with helping people, but the outcry is growing against the New …

PHOTO: More than 75 marine scientists and environmental organizations are pressuring the Obama administration not to allow oil and gas companies to survey the Atlantic coast for places to drill, saying it could endanger sea life and threaten New York's coastline. Photo credit: Bryan Burke/Flickr

Calls for Oil, Gas Testing in Atlantic Draw Fire

NEW YORK - More than 75 marine scientists and environmental organizations are pressuring the Obama administration not to allow oil and gas companies t…

PHOTO: Advocates for animals say the record number of horse deaths during the Winter Meet at Aqueduct is a sure sign that federal regulations are needed. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Aqueduct Horse Deaths Cited in Call for Federal Regulations

NEW YORK - It has been a deadly season for racehorses at Aqueduct and animal advocates say the time has come for federal regulations. A dozen …

PHOTO: Thousands of people took part in the People�s Climate March on Sunday in New York City, one of many such demonstrations around the nation and world. Photo credit: Mark Scheerer.

Climate March Clogs NYC Streets With Something Other Than CO2

NEW YORK - Thousands of people took part in the People's Climate March Sunday in New York City, one of many such demonstrations around the nation and …

PHOTO: A new report digging deeply into public opinion polls shows conservation is a broad concern among America's Latino population and that candidates in upcoming mid-term elections should take note. Photo courtesy Hispanic Access Foundation.

Study: Latinos Are Enviros in Large Part

NEW YORK - While some might think immigration policy dominates the concern of Hispanics in New York and around the nation, a new report shows the …

PHOTO: A close-up of one of two baby bald eagles (called eaglets) in its nest at the Nature Conservancy's Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island. Photo credit: Jim Colligan. - See more at: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2014-07-01/endangered-species-and-wildlife/long-island-baby-eagles-taking-wing-for-independence-day/a40228-1#sthash.St5idPBu.dpuf

Long Island Baby Eagles Taking Wing for Independence Day

SHELTER ISLAND, N.Y. - Two baby bald eagles are beginning to "take wing" on Long Island, and could be soaring in time to celebrate Independence Day …

PHOTO: A new report released by the Nature Conservancy finds nitrogen pollution is a

New Report: Nitrogen Pollution “Killer Threat” to Seagrass

NEW YORK - A new, federally-funded report identifies nitrogen pollution as a killer threat to seagrass, which has been disappearing along the Long …

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NY: Endangered Species & Wildlife