Sign Up

Updates & Action Alerts

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Events & Activities

When: 11 AM
Where: Union Square in Manhattan

The NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign rallied for Congestion Pricing NOW!
As the New York City region's population and commerce have grown, so have traffic and gridlock. New York State and City officials, stakeholders, and advocacy groups have conducted numerous studies over the past 45 years to determine the most effective way to address congestion – particularly in the most congested area, the Manhattan Central Business District (CBD). These studies overwhelmingly pointed to congestion pricing as the most effective tool.
 
Faster buses, cleaner air, and transit improvements are on the horizon! Congestion pricing will not only reduce traffic and cut pollution, it will also raise billions of dollars to fix the aging transit system to improve commutes for transit riders, a majority of whom come from marginalized communities or low-income households. We celebrate the TMRB's recommendations to implement congestion pricing, and call on the MTA to adopt them swiftly to support equitable and reliable mass transit for all of us.
Where: Manhattan (City Hall Park) & Albany (New York State Capitol)

NYPIRG gathered with lawmakers and fellow advocates in Manhattan and Albany for rallies and news conferences to urge Governor Hochul to put the NY HEAT Act in the 2024 state budget.

When: 1 PM
Where: City Hall Park, Corner of Broadway & Murray Street, New York, NY 10007

Make Big Oil – not New York taxpayers – pay for climate costs!

From the Buffalo blizzard to orange, smoke-filled skies and the hottest summer on record to flooded homes and subway stations, it is clear that extreme weather events are escalating. And so are climate costs! Since August 2022, New York taxpayers are on the hook for $2.7 billion to repair climate-related damages and mount community protection programs, according to a review of the governor’s news releases by NYPIRG.

These costs are predicted to rise to tens of billions of dollars that you will be stuck with unless Governor Hochul acts. NYPIRG – along with New York City Comptroller Lander, Senator Krueger, Assemblymember Dinowitz, and other policymakers and advocates – released a New York City Climate Crisis Costs report and called on Governor Hochul to include the Climate Change Superfund Act (S.2129A/A.3351A) in the New York State budget!

This legislation will raise $3 billion a year from the world's biggest oil companies with a fee based on their past greenhouse gas emissions. Economists agree that, because the fee would be based solely on past polluting emissions, it would not affect gasoline prices at the pump.

We all learned this rule in kindergarten: if you make a mess, you clean it up. Big Oil companies have made a whopping $750 billion in profits since 2021. It is time for the governor to stand with the taxpayers and require fossil fuel companies to pay for climate-related damages!

Watch Devra Baxter, NYPIRG's Environmental Protection Coordinator, discuss our urgent campaign to to hold the world's biggest oil companies accountable and make them – not New York taxpayers – pay for climate-related damages. Then support NYPIRG by making your vital, tax-deductible contribution today to keep us fighting against the climate crisis.

Thank you for your support!
When: 4 PM
Where: BQE Trench Area in Williamsburg, South 3rd Street & Rodney Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211

NYPIRG joined the NY Renews coalition for The People’s Climate Justice Budget campaign launch!

The New York State climate movement has a winning vision: green union jobs, clean air, lower utility costs, and real community-led climate and justice solutions. Passing this critical budget proposal would fund community-led environmental justice projects across New York State, including transforming the South Williamsburg BQE trench into a vital public space and park – and it will be funded in part by the Climate Change Superfund Act, making polluters pay!

When: 6 to 9 PM
Where: City Winery in Manhattan

NYPIRG IS 50 YEARS OLD!

That is an incredible testament to the dedication, hard work, and luck that has allowed us to meet the half-century mark. It is quite a milestone – which we marked with the NYPIRG 50th Anniversary Celebration.

The event was a rousing success, and we all had a wonderful time celebrating NYPIRG’s decades of tireless work for the public interest, reconnecting with friends and colleagues from years past, and honoring our 2023 Changemaker Award recipients – including renowned author and activist Jane Fonda!

We are pleased to share these event photos and this commemorative video that highlights NYPIRG's decades of tireless work for the public interest.

Thank you so much to everyone who was involved – our honorees, current and former students and staff, friends, colleagues, and supporters – for your generous support and steadfast commitment to our crucial mission.

Thanks again, and we look forward to the work ahead!
When: 12 PM
Where: Started at West 56th Street and Broadway in Manhattan, proceeded to the United Nations headquarters for a rally

NYPIRG marched to end fossil fuels!

With wildfire smoke choking the air that we breathe, hurricanes and floods threatening our homes, and toxic pollution making us sick, it has never been more urgent to end our dependence on the leading cause of these crises – fossil fuels.

In New York this September, the United Nations gathered world leaders for a first-of-its-kind Climate Ambition Summit to demand that nations stop developing new oil, gas, and coal projects and phase out fossil fuels once and for all. With his recent approvals for mega-polluting fossil fuel projects, President Biden must immediately reverse course to earn his seat at the table. But it will take all of us acting together to make sure that he does!

Thank you for your help!
When: 2 to 4 PM
Where: Coney Island in Brooklyn

NYPIRG staff and students collected over 1,000 pieces of litter to help clean up the beach while also filling out a litter survey to help understand what items are being littered the most in our own communities.

When: Dates and times vary by location.
Where: Albany, the Hudson Valley (virtual), Ithaca, New York City, Rochester & Syracuse

After the New York State budget passed – including a huge environmental victory – NYPIRG and our coalition partners held climate action events to keep the momentum going!

Thanks to your support and many others, New York passed a first-in-the nation law requiring new buildings to be built all-electric. This law will cut climate pollution from buildings, save New Yorkers money on utility bills, improve public health, and create new, green jobs.

Now, with the rest of the 2023 state legislative session scheduled to wrap up in early June, we are fighting to improve environmental protection policies to:

  • Hold corporate climate polluters accountable.
  • Save New Yorkers money.
  • Stop the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure.
We held these exciting environmental events to help pass these bills into law:

Tuesday, May 23, 2023: Rally and Lobby Day for NY HEAT Act in Albany

The NY HEAT Act protects New Yorkers from rising energy costs and creates a real plan to replace the gas system with cheaper, cleaner heating and cooling. We held a news conference and lobby day:

  • Tuesday, 5/23/2023
  • 12 PM
  • New York State Capitol Building, 50 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12224

Thursday, May 25, 2023: Regional News Conferences and Rallies for Climate, Jobs & Justice in Albany, the Hudson Valley (virtual), Ithaca, New York City, and Rochester

New York State must pass the Climate, Jobs & Justice Package to rapidly decarbonize New York, make our state healthier and more equitable, ensure a just transition for workers, and create an accessible green economy for all, including passage of the Climate Change Superfund Act to require corporate climate polluters to foot the bill for climate impacts, not taxpayers.

Friday, May 26, 2023: News Conference to Support the Climate Change Superfund Act in New York City

While the oil and gas industry is getting richer on a scale never seen before, the costs to deal with the climate crisis continue to grow. The Climate Change Superfund Act requires the companies most responsible for greenhouse gas emissions to pay for the massive infrastructure improvements and public health protections that the climate crisis demands.

  • Friday, 5/26/2023
  • 10 AM
  • South Street Seaport in Manhattan

Friday, May 26, 2023: News Conference to Support the NY HEAT Act in Syracuse

We held a news conference with local elected officials for the NY HEAT Act:

  • Friday, 5/26/2023
  • 10:30 AM
  • Outside of the State Office Building, 333 East Washington Street, Syracuse, NY 13202
Thank you for your help!
When: 12:30 PM
Where: City Hall Park in Manhattan

NYPIRG – along with our coalition partners and college students – rallied to tell Mayor Adams NO CUTS TO CUNY!!! Students need more advisors, mental health services, full-time professors, opportunity programs, and free in-state tuition! No more band-aids and budget cuts!

When: 11 AM to 3:30 PM
Where: State Capitol in Albany

NYPIRG and our coalition partners lined the halls in Albany to tell the Legislature that we need to KICK FOSSIL FUELS OUT OF BUILDINGS!

The fossil fuel industry is flooding the airwaves and social media with ads full of disinformation meant to scare people from taking climate action. The truth is that fossil fuel use in buildings is getting more costly for our pocketbooks, our health, and for the planet. NYPIRG pushed the Legislature to enact vital new laws to save New Yorkers money, fight childhood asthma, create jobs in clean energy, and slash climate emissions.

image donate
Donate to NYPIRG
Help us fight for you! Please make your vital, tax-deductible contribution today to keep us strong and effective.
image community action network
Community Action Network
Sign up for timely updates and action alerts so you can get involved in our urgent campaigns. Make your voice heard!
image repfinder
Representative Finder
Find your elected officials and get their contact information.
image climate
Climate Change
New York must lead the way to win a renewable energy future and hold corporate polluters accountable.
image water
What's in My Water?
Clean water is essential and among our most precious resources. Get information about your local drinking water supply.
image voting
Voter Mobilization
Join the fight to remove barriers to voting and to increase voter participation.
image transit
Mass Transit
Join the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign to fight for better subway and bus service and for investment in transit infrastructure.
image environment
Environmental Protection
Help protect New Yorkers from the serious threats of water and air pollution, climate change, and toxic chemical exposure.
image legislative profiles
Legislative Profiles
Check out our legislative profiles for information about your representatives in Albany.
image small claims
Consumer Counseling
Know your rights and get free assistance with Small Claims Court Action Centers across New York State.
image higher education
Higher Education Access
Help promote access to affordable, high quality education for all students.
image health
Health & Patient Rights
Support policies that protect New Yorkers and promote quality medical care for patients and their families.
Kathy Hochul must compel big oil to fund NY's work to the address climate crisis  (LoHud, December 7, 2023)
Big Oil should pay for the costs of climate change in NYS  (Newsday, December 5, 2023)
New York State’s higher education policies are again in the spotlight  (WAMC, December 4, 2023)
Shine the light on the judicial nomination process  (The Daily Gazette, December 4, 2023)
Lawmakers want oil companies to pay for New York climate projects  (Spectrum News, November 30, 2023)
‘Everyone can do something’ SUNY Cortland sophomore accepted to Albany future leader’s program  (Cortland Standard, November 30, 2023)
A big issue for the 2024 legislation session  (WAMC, November 27, 2023)
They gather up cans and bottles on NY streets for recycling. And they could use a raise  (LoHud, November 27, 2023)
WAMC’s David Guistina speaks with NYPIRG's Blair Horner about ethics reform, higher education, and much more.  (WAMC, November 23, 2023)
Counties, groups push Hochul for decision on bill to move local elections  (Spectrum News, November 23, 2023)
New York’s top court considers redistricting – again  (WAMC, November 21, 2023)
2023 Lookback: Budget and Legislative items  (ABC News 10, November 22, 2023)
New Yorkers vote (some did anyway)  (WAMC, November 13, 2023)
Strengthening ethics in Albany  (WAMC, November 7, 2023)
NY hospital safety ranking among worst nationally. Check your local hospital's grade  (LoHud, November 7, 2023)
What are New York State's 2023 ballot propositions? Find out  (The Daily Gazette, November 2, 2023)
Early voting 2023 has begun  (WAMC, October 30, 2023)
Noncompete campaign raises lobbying questions  (Albany Times-Union, October 27, 2023)
Hochul dodges questions on who paid for her trip to wartime Israel  (Spectrum News, October 26, 2023)
New York lawmakers seek to expand bottle law, including higher deposits  (Newsday, October 25, 2023)
News Archive
NYPIRG and a coalition of environmental organizations and local elected officials today released a review of the climate costs facing New York City and called on Governor Hochul to make the biggest oil companies – not local taxpayers – pay to cover climate damages
NYPIRG Celebrated Its Five Decades of Victories and College Student Empowerment
Author and Activist Jane Fonda, Community Service Society’s David Jones, State Senator Liz Krueger, U.S. Sen. Schumer’s State Director Martin Brennan, and New Deal Strategies’ Camille Rivera Received NYPIRG's “changemaker” Awards
Climate Superfund News Conferences: Taxpayer Tally of Climate Costs Since 8/2022 is $2.7 Billion
NYPIRG Statement on the Death of Ryan Thoresen Carson
The biblical rains that are devastating parts of the state are fresh evidence that the costs of adapting New York's infrastructure to the world climate’s "new abnormal" will be staggering. Legislation -- approved by the Senate (S.2129A) -- would require the largest oil companies to help pick up the tab and do it in a manner that will stop them from passing the costs on to consumers. Read NYPIRG's statement on downstate's devastating floods.
Advocates and Business call on Governor Hochul and DEC to release grant funds to struggling Bottle Redemption Businesses
Thousands Join March to End Fossil Fuels, Demand Biden Declare Climate Emergency & Phase Out Plan
NYers face hundreds of millions of dollars in climate costs while big oil racks up huge profits, nearly three-quarters of a trillion dollars over past 30 months
NYPIRG 50th Anniversary, Celebrating Five Decades of Victories and College Student Empowerment, Will Be Held on October 13th in NYC – Author and Activist Jane Fonda, Community Service Society's David Jones, State Senator Liz Krueger, U.S. Sen. Schumer's State Director Martin Brennan, and New Deal Strategies' Camille Rivera to Receive NYPIRG's "Changemaker" Awards
New York’s “New Normal” Not Normal at All: Frequent Climate Disasters, Staggering Costs — Governor Hochul Leaves New Yorkers on the Financial Hook for Billions of Dollars in Climate Damages and Extreme Weather Emergency Preparedness While Letting Big Oil off the Hook
NYPIRG Has Updated Its 2023 Legislative Session Review, Including the New York State Assembly Actions
With New York Budget Deficits Growing and Climate Costs Soaring, Will the Assembly Make Big Oil Pick Up the Tab? NYPIRG Urges Assembly to Pass Climate Change Superfund Act
Tale of the Tape: NYPIRG's 2023 Legislative Review – The number of bills that passed in the Senate increased, while that number decreased in the Assembly. The Governor's use of emergency "messages of necessity" continues to move upward.
Congressmen Goldman and Nadler joined with NYS legislators, NYPIRG and other advocates to call on Albany leadership to make corporate climate polluters pay
Video – Disinformation: The Fossil Fuel Industry's Campaign to Undermine New York's Climate Act
VICTORY! NYPIRG Celebrates First in the Nation Law to Electrify New Buildings
Statement: NYPIRG Reacts to Gov Hochul Leaving Climate Change Superfund Out of the Budget
As Albany Negotiates a State Budget, NYC College Students Call for Free and Reduced Price Transit Fares for Education Access
Faith Leaders, Environmentalists, Senators: New York Needs to Show The Nation How to Tackle Climate Catastrophe - Groups Urge Albany Lawmakers to Include Green Power, Big Oil Superfund in Final Budget
NYPIRG REACTS TO ONE-HOUSE BUDGET BILLS – This week, both houses released their "one house" budget bills. Now lawmakers' attention will turn to negotiating differences. Here are key policy areas where NYPIRG has advocated and for which the Governor, the Senate, and the Assembly have established budget positions.
Reports & Features Archive