NYPIRG celebrated Earth Day with a virtual event featuring keynote speaker Judith Enck, former EPA Region 2 Administrator and President and Founder of Beyond Plastics. We discussed community and student empowerment and the fight for a livable future.

Watch the event video!

Student loan debt has reached truly catastrophic levels across the country. As of 2020, there is $1.57 trillion in student debt owed in the United States!

NYPIRG joined Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer for a combination town hall and how-to on putting pressure on President Biden to #CancelStudentDebt.

We were also joined by Representatives Jamaal Bowman, Ritchie Torres, and Mondaire Jones as we discussed a variety of tactics to work with activists, politicians, and organizations across the nation on this critical issue.

Watch the event video!

The NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign and our coalition partners held a rally and news conference as part of our #TransformTransit campaign. We announced a sustained push for federal funding of public transit accessibility and reliability as part of President Biden's American Jobs Plan.

We aim to win $20 billion to complete the accessible station and signal upgrades promised in the MTA capital program and $3 billion in annual operating support to guarantee frequent and affordable transit – with room to meet new needs in every neighborhood, while also creating good jobs for New Yorkers.

Right now, states across the country are proposing Jim Crow-style voting restrictions – from massive voter roll purges to onerous new ID requirements that are hard for students, low-income people, and people of color to meet. Between just January and May of this year, 14 states passed 22 laws to restrict voting rights, a record.

We are fighting back against this voter suppression! NYPIRG and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer held a massive virtual town hall about the For The People Act (HR1/S1), which will protect and expand our democracy, lessen the influence of big money in politics, and restore ethical norms. We heard the latest update on where the legislation stands in the Senate, got answers on how the bill impacts you, and took action to help get the bill passed.

Saturday, July 17 was the one year anniversary of Congressman John Lewis' death. He spent his life fighting for civil and voting rights.

In his remembrance, NYPIRG teamed up with our partners at the Brooklyn NAACP, Common Cause NY, Indivisible Nation BK, and New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie (Chairman of the Committee on Elections) to hold a Good Trouble Vigil for Democracy. We heard from faith leaders, elected officials, and advocates as we honored John Lewis and fought for a better democracy, including the passage of the For the People Act.

With anti-voter laws being passed all over America, the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling making it harder to protect the right to vote, and Congressional districts being redrawn this fall, we must honor John Lewis' lifetime work by continuing to fight against voter suppression and for a stronger democracy.

This summer, the U.S. is experiencing unprecedented heat waves, wildfires, and floods due to human-caused climate change. These climate-related events will continue to become more catastrophic if we do not take action and curb greenhouse gas emissions immediately. As we know, methane from natural gas is a major greenhouse gas polluter – it is ubiquitous and extremely potent. One of the best strategies to reduce methane emissions and tackle the climate crisis is to halt fossil fuel infrastructure.

That is why it is critical for you to weigh in now during the public comment period for two proposed fracked gas power plants. On June 30, 2021, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced two public comment periods on:

1. Draft air permits for the Danskammer fracked gas power plant proposal in Newburgh, NY
2. Draft air permits for the Astoria NRG fracked gas power plant proposal in Astoria, NY

Take action now!

Please send two emails to the DEC by September 13 – templates included in the links below – to let them know that these proposals would increase greenhouse gas emissions in New York State and work against New York’s climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

• Submit a comment to oppose the Danskammer power plant!

• Submit a comment to oppose the Astoria NRG power plant!

Thank you for your help!