MENUNYPIRG 45th Anniversary Celebration
Honoring the Rockefeller Family Fund and its Director Lee Wasserman
Dear Friends,
Our November 15, 2018 NYPIRG 45th Anniversary Celebration was a great success, and we all had a wonderful time proudly honoring the Rockefeller Family Fund and its Director Lee Wasserman for their vital efforts to fight climate change. Despite the weather, it was a fantastic evening and a testament to the crucial work that NYPIRG has accomplished since 1973 — and the dedicated staff, volunteers, friends, coalition partners, and supporters who have made that work possible.
NYPIRG will continue to tackle the big issues and take on the powerful on behalf of the public. As your watchdog in New York, we are proud of our decades of tireless work to strengthen democracy, fight for the rights of consumers and voters, and protect the environment and public health. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Blair Horner
Executive Director
Event Photos
Co-chairs
Jay R. HalfonRachel Leon
Chris Meyer
Neysa Pranger
Camille Rivera
Donald K. Ross
Rebecca J. Weber
Host Committee
Melinda BaglioSabrica Barnett
Tarika Barrett & Michael O’Loughlin
Geoff Boehm
Michele Bonan & Steve Hamill
Diana Breen
Samara Daly
Judith Enck
Dave Fields
Jay Hershenson
Li Howard & Tom Wathen
Joel Kelsey
Steve Kleinberg
Arthur Malkin
Catherine McVay & Tom Hughes
Mike Pratt
Joseph Rappaport
Lauri Rosmarin-Plattner & Rob Plattner
Larry Shapiro
Pete Sikora
Susan Stamler
Evan Stavisky
Michelle Stern
Special Thanks
Rockefeller Family FundKramer, Dillof, Livingston & Moore
Susan Stamler & Chris Meyer
Barak Berkowitz
Jeff Bloom
Lawrence & Dana Linden
Shoshana Bookson
Arthur Malkin & Donald K. Ross
Michelle Stern
Larry Rockefeller
AARP New York
Professional Staff Congress/CUNY
John Gilroy
Geoff Boehm
Virginia & Sarah Knox
Diana Breen
Jay Halfon
David Kaiser
Michael Porte
TransitCenter
Tarika Barrett & Michael O'Loughlin
Li Howard & Tom Wathen
Catherine McVay & Tom Hughes
Neysa Pranger & Michael Ward
Lawmakers, JCOPE Clash in Hearing Over NY’s Ethics Laws (New York NOW, August 25th, 2021)
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s daughter-in-law is top lobbyist at pharma firm that has sought to influence NY lawmakers (CNBC, August 25th, 2021)
During Andrew Cuomo's time in office, delays in signing legislation grew longer (Times Herald Record, August 23rd, 2021)
Officials call talk of Upstate New York losing congressional rep speculative (NNY360, August 18th, 2021)
Upstate New York could lose representation after redistricting (NY1, August 18th, 2021)
Assembly committee members, non-profit want impeachment investigation findings released (CBS 6 Albany, August 15, 2021)
Facing sharp criticism, Heastie now says Cuomo impeachment panel will produce public report (Buffalo News, August 16, 2021)
Halfway there: NYC restores discounted ‘Fair Fares’ funding to only half of pre-pandemic level (amNY, July 15, 2021)
JCOPE critics are not giving up (WXXI News, July 15, 2021)
Blair Horner: New York's Ethics Watchdog Under Scrutiny (WAMC, July 12, 2021)
NY state lawmakers cancel ethics hearing after rule mix-up (New York Post, July 12, 2021)
Legislature passes MTA data measure (Queens Chronicle, June 10, 2021)
Transit riders call on federal government to aid MTA's quest for accessibility (Bronx News 12, June 7, 2021)
Nuclear Subsidies May Be Slowing Transition to Clean Energy, Advocates Say (Truthout, June 6, 2021)
It sure is hard to watch Assembly committee meetings online (City & State, June 4, 2021)
New York emits more building pollution than any other state (Green Biz, June 4, 2021)
Blair Horner discusses Albany politics on The Capitol Connection (WAMC, June 3, 2021)
NY lawmakers pass ban on coal tar as driveway sealant (Olean Times-Herald, June 3, 2021)
City Budget Negotiations and Comptroller Primary Collide (Gotham Gazette, June 2, 2021)
New York officials urged to expand early voting to colleges (Spectrum News, June 1, 2021)
NEWS RELEASE: NYPIRG's Statement on the Westerman-Golden SPEED Act
QueensLink Now: A Report from the Next Generation of Riders
Release: Students, Electeds, and Advocates Rally for QueensLink Proposal. Students Share “QueensLink Now” Report, and Deliver Over 1,500 Petition Signatures to Mayor and Governor to Highlight Growing Momentum for QueensLink as an Equitable Transit Solution for Train-Starved Queens
NYPIRG’S REACTION TO GOVERNOR HOCHUL’S NUCLEAR POWER PLAN
New Yorkers must not be fooled a third time about the purported benefits of nuclear power.
The public should demand that Governor Hochul deliver a full independent public vetting of her latest nuclear power plan. That means allowing the entire state to be part of the discussion, examining the expected costs (including the industry’s history of cost overruns), examining the waste storage requirements (on-site forever?), and examining the full cost impacts both directly and indirectly, such as what New York Power Authority projects will be scrapped in order to fund the building of a new nuclear power facility. The fact that the governor is eyeing new, untested approaches to nuclear power underscore the need for a full, transparent process.
The Albany Money Machine – End Of Session Edition : 176 Campaign Fundraisers Held in the Capital District or by Leadership During 62 Scheduled Session Days
See NYPIRG's 2025 Legislative Review - Tale of the Tape
NYPIRG Statement: The Straphangers Campaign applauds the New York City Department of Transportation's recently unveiled plan to implement center-running bus lanes and pedestrian islands along Flatbush Avenue between Livingston Street and Grand Army Plaza.
With momentum growing in the state legislature to pass a statewide rebate program for purchasing electric lawn equipment, representatives from STIHL, EGO, Milwaukee Tools, Ryobi, The Home Depot, and Ace Hardware joined organizers from NYPIRG, Environment America, and other advocacy groups for an informative day of testing out cleaner, quieter electric lawn equipment. The “Electric Lawn Equipment Demo Day” offered state legislators and their staff, as well local residents, the opportunity to learn about the benefits of going electric.
Marking the 500th day since the Department of Environmental Conservation released its once-in-a-decade “Solid Waste Management Plan,” a coalition of environmental, charities, and small businesses today called on the State Senate and Assembly to pass the Bigger, Better, Bottle Bill (S.5684/A.6543) and the "Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act" (S.1464/A.1749).
The groups cited the failure of the state to attack the mounting packaging and beverage container trash crisis as a compelling rationale for legislative action this session. All of the state’s landfills are set to fill up within the next 25 years, but there’s no plan in place to reduce waste and stave off a crisis. The groups urged approval of packaging and bottle bill legislation to help curb New York’s mounting garbage problem.
Reconnecting Queens: Students Lead the Charge for Subway Expansion at QueensLink Town Hall
More than 100 students, faculty, and community members gathered at Queens College for a town hall spotlighting the QueensLink proposal — a community-driven plan to transform the defunct Rockaway Beach Branch into a new north-south subway line through Queens. Hosted by NYPIRG, the event featured interactive stations, personal storytelling, and direct engagement with project leaders. With Queens residents facing some of the city's longest and most unreliable commutes, attendees voiced strong support for the plan’s potential to connect transit-starved neighborhoods, slash travel times, and foster sustainable growth. Student organizers emphasized the importance of community voices in shaping transit policy, especially as QueensLink clears key funding hurdles and gains political momentum.
CITING A NEW POLL, ENVIRONMENTALISTS URGE ACTION ON PACKAGING AND "BOTTLE BILL" LEGISLATION
A coalition of environmental groups today reacted to a new Siena Poll released today that shows that New York residents overwhelmingly support state policies to reduce single-use plastic packaging in New York. Seventy-three percent think big companies should be required to reduce packaging on their products, as proposed in the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. And 61% want the beverage container deposit increased from 5 to 10 cents, as proposed in the Bigger Better Bottle Bill.
NEW REPORT SHOWS THAT NY TAXPAYERS COULD SAVE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IF BIGGER, BETTER, BOTTLE BILL IS PASSED
New York’s local governments could save tens of millions of dollars if lawmakers approved legislation to modernize the state’s “Bottle Bill.” That’s according to a new report released by a coalition of environmental, civic, labor and business organizations.
The report, produced by the think tank Eunomia, found that the state’s local governments could save as much as $108 million if lawmakers approved the “Bigger Better Bottle Bill,” legislation designed to modernize the four-decade-old law. The state’s Bottle Bill is the law that requires a nickel deposit for certain beverage containers and is redeemed when the consumer brings the container back to the store.
NYPIRG STATEMENT ON THE PRESIDENT’S EXECUTIVE ORDER SEEKING TO OVERTURN NEW YORK’S CLIMATE CHANGE SUPERFUND ACT
EXECUTIVE ORDER MEANS A $3 BILLION TAB FOR ALL NEW YORK TAXPAYERS TO SHIELD BIG OIL
President Trump yesterday signed an executive order that, among other things, attempts to overturn New York’s landmark Climate Change Superfund Act. The Act was approved to mitigate the costs to state taxpayers resulting from the damage caused by the ongoing climate catastrophe.
AS STATE SENATE PASSES ELECTRIC LAWN EQUIPMENT REBATE BILL WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, 100 GROUPS ENDORSE PROPOSAL
Public health, environmental, and community groups call on state legislature to pass S1574/A2657 to promote transition from gas-powered lawn equipment to electric
As lawmakers consider the governor’s proposed higher education budget, NYPIRG today released a policy paper, “Promises made, promises broken.” The paper examined higher education policies which undermined the finances of public colleges and colleges in the independent sector.
REPORT AND NEWS RELEASE: Examining Delays in the Small Claims Courts Throughout New York State and Recommendations for Reform
NYPIRG applauds the decision by the New York State Court of Appeals to uphold the constitutionality of the state’s ethics and lobbying law and reject the separation of powers arguments advanced by former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
NYPIRG RELEASES NATIONAL DATA SHOWING NEW YORK’S HOSPITALS RANK BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN TERMS OF QUALITY OF CARE
NEW YORK RANKED 34TH IN THE NATION IN TERMS OF QUALITY OF CARE IN HOSPITALS
Utah ranked first in the nation, according to The LeapFrog Group’s Fall 2024 report. New York ranked well behind Connecticut (3), New Jersey (5), California (6), Pennsylvania (9), Florida (13), and Massachusetts (23).
New York has consistently ranked in the bottom third of the nation.
NEWS RELEASE: Governor Hochul and the Department of Environmental Conservation approved the Title V Air Permit application submitted by Iroquois ExC to expand the gas compressor stations in the Town of Athens and the Town of Dover, exposing Hudson Valley residents to increased air pollution and higher risks of gas line explosions.
Release: National data showing New York’s voter participation rate dropped to lowest level since 2004. New York ranked 43rd in the nation in terms of voter registration.
