NYPIRG 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
As Hochul Considers an A.I. Bill, Its Sponsor Throws Her a Fund-Raiser (The New York Times, December 4, 2025)
Lawn mowers. Leaf blowers. Weed whackers. In WNY, a nice lawn is creating a pollution problem (The Buffalo News, December 2, 2025)
Monroe County has highest CO2 emissions from lawn equipment in Finger Lakes; report (Rochester First, December 2, 2025)
Environmental Advocates call on Hochul for electric lawn equipment incentives (WBNG, December 2, 2025)
Environmental advocates want state law to encourage electric yard equipment (Watertown Daily Times, December 2, 2025)
Data centers: an important cause of rising utility bills (WAMC, December 1, 2025)
Legislative Gazette - Governor Hochul approves amendments to the Adirondack State Land Master Plan (WAMC, November 28, 2025)
The Capitol Connection - Blair Horner, Senior Policy Advisor, NYPIRG (WAMC, November 27, 2025)
Big oil scores big profits and still gets tax benefits in New York (WAMC, November 24, 2025)
Push to end New York’s subsidies to fossil fuelers with surging profits (MSN, November 20, 2025)
'Trouble in Toyland' safety report warns parents about 2025 dangerous toys (Bronx News 12, November 20, 2025)
NYPIRG releases 2025 dangerous toys list (Mid-Hudson News, November 19, 2025)
Experts reveal what toys to be worried about this holiday season (Spectrum News, November 19, 2025)
AI chatbot toys are having ‘sexually explicit’ conversations with kids: report (New York Post, November 19, 2025)
New report shows that talking toys are trouble in Toyland (AM New York, November 18, 2025)
'Trouble in Toyland' safety report released for the holiday season (WGRZ, November 18, 2025)
'Trouble in Toyland' list focuses on AI-use, safety hazards in toys (Buffalo-Toronto Public Media, November 18, 2025)
Report finds AI-powered toys talk inappropriately to kids (1010 WINS, November 18, 2025)
NY Democrats and Republicans unite to blast NYPA over $7.5M private plane (Democrat & Chronicle, November 18, 2025)
Groups to Gov. Hochul: Make Bottle Bill more convenient (WAMC, November 17, 2025)
A coalition of community and environmental organizations today released emission data on the air pollution impacts of the use of gas-powered lawn equipment like leaf blowers. State lawmakers, NYPIRG, Environment America and the Clean Quiet Alliance released county-by-county data showing how much climate pollution is created by gas-powered lawn mowers, weed whackers, leaf blowers, chainsaws and other garden equipment. The groups also released information on the dozens of New York localities that have placed restrictions or bans on the use of some gas-powered lawn equipment. Over 100 organizations urged Governor Hochul to act to establish an incentive program to help local governments and landscaping companies shift from gas to battery powered lawn equipment.
NYPIRG’s Statement on Governor Hochul's Delay of the All Electric Buildings Act
NYPIRG NEWS RELEASE: 2025 “Trouble in Toyland” Toy Safety Report Release
NYPIRG Releases PIRG's 40th Annual Trouble In Toyland Report
Bill McKibben, Advocates, Legislators Report $1.2 Trillion in Profits
for Big Oil Companies from 2021-2025 Year-to-Date,
Call on Governor Hochul to
Stop Climate Polluter Handouts in her Executive Budget.
As the Largest Oil Companies Continue to Reap Massive Profits, Bill McKibben Joins
Lawmakers and NY Advocates Arguing for Repeal of $350 Million in Annual Fossil Fuel
Subsidies to Help Address New York’s Affordability Crisis
NYPIRG NEWS RELEASE: A coalition of environmentalists, charities, and civic groups today released a compliance check survey showing a widespread failure of retailers to post a Bottle Bill “Bill of Rights” sign as required by state law. The survey of nearly 300 retailers across New York State found that 80 percent failed to visibly post the signs and that more than 10 percent more did not post those signs at the “point of sale” as required by the state.
NYPIRG’s Statement on Governor Hochul’s Approval of Fracked Gas Williams “NESE” Pipeline
Release: 2025 Pokey and Schleppie Awards Bestowed to Slowest and Least Reliable Buses. New Mazel Award Touts Most Improved Bus Routes
Report: 2025 Pokey, Schleppie, & new Mazel Awards for Bus Service
The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) today released a review of voter enrollment data using the most recent information released by the New York State Board of Elections on November 1, 2025.
NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign News Release: Students Deliver 2,700 Petitions to Mayor Urging Faster Bus Service Along Flatbush Avenue. Advocates Call on City and State Leaders to Expand Bus Improvements Beyond the Northern End of Flatbush.
New Yorkers Urge Governor Hochul to Reject Dangerous Gas Pipelines and Nuclear Power Plants Threatening Central NY
NEWS RELEASE: Over 100 Groups Call for Congress to Defend the National Environmental Policy Act
NYPIRG Group Sign-On Letter for the National Environmental Policy Act
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