NYPIRG Friends Happy Hour Event

Thanks so much for your support as we grow NYPIRG bigger and stronger.

Dear Friends,

Our November 20, 2019 NYPIRG Friends Happy Hour Event was a great success, and we all had a wonderful time proudly celebrating the most productive year in NYPIRG’s history! It was a fantastic evening and a testament to the crucial work that NYPIRG has accomplished in the past year — and the dedicated staff, volunteers, alumni, 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

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

Champions
Chris Meyer & Susan Stamler
AARP New York State Office
Jason Faria
Professional Staff Congress/CUNY
Organizers
Barak Berkowitz
Geoff Boehm
Malkin & Ross
Activists
Rhonda K. Bambrick
Diana Breen & Michael Ritter
Michael O'Loughlin
Mike Pratt
Jesse Schaffer
Craig Siegel
Governor Hochul’s budget plan  (WAMC, January 27, 2026)
Good government watchdogs want COIB to restrict electioneering  (City & State, January 27, 2026)
Snow blowers pollute NY's air. Lawmakers must ban them | Opinion  (Democrat & Chronicle, January 25, 2026)
Hochul's huge campaign cash advantage  (Spectrum News, January 22, 2026)
Upcoming Forum: The Next New York  (Streetsblog, January 21, 2026)
Gov. Hochul has a big fundraising lead, but NY's public finance could close the gap  (WRVO, January 19, 2026)
Governor Hochul and the cost of auto insurance  (WAMC, January 20, 2026)
Gov. Kathy Hochul to present budget proposal, balancing new program against fiscal constraints  (Newsday, January 19, 2026)
Impacting the "affordability" crisis  (WAMC, January 13, 2026)
Empire State Weekly: New session marks start of budget process  (ABC News 10, January 10, 2026)
A growing problem in New York: eroding college finances  (WAMC, January 6, 2026)
NYS Legislature set to return, with affordability at the top of the agenda  (Newsday, January 4, 2025)
Environmental advocacy groups call on Hochul to update the state bottle bill  (WAMC, December 31, 2025)
Lots of planning, too little action  (WAMC, December 29, 2025)
What it Takes to Get Young People to Vote  (Harlem View, December 26, 2025)
Raising revenues while saving lives  (WAMC, December 22, 2025)
New York's Senate doesn't publish votes on nominees. Advocates want that to change  (Albany Times-Union, December 18, 2025)
DEC Confirms Developer Liable for $18M Cleanup, Raising New Doubts About Somers Reservoir Project  (The Examiner News, December 11, 2025)
Utility watchdog bill vetoed  (CNY, December 11, 2025)
New York governor rejects utility consumer advocate bill  (My Twin Tiers, December 10, 2025)
News Archive
NYPIRG applauds U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s recent public statement and submitted amicus brief challenging the efforts by the oil industry and its allies to overturn New York’s Climate Superfund law.
Straphangers Campaign Releases Best & Worst Moments in NYC Transit List for 2025
On the two-year anniversary of New York’s “Solid Waste Management Plan,” a broad coalition of over 300 groups today called on Governor Kathy Hochul to include modernization of the state returnable container law (aka “The Bottle Bill”) in her executive budget plan, scheduled to be released next month. The groups say it makes sense for the bill to be in the budget since it would both increase revenue for the state and track one of the recommendations of the state’s “Solid Waste Management Plan.”
VICTORY! NYPIRG’s Statement on Governor Hochul Signing the Bill to End the “100-Foot Rule”
NEWS RELEASE: NYPIRG’s Statement on the House Passage of the SPEED Act (H.R. 4776)
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
Reports & Features Archive