Alumni

Dear Friends,
Thanks to you, our recent alumni events have been great successes, and it's been wonderful to see you and be in touch. Thank you so much for your generous support along the way!
NYPIRG continues to drive public attention to the key issues of the day and have a real and positive impact on policy — from environmental protection, to consumer rights, to higher education affordability, to government accountability, and so much more.
Of course, for all of this, the support of our alumni and friends is crucial. Now more than ever, we need your assistance as we grow NYPIRG bigger and better. Please make your vital, tax-deductible contribution today to help us keep fighting and winning.
We'll keep you informed of upcoming events and opportunities to get involved, and I hope to see you soon. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Blair Horner
Executive Director
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NYPIRG in the News
Letter: Stop Climate Polluter Handouts
Health costs quietly rise in New York State as hospitals buy more private practices  (Newsday, June 3, 2025)
Gas pipelines eye return to New York  (ABC News 10, May 29, 2025)
Recycling, HEAT Act, bottle bill are key issues as NYS lawmakers near end of session  (Newsday, May 26, 2025)
One budget failure  (WAMC, May 19, 2025)
The Bottle Bill: What’s bigger and what's better about it?  (Spectrum News, May 19, 2025)
Incentive for electric lawn equipment brings demo to New York state Capitol  (Spectrum News, May 14, 2025)
How Long Island SUNY campuses will spend $37 million in funding boost from state budget  (Newsday, May 14, 2025)
Supporters Gather in Albany for Bigger, Better, Bottle Bill  (Fingerlakes Daily News, May 13, 2025)
Lawmakers channel budget frustrations with Hochul into bipartisan constitutional amendment push  (Spectrum News, May 13, 2025)
New York has a budget  (WAMC, May 12, 2025)
NY Assembly Fails To Tackle Energy Affordability Crisis, Siding With Corporate Utilities  (Harlem World Magazine, May 8, 2025)
NY's latest budget in fifteen years  (WAMC, May 5, 2025)
NYS budget process: Created in secret, with limited public review and getting 'worse'  (Newsday, May 4, 2025)
It's official: This year's budget is the latest in 15 years  (City & State, May 2, 2025)
Final touches being applied to latest New York budget since 2010, as good government groups bestow shame  (Spectrum News, May 2, 2025)
Students Lead Town Hall On Future Of Subway Expansion  (The Wave, May 2, 2025)
NY hospital safety ranking rises nationally: How did Hudson Valley fare?  (Poughkeepsie Journal, May 1, 2025)
Queens College students host town hall rallying support for QueensLink subway proposal  (Qns.com, April 29, 2025)
Albany's trash problem  (WAMC, April 28, 2025)
News Archive
Reports & Features
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.
NYPIRG analysis released: Modernization of the state's Bottle Deposit Law would generate nearly $100 million more than it does now in the first year of implementation, revenues that can be used to invest in the state’s flagging recycling efforts and to improve its administration
NYPIRG Reacts to Executive Budget
The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) today announced that effective January 1, 2025, Megan Ahearn is its new Executive Director. Ms. Ahearn previously served as NYPIRG’s Program Director overseeing NYPIRG’s community and campus policy work. Ms. Ahearn succeeds Blair Horner and will be NYPIRG’s eighth Executive Director in its 50-plus year existence. Horner will remain on NYPIRG’s staff as its Senior Policy Advisor, primarily focusing on state government advocacy.
MAJOR VICTORY: Governor Hochul signs the Climate Change Superfund Act into law! This New York action moves the issue to the forefront in the nation to MAKE POLLUTERS PAY.

Governor Hochul and key members of the state’s legislative leadership announced an agreement to approve the Climate Change Superfund Act. New York will become the second state in the nation to hold the largest Big Oil companies accountable for costs resulting from the worsening climate catastrophe.
NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign Statement on MTA Decision to Approve Transit Fare Hike in 2025
NYPIRG joined elected officials and environmental advocates to rally for the Climate Change Superfund Act in the wake of unprecedented climate catastrophes in New York. Governor Hochul only has until the end of the year to sign legislation that makes polluters, not taxpayers, pay for climate disaster repairs and resilience.
After Relaunching Congestion Pricing, Signing the Climate Change Superfund Act Is Next on Gov’s To-Do List
Reports & Features Archive