MENUHigher Education
We live in a representative democracy — we choose our representatives, and they make policy choices on our behalf. Central to the success of any democracy is the ability of its people to be adequately informed about the issues of the day and the way in which their government works. In addition, an advanced society such as ours relies on the intellect and skills of its people to boost its economic vitality.
An important component to such successes is a quality, affordable system of higher education. NYPIRG has long promoted access to affordable, high quality college education for all students. Working with our sister organization, we have offered analyses that help make the case for enhanced state support for higher education institutions, both public and independent.
Ethics commission report shows record highs in lobbying spending (WENY, June 28, 2024)
Stop Danskammer Coalition says application withdrawal win for public health (Mid-Hudson News, June 26, 2024)
State lobbying hit record numbers in 2023 (ABC News 10, June 25, 2024)
NYS lobbyists spent record $360M to try to influence government, report says (Newsday, June 25, 2024)
New Yorkers go to the polls – some of them anyway (WAMC, June 24, 2023)
Fake Signatures and ‘Good-Faith Letters’ Fuel a Lucrative Campaign Haul (The New York Times, June 24, 2024)
Environmental Advocates Push for Bill to Hold Big Oil Responsible (Fingerlakes 1, June 22, 2024)
Foes of Danskammer Power Plant question site's long term use after bid to operate full-time dropped (The Daily Freeman, June 22, 2024)
Making Democracy Work: Civic education, first hand, at Students Inside Albany conference (TBR Newsmedia, June 21, 2024)
Bill aims to hold oil companies responsible for emissions (WSYR, June 21, 224)
Bill aims to hold oil companies responsible for emissions (CNY, June 21, 2024)
New York feels the heat (WAMC, June 17, 2024)
New York State Lawmakers Once Again Fail to Pass Meaningful Climate Legislation (Hellgate, June 12, 2024)
NYC congestion pricing delay may face legal challenge. Why the comptroller calls Gov. Hochul's move "a disastrously wrong turn." (CBS, June 12, 2024)
A NY push to cut down on single-use plastics just fizzled out. Why? And what happens now? (The Poughkeepsie Journal, June 11, 2024)
RHN To Albany Leaders: “Inaction On NY HEAT Mocks Our Climate Law” (Harlem World Magazine, June 11, 2024)
Opponents of Hochul’s Move to Halt Congestion Pricing May Go to Court (The New York Times, June 11, 2024)
NY bill to make big polluters pay for emissions passes legislature (Adirondack Explorer, June 10, 2024)
New York Legislature Passes Climate Change Superfund Act (ENR, June 10, 2024)
Lawmakers head for the exit, will they return before the end of the year? (WAMC, June 10, 2024)
A coalition of civic, environmental, social justice, and community-based charities joined with small business “redemption centers” to call on Governor Hochul and the state legislative leaders “to urge your attention and immediate action to prevent business closings and job losses by supporting legislation to boost the ‘handling fee’ that provides revenues for redemption centers, which are critical to the success of the state’s Bottle Deposit Law.”
VICTORY! On Monday, June 17, a six-year fight for clean air and public health came to an end when Danskammer Energy withdrew its application to build a new fracked gas plant on the Hudson River in Newburgh, NY.
As a dangerous heat wave grips New York, sending "feels like" temperatures soaring above 100 degrees, community leaders, local officials, and extreme weather survivors are demanding Governor Hochul take immediate action by signing the recently passed Climate Change Superfund Act (S.2129B/A.3351B) into law.
Tale of the Tape: NYPIRG's 2024 Legislative Review – The number of bills that passed in the Senate increased, while that number decreased in the Assembly. The Governor's use of emergency "messages of necessity" flattens.
NY State Assembly Passes Historic Climate Superfund Bill to Make Polluters Pay for Climate Damages
NYPIRG's Statement on Governor Hochul's Delay of Congestion Pricing
A coalition supporting improvements to the state’s Bottle Deposit Law today released a listing of over 1,000 local charities that benefit from the law. The coalition argued that these charities offer services for those in need and that modernization of the forty-year-old law would enhance the charities’ services.
A coalition supporting improving the state’s Bottle Deposit Law today released a review of recent redemption center closures. The review, conducted by redemption centers, identified 97 businesses that have closed or appear to be closed. Another 54 redemption centers had disconnected phones and no obvious social media presence. The coalition argued that many of these closures are the direct result of New York's 15 year "freeze" of the handling fee that redemption centers rely on for revenues.
NYPIRG Reacts to Speaker Heastie's Comments on Climate Change Superfund Act
A coalition of civic groups today called on the New York State Board of Elections to review the state’s polling locations to see if colleges have on-campus polls as required under the law. The letter is in reaction to the results of a survey conducted by NYPIRG.
NYPIRG analyzed 199 colleges (217 campuses, some colleges have multiple campuses) in New York State, of which 147 have dorms located on their premises. This review of the locations of polling places for college students living on-campus identifies a wide gap between those campuses that have dorms and the number that have polling places.
A statewide coalition representing hundreds of community, environmental, labor, and religious groups today applauded state Senate approval of the Climate Change Superfund Act, which requires Big Oil to cover New York's climate damages – not taxpayers. The groups urged swift action in the state Assembly. The majority of Assemblymembers are sponsors of the legislation.
News Release on NYPIRG's Recent Victory Expanding Financial Aid for Low-Income Patients
Environmental, community, and business groups representing 300 New York organizations today held a press conference to urge state lawmakers to include the "Bigger, Better, Bottle Bill" (S.237B/A6353A) as a "must do" priority for the end of session
NYPIRG Statement on Start of Congestion Pricing
NYPIRG reacted to elements of the final state budget, highlighting the "good," the "bad," and the "ugly."
Release: County & Local Elected Officials Join 180+ Organizations to Urge Governor Hochul & Assembly Speaker Heastie to End $265M of Fossil Fuel Subsidies in the Final NYS Budget
Bill to Gut NYC’s Landmark Climate and Jobs Law Slammed as Real Estate Lobby Attack Begins.
Proposed Linda Lee bill would eviscerate Local Law 97, which is creating thousands of local jobs, cutting utility bills, and reducing pollution.
Report and Release: Climate Change Superfund Environmental Justice. $1 Billion Potential Scenario of Annual Allocations by Region and County
Report from NYPIRG and NY Renews – On the Backs of New York State Households: The Extreme Costs of Climate Change Impacts Families in Every Region of the State
NYPIRG and Other Transparency Advocates Urge Legislature and Governor to Strengthen Freedom of Information Law for Sunshine Week
