Long Island is facing a silent environmental crisis, and you won’t hear about it from your representative. When Donald Trump was elected into office, many pundits predicted deep cuts to nature protections, but few foresaw the extent of his austerity measures. So far, the Trump administration has cut 50 EPA programs and endeavored to reverse 100 environmental rules.
These federal decisions have local consequences; Long Islanders’ right to clean drinking water, natural expanses, and diverse wildlife are at risk. It is time for constituents to express their dissatisfaction with the longstanding political inaction on the environment and elect a leader committed to protecting nature.
Melanie D’Arrigo, a grassroots candidate for NY-03, is the only challenger in the race who is dedicated to fighting for environmental protection across Long Island.
While campaigning, Congressman Tom Suozzi has repeatedly pledged his commitment to environmental justice.
His voting record in Washington, however, tells a different story. In 2018, Suozzi voted for the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act.
This Republican-sponsored bill would subject all new environmental regulations to a review by the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Through this provision, President Trump would be able to directly interfere in attempts to protect America’s natural habitats. The bill ultimately failed, but Suozzi signaled his willingness to subject environmental regulations to Trump’s destructive agenda.
Despite claiming to be a supporter of the Green New Deal, Suozzi has repeatedly made himself beholden to anti-environmental interests.
The congressman has received funds from the American Gas Association, a group that has repeatedly argued for expanded hydraulic fracking, which destroys local ecosystems and often makes tap water undrinkable.
Suozzi was also the recipient of a donation from the Glover Park Group, a lobbying group that has previously led efforts against renewable biofuels.
For decades, Long Islanders living around Bethpage have worried about the quality of their drinking water due to the infamous Grumman plume. Beginning in the 1970s, the aerospace company knowingly dumped toxic chemicals that contaminated local drinking wells.
The plume is now 4.3 miles long, 2.1 miles wide, and 900 feet deep, requiring $585 million to repair. While Suozzi has publicly called for Grumman to contribute to the clean-up, he privately took a $13,500 donation from the corporation.
Following years of legislative gridlock and political inaction, the plume continues to expand, placing more residents at risk every year. Long Islanders cannot place their trust in a representative who has dual loyalties.
Residents living in and around Bethpage deserve accountability from the corporations that have been polluting their water for decades. While Suozzi is willing to bow to corporate interests, Melanie is a true believer in the Green New Deal.
This legislation will replace aging lead pipes and clean up hazardous waste sites in order to provide clean water to those who need it the most.
Long Island is heralded across the country for its beautiful coasts, scenic beaches, and vast landscapes. Unfortunately, decades of inaction from local politicians threatens to destroy the island’s native wildlife.
A 2016 EPA study showed that a third of the wetlands across the Long Island sound has disappeared since the 1880s. These natural settings are critical for biodiversity, including fish, flora, and carbon and nitrogen sequestering organisms that remove potentially dangerous chemicals from the environment.
In addition, they soak up floodwaters and prevent Hurricane Sandy-esque damage to our coasts. The Long Island Sound is a calming destination for residents, who may choose to go fishing or simply relaxing on the shore, but also a critical haven for the island’s diverse wildlife.
The destruction of wetlands threatens both these natural benefits and politicians must act quickly to ensure the Sound is not irreparably damaged. Suozzi has received over more than $20,000 in donations from various crop production and basic processing corporate interest groups, which often contribute pollutants that harm wetlands. Melanie has pledged to reject corporate PAC money.
Long Island deserves a representative who won’t let corporate donors get in the way of their commitment to a Green New Deal. This platform will employ workers to restore natural ecosystems, rebuild wetlands, and clean up pollutants across the country.
Long Island cannot afford to wait any longer for strong action on the environment. For far too long, politicians have ignored the state of nature on the island or merely settled for the status quo.
Congressman Suozzi, despite his public support for the Green New Deal, has been equally quiet.
As tap water approaches dangerous levels of contaminants and wetlands continue to decrease, the island needs to elect a progressive fighter for our district.
I urge my fellow Long Islanders to vote for Melanie D’Arrigo in the June 23rd New York Democratic Primary. The future of our environment depends on it.
Eli Lefcowitz
Port Washington
Intern for Melanie D’Arrigo campaign
