News from Environmental Advocates of New York

For more information contact: Erica Ringewald, 518-210-9903

Report Documents How NY’s Failure to Follow Clean Water Act Puts Waters at Risk

Environmental Watchdog to Release Follow-Up Report on Flawed Water Pollution Permit Program

ALBANY, NY (04/23/2008; 1058)(readMedia)-- MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: Environmental Advocates of New York will release "Permission to Pollute" on Monday, April 28, 2008. The report documents how the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is reissuing water pollution permits without substantive review, as required every five years under The Clean Water Act, and that the agency is doing so with little or no opportunity for public participation.

"Permission to Pollute" is the follow-up to "Muddying the Waters: The Unknown Consequences of New York’s Failed Water Pollution Permitting Program," which was released in 2007.

WHO: Rob Moore, Environmental Advocates’ Executive Director, and Water & Natural Resources Program Associate Katherine Nadeau will speak to the report’s findings.

WHERE/WHEN: 11 a.m. on Monday, April 28, 2008, LCA Press Room, Albany, NY

(The LCA Press Room has temporarily moved to the Egg.)

WHY: For almost 15 years, New York State has not met its obligations under the Clean Water Act. In direct violation of state and federal law, the state’s primary environmental agency has failed to properly oversee and regulate the pollution discharged into New York’s waterways by more than 1,100 facilities.

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Environmental Advocates of New York is the state’s government watchdog, holding lawmakers and agencies accountable for implementing policy that protects natural resources and safeguards public health. Environmental Advocates works alone and in coalitions, and has more than 7,000 individual and 130 organizational members. The 501©(3) is also the New York affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. For more information call 518.462.5526 or visit www.eany.org.