Urge your Assembly members to protect NY streams and restore living shorelines

Mill Creek, Swyer Preserve We need your help to protect our state's streams and shorelines! The New York State Senate has passed two important bills – one to expand protections for streams and rivers, and another to prioritize living shorelines and help our coastlines adapt to the impacts of climate change. By speaking out now, you can help make these bills become law.

The first bill aims to protect 41,000 miles of streams and rivers across New York, including nearly 9,000 miles in the Hudson River watershed. The second bill, Living Shorelines Act, promotes nature-based solutions over hardened shorelines, providing habitat that can grow naturally over time.

We need the Assembly to act before the end of the session on June 8. Without these bills, many streams and shorelines in New York will continue to be at risk, putting our drinking water, recreation, and flood protection in jeopardy.

We can't afford to wait any longer to take action. Contact your Assemblymember today and urge them to pass the Class C stream protections and Living Shorelines Act before it is too late.

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Dear: [Decision Maker],

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As a concerned constituent, I am writing to urge you to take action on two important environmental issues before the end of the current session. Specifically, I would like to see the Assembly pass two bills that are already approved by the Senate: the Class C Stream Protection bill A4601 (Glick) and the Living Shorelines Act A5221 (Otis).

First, I am deeply concerned about the lack of protection for many miles of streams and rivers in our state. Currently, there is a simple protection in place that requires a DEC permit before any alteration of a stream, which can help avoid or mitigate any negative impacts. However, over 41,000 miles of streams in our state lack this basic protection, putting the life in those streams at risk, as well as communities that rely on them for drinking water, recreation, and flood protection. This is a serious issue that affects not only the environment but also the health and safety of millions of New Yorkers. Therefore, I urge you to support the Stream Protection bill and pass it into law as soon as possible.

Secondly, I urge you to support the Living Shorelines Act, which would require the DEC to prioritize nature-based living shorelines over hardened shorelines in project permits. Living shorelines are a more resilient approach compared to typical hardened shorelines, providing habitat restoration or enhancement, and growing naturally over time. With climate change impacting our coastlines, it is essential to protect our shorelines and communities from storm surge, sea level rise, and loss of habitat. This bill has already been passed in several other states, and I believe it is crucial that New York follows suit. Therefore, I urge you to support the Living Shorelines Act and pass it into law before the end of this session.

Thank you for your attention to these important issues. I hope that you will take action to protect our environment and communities for current and future generations.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]