New York

PFAS Testing and Mitigation Rebate Program Reopens for Ulster County Private Well Owners

KINGSTON, N.Y. — Ulster County residents who rely on private wells for drinking water can once again apply for free PFAS testing and financial assistance to address contamination concerns through a New York State pilot program. The New York State Department of Health has reopened applications for the Private Well PFAS Testing and Mitigation Rebate […]

New York Ulster County

Report Catalogs Rise in New York State Prison Problems

New York Public News Network | By Jimmy Vielkind A decade ago, corrections officers in New York state prisons used pepper spray 124 times over the course of a year. But by 2024, the year Robert Brooks was murdered by guards while incarcerated at a prison near Utica, the number of pepper spray deployments had spiked […]

New York

Man Dies in Kayaking Accident at Mongaup Pond

LIBERTY, N.Y. — A man died after an apparent drowning at Mongaup Pond in the Town of Rockland over the Fourth of July weekend, according to New York State Police. Troopers assigned to the Liberty barracks responded at approximately 8:48 p.m. July 4 to a report of an overturned kayaker at Mongaup Pond Campground, 231 […]

New York Sullivan County

American Lung Association Critiques NY’s Slow Climate Policies

The American Lung Association in New York is criticizing state leaders for delaying key climate initiatives, arguing the decisions could slow efforts to reduce air pollution and improve public health. The criticism comes after the conclusion of New York’s 2026 legislative session, during which Gov. Kathy Hochul delayed implementation of portions of the state’s climate […]

New York

Delaware County Landowners Seek to Overturn NY’s Hydraulic Fracking Ban

ALBANY — A federal lawsuit filed by a father and son who own more than 160 acres of property in Delaware County is seeking to overturn New York’s ban on the extraction of natural gas through fracking. The litigation, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Albany in April, is unfolding as Republican gubernatorial […]

Delaware County New York

Federal Changes to SNAP Have New York Taxpayers Facing Significant New Costs

New York Public News Network | By Samuel King H.R. 1 — or President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act — makes a lot of changes to programs like the SNAP food assistance program. A new report from the New York State Association of Counties finds one of those changes would put local taxpayers on the hook for […]

New York

New York Essential Plan Users Worry: Am I Losing Coverage?

Unclear notices have left participants unsure about the status of their insurance and what steps to take next. By Jie Jenny Zou , New York Focus This story originally appeared in New York Focus, a nonprofit news publication investigating power in New York. Sign up for their newsletter here. Christina Hauptman felt relieved when her 19-year-old […]

New York

Advocates Slam Governor as More Than 450,000 State Residents Lose Health Insurance

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | By Erika Kengni Hundreds of thousands of New York state residents will lose healthcare coverage under the state’s Essential Plan on July 1. This comes as a result of federal cuts that leave the state unable to continue offering its Essential Plan to those earning between 200% and 250% of the […]

New York

Feds Accuse New York of Violating USDA Standards Over Use of Farmland for Solar Projects

New York Public News Network | By Samuel King Trump administration officials, including the U.S. Agriculture secretary and Environmental Protection Agency administrator, are questioning the conversion of farmland into solar projects in New York. A letter from Secretary Brooke Rollins, Administrator Lee Zeldin and Special Envoy John Rich accuses New York state of violating USDA standards […]

New York