Fair 67°
Tag:

Pollution

Weather
Is All That Fog Just Rapidly Melting Snow? Why NY Is In A Haze Is All That Fog Just Rapidly Melting Snow? Why NY Is In A Haze
Is All That Fog Just Rapidly Melting Snow? Why NY Is In A Haze No, that’s not wildfire smoke this time. If you stepped outside Tuesday, Feb. 17, and wondered why the air looked hazy, the culprit is likely rapidly melting snow. As temperatures rose across the region, melting snow added moisture to the lowest levels of the atmosphere, creating the perfect setup for dense fog. A Dense Fog Advisory has been issued for large portions of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, with visibility expected to drop to one-quarter mile or less, forecasters said. So why did it get so foggy so fast? Rapidly melting snow boosts moisture near the ground, Cleveland.com…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
News
'Oily Sheen' On Bronx River May Be Result Of Westchester Leak, Officials Warn 'Oily Sheen' On Bronx River May Be Result Of Westchester Leak, Officials Warn
'Oily Sheen' On Bronx River May Be Result Of Westchester Leak, Officials Warn An electrical equipment leak in Westchester may be contributing to pollution in the Bronx River as far south as the Bronx Zoo, state officials announced.  According to New York State Assemblymember Emerita Torres, Con Edison reported a dielectric leak in Yonkers that appears linked to an oily sheen observed on the Bronx River. The sheen has been detected at multiple points downstream, including near the Bronx Zoo.  Con Edison has since installed absorbent booms at Yonkers outfalls and is conducting further testing to confirm the source of the discharge and to assess potential heal…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
News
2 Dead, 10 Injured; Timelapse Video Shows Fatal Explosions At US Steel Clairton Coke 2 Dead, 10 Injured; Timelapse Video Shows Fatal Explosions At US Steel Clairton Coke
2 Dead, 10 Injured; Timelapse Video Shows Fatal Explosions At US Steel Clairton Coke A timelapse video and photos captured by the Breathe Project show the massive plume from a deadly explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works on Monday, Aug. 11, that has now left two people dead two missing, and 10 injured, officials confirmed later Monday night. The explosion happened at 10:51 a.m. between coke oven batteries 13 and 14 inside the sprawling coking facility along the Monongahela River in Clairton, sparking a fire and a large-scale emergency response, according to Allegheny County Emergency Services (ACES). There were multiple secondary explosions, officials explained. B…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
News
NY Among 3 Best States For Environmental Protections, New Study Says: Here's Why NY Among 3 Best States For Environmental Protections, New Study Says: Here's Why
NY Among 3 Best States For Environmental Protections, New Study Says: Here's Why Many Northeast states are among the nation's leaders in protecting the environment, according to a new study. SmileHub released its 2025 list of Best States for Environmental Protection on Tuesday, June 10. The website ranked all 50 states based on environmental protection programs, energy use, waste reduction, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. The analysis included whether states have water reuse rules, how many environmental charities they support, and how vulnerable they are to climate shifts like record-breaking heat. "The US produces over 292 million tons of waste per…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Weather
Westchester Faces Air Quality Alert As Temps Climb Into 90s Thursday Westchester Faces Air Quality Alert As Temps Climb Into 90s Thursday
Westchester Faces Air Quality Alert As Temps Climb Into 90s Thursday It’s not just hot — it’s hazardous. Air quality across New Jersey and New York is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups on Thursday, June 12, as temperatures climb into the 90s and Code Orange Alerts are in effect. Health officials say that ground-level ozone and fine particulates will combine with heat to pose risks for children, seniors, and people with heart or lung conditions. ⚠️ Air Quality Alerts Code Orange Air Quality Alerts issued by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection Counties affected: Bergen, Essex, Union, Hudson, Passaic, Middlesex, Mercer, Ocean, Burling…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
News
1 Killed, 2 Injured After Explosion On Boat In Hudson River Off Manhattan's West Side 1 Killed, 2 Injured After Explosion On Boat In Hudson River Off Manhattan's West Side
1 Killed, 2 Injured After Explosion On Boat In Hudson River Off Manhattan's West Side A man was killed and two others injured after an explosion on board a sewage transport boat docked in the Hudson River. It happened around 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24, off Manhattan near the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant, according to the US Coast Guard. The incident, in the area of West 135th Street, was reportedly "linked to 'hot work' aboard a docked boat," the Coast Guard said.  The North River wastewater treatment plant is built on a 28-acre reinforced concrete platform over the Hudson River.  The identity of the victim has not yet been rel…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
White Liquid Found In River In Westchester: EPA Cracks Down on Cement Plant Pollution White Liquid Found In River In Westchester: EPA Cracks Down on Cement Plant Pollution
White Liquid Found In River In Westchester: EPA Cracks Down on Cement Plant Pollution The US Environmental Protection Agency is cracking down on cement plant pollution after a troubling sight drew concern from Westchester residents: a mysterious white slurry-like liquid flowing into a river in the county. The discharge, which was reported online, prompted a response from EPA inspectors, who along with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), began an investigation into the substance, the EPA announced on Thursday, May 1.  EPA officials said they inspected SRM Concrete in the Bronx within two weeks of the reports and issued an enforcement order …

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
News
Record Ocean Heat Causes Coral Disaster, Bleaching Most Of Earth's Reefs: Researchers Record Ocean Heat Causes Coral Disaster, Bleaching Most Of Earth's Reefs: Researchers
Record Ocean Heat Causes Coral Disaster, Bleaching Most Of Earth's Reefs: Researchers The most severe global coral bleaching event ever recorded is underway, with most of the world's reefs hit by damaging heat stress, according to scientists. The devastating bleaching has affected 84% of the world's reefs, the International Coral Reef Initiative said on Wednesday, April 23. The non-government organization first declared the fourth global bleaching event in April 2024. One year later, the crisis continues to grow, with alerts now issued across 82 countries and territories between January 2023 and March 2025. "We know coral bleaching is accelerating as our ocea…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Business
NY Plastic Bag Ban Starts With These Exceptions NY Plastic Bag Ban Starts With These Exceptions
NY Plastic Bag Ban Starts With These Exceptions The bag ban is back on. After being delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak and a pending lawsuit, enforcement of the ban of single-use plastic bags in New York that was signed into law earlier this year and effective as of Monday, Oct. 19. Earlier story - Here's When Ban On Single-Use Plastic Bags Takes Effect In NY The ban prohibits the use of bags in markets and grocery stores, with the exception of baggies used for pharmacy prescription, fruit, vegetables, and to wrap meat or fish. Restaurant takeout food is also exempt from the ban. The Department of Environmental Conservation was for…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
Know Before You Go: This Town In The Hamptons Just Banned The Release Of Balloons Know Before You Go: This Town In The Hamptons Just Banned The Release Of Balloons
Know Before You Go: This Town In The Hamptons Just Banned The Release Of Balloons A popular Long Island vacation destination is getting a little less festive with the passing of a rare balloon ban. The East Hampton Town Board announced that it has unanimously voted in favor of legislation that will ban the intentional release of balloons in the area. Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, who sponsored the legislation, said that the idea behind the new law was to cut down on litter and to protect wildlife that ingests popped balloons. “Balloons waste natural resources, litter our communities, pollute our waterways and kill wildlife,” the new law states. Balloons are defined a…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Vote Now: Do You Think Plastic Bags Should Be Banned? Here's What New Yorkers Say Vote Now: Do You Think Plastic Bags Should Be Banned? Here's What New Yorkers Say
Vote Now: Do You Think Plastic Bags Should Be Banned? Here's What New Yorkers Say What do New Yorkers think about a possible plastic bag ban? A brand new Quinnipiac poll released this week found that the state is nearly split down the middle, with 48 percent supporting a ban and 47 percent opposing the banning of single-use plastic bags. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this month that a bottle bill expansion and a plastic bag ban will be included in the 2019 Executive Budget. The expansion on the bottle bill will make most non-alcoholic drink containers eligible for five-cent redemption. According to the poll, 53 percent of women support the ban, while just 42 perc…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
Coast Guard Beaches Six Barges That Went Loose On Hudson Coast Guard Beaches Six Barges That Went Loose On Hudson
Coast Guard Beaches Six Barges That Went Loose On Hudson The Coast Guard and partner agencies have beached six barges that broke away from their moored location on the Hudson River.  The construction barges were drifting south of the Tappan Zee Bridge on Friday afternoon. The barges were beached in various locations between Dobbs Ferry and Yonkers. Another two barges are aground in the area of Palisades Park, New Jersey. The captain of the Port has instructed that a tug remain on scene with each barge until conditions stabilize, the Coast Guard said on Saturday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New York received the initial report of the adri…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi