New York Public Interest Research Group

There are more than 12,000 water outlets at schools in New York with lead levels above what's allowed.

Joining us to discuss that report is Blair Horner from the New York Public Interest Research Group, one of the groups behind the report.

Blair, thank you for doing this.

We appreciate it.

Well, not everybody knows what that is.

That's true.

The New York Public Interest Research Group.

I interned with you in college, so I can say that very fast.

But you can give 15 times that to a political party, and the party can turn around and give that money to a candidate.

Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group says it's a loophole that should be closed.

They can transfer as much as they want to the candidate of their choice.

It sort of essentially makes a mockery of all of the campaign contribution limits that exist.

She receives the bills in batches.

Blair Horner with the New York Public Interest Research Group says that process happens for logistical and political reasons.

The more controversial the issues, and particularly areas where the public would be divided, They get done during the holidays.

Horner says a change in the process would likely mean an overhaul of how the legislature conducts its business during the session.

Individuals can give no more than $9,000 to the candidate of their choice, but they can donate 15 times that to a political party, which can then give the money to a candidate.

Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group says that shouldn't happen.

We have the crazy ideas of thinking that a $138,000 campaign contribution should not be allowed in New York, that the limit should be much lower.

Both Hochul and Blakeman have benefited from the legal quirk.

In New York, groups pushed for the state legislature to finally pass the Package and Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, or PRIA.

At the protest on Saturday, October 3rd, at Starbucks on 1244 Western Avenue in Albany, we hear from MC Alexis Goldsmith, City Auditor Sam Fein, Chris Bottino of NYPIRG, and Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics.

We then have some short audio from protests in Burlington, from NYPIRG, and in Philadelphia.

Welcome Sam Fein.

Um, Sam is the chief, uh, auditor for the city of Albany.

[car horn] And number three, make sure your stores actually have the staff and the equipment they need to do your reusable cup policy.

My name is, uh, Chris Bottini.

I'm a policy coordinator with NYPIRG.

In New York, groups pushed for the state legislature to finally pass the Package and Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, or PREA.

At the protest on Saturday, October 3rd at Starbucks on 1244 Western Avenue in Albany, we hear from MC Alexis Goldsmith, City Auditor Sam Fein, Chris Bottino of NYPIRG, and Judith Anka Beyond Plastics.

We then have some short audio from protests in Burlington by Vermont PIRG, and in Philadelphia.

Welcome, Sam Fein.

And number three, make sure your stores actually have the staff and the equipment they need to do your reusable cup policy.

My name is Chris Bottini.

I'm a policy coordinator with NYPIRG.

It's the New York Public Interest Research Group.

We don't need more data." The study analyzes the most recent data gleaned from a decade-old testing regime that requires schools to test water quality and report the results to the state health department on a three-year cycle.

The report released today in partnership with the New York Public Interest Research Group and the Frontier Group found 42% of the state's four hundred ... four thousand five hundred twenty-four public schools had at least one water source that tested above the state's safety threshold of five points per billion.

A total of twelve thousand five hundred forty-two water sources in those schools exceeded that limit.

In Erie County, one hundred and two schools, 70.3%, had at least one water source with lead levels over the limit.