By Michael B. Gerrard,
In 2025, New York State overhauled its State Superfund law and extended the State Superfund Program for ten years. The state also enacted laws restricting chemicals in menstrual products and firefighter personal protective equipment; expanding the extended producer responsibility program for batteries to include electric scooter and bike batteries; and protecting monarch butterflies and horseshoe crabs. These and other new and amended environmental and energy laws — as well as notable vetoes — are discussed in this article.
Amendments to two of New York’s most important laws may be up for consideration by the Legislature during the current session. Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed amendments to the State Environmental Quality Review Act to exempt certain residential projects from environmental review.
Read the article New York Environmental Legislation in 2025New York Environmental Legislation in 2025 in Columbia Law School's Scholarship Archive here.