New York State Department of Health

State and federal agencies met with the residents of Hoosick Falls Tuesday night, where an investigation into the presence of toxic chemicals in local water supplies continues. Officials hope to foster better communication between the people and government.

WAMC's David Guistina speaks with Mike Spain, Associate Editor of the Times Union, about New York State Health Department grants, which were awarded to an Orange County- based private medical coporation.  The pair also recap the 2018 Saratoga horse racing season.

The New York State Association of Counties and two other groups are urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Health to act on setting contaminant levels for chemicals that have been found in drinking water.

Six New York state senators are calling on the state Health Department to act aggressively to stop the spread of the longhorned tick. The species was discovered for the first time in New York earlier this month in Westchester County. A health department official says efforts have already been ramped up.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is touting the newly created state Hepatitis C Elimination Task Force as the nation's first strategy to eliminate the viral infection being exacerbated by the ongoing opioid epidemic.

The longhorned tick has been found in Westchester County. County and state officials confirmed their findings this month. Officials say the threat is mainly to livestock. But there is concern about whether it will transmit disease to humans.

More than a dozen environmental, civic, and research groups have sent a letter urging the New York State Department of Health and the Drinking Water Quality Council to establish so-called maximum contaminant levels for three chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS. The groups highlight new research in recommending levels they think the state should adopt.

A viral video of Coeymans, New York police running over a rabid raccoon is under scrutiny. 

The New York state Department of Health says a tourist from Australia who has been confirmed to have measles visited hotels in New York City along with some places in the Hudson Valley.

New York state officials were in Newburgh Monday night to update city residents and officials on the testing timeline and procedure for a new PFOS carbon filtration system. And while community members had concerns about the state-funded system, they also expressed frustration with PFOS blood testing results and potential health impacts.

Officials say the City of Newburgh should be able to connect its main drinking water source to a new, state-funded carbon filtration system in February. That source is Washington Lake, where PFOS was found in 2016. The city now draws water from the Catskill Aqueduct. State environmental and health officials delivered an update during a Newburgh City Council meeting Monday night.

The New York state Department of Health is offering Newburgh area residents two dates for same-day PFOS blood testing.

New York state health and environmental officials are updating residents on private well testing in Orange County near Stewart Airport and Stewart Air National Guard base. A number of wells have been tested for PFOA and PFOS with none exceeding federal safety guidelines. Still, some residents are concerned and say more needs to be done.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently released a national survey of children's health that shows almost half of American kids experience traumatic experiences.

The New York state Department of Health is extending the PFOS blood testing program for Newburgh by eight weeks. PFOS drinking water contamination came to light in May 2016 and blood testing began in November. The news came one day after Newburgh’s city manager called for continuing the program beyond its end date.

The New York state Department of Health announced Friday that is extending the PFOS blood testing program for Newburgh by eight weeks. PFOS drinking water contamination came to light in May 2016 and blood testing began in November.

The New York state Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health have released preliminary results of ongoing studies to assess PFC contamination in fish in both the Newburgh area and the Hoosick Falls region. As a result, they are issuing several fish advisories.

New York Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney was in Newburgh Monday to announce he is taking legislative action to ensure the Department of Defense pays for the remediation of PFOS contamination at Stewart Air National Guard Base. Also there was New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner, who divulged the results of a PFOS fish study in the area.

New York state officials were in Newburgh this week to update the community on PFOS contamination and the blood testing program. It was the sixth community meeting in the city since PFOS contamination in Newburgh’s main drinking water source was discovered in May 2016.

The New York state budget includes $2.5 billion for clean water infrastructure, which lawmakers and environmentalists alike are cheering. And fueled by drinking water contamination in Hoosick Falls and Newburgh, there is companion legislation that requires nearly all public drinking water supplies in the state to be tested for emerging contaminants.

New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker was in Poughkeepsie earlier this week as part of a series of events across the state marking National Public Health Week. WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne reports.

The New York state Department of Health held two pubic information sessions Thursday in Newburgh on the second set of PFOS blood test results. The blood testing regimen was put in place after the public learned in May 2016 of PFOS contamination in Washington Lake, Newburgh’s main drinking water supply.

The New York State Department of Health will hold two public information sessions Thursday, March 30, to discuss the second set of PFOS blood test results.

The second set of PFOS blood test results is being mailed to Newburgh area residents. During a public meeting on PFOS water contamination Monday night, New York State Department of Health officials said envelopes are being stuffed and a meeting date is being planned to discuss the results. Meanwhile, some people voiced concern over the meaning of the results.

New York Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney and state Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker were in Newburgh today, giving an update on the PFOS drinking water contamination that surfaced some 10 months ago. Maloney announced he will reintroduce legislation to require a federal study on long-term health effects of PFOS and PFOA exposure. 

New York State Department of Health officials were on hand in Newburgh Wednesday night to discuss the first set of PFOS blood testing results. The blood testing program began in November following news last May of the city’s PFOS drinking water contamination.

The New York State Department of Health announced Wednesday that results of the Newburgh PFOS blood testing program have been mailed to the first 370 people who were tested. State health officials also are expanding the program.

The New York state Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Health have announced the results of sampling from certain drinking water systems.

New York officials Tuesday announced additional PFOS blood testing dates for Newburgh. Testing began in November.