Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter

The Cuomo administration says New York will use its share of the settlement in the Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal to boost the state's clean transportation initiatives.

Aaron Mair, a civil rights and environmental justice advocate in Albany, has been elected president of the Sierra Club, becoming the first African-American to serve in that role.

The Guilderland resident began his activism 31 years ago when he organized the residents of Albany's low-income Arbor Hill neighborhood against a toxic waste incinerator that was causing respiratory illnesses in the community. He said one of his goals as president of the Sierra Club is to promote "diversity, equity and inclusion" within the organization.

ALBANY – More than 1,000 protesters gathered at the State Capitol to send the message to Governor Cuomo that New Yorkers don’t want fracking. The action included 130 co-sponsor organizations from medical associations to farmers to the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter.

Protesters came on 30 buses, in car pools, rode bikes and walked. They were joined by former Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Actor Debra Winger, and musician Natalie Merchant.

Hinchey called upon the government to do what he said is the right thing.

Two conservation groups have re-submitted court papers in an attempt to obtain documents that they say prove state agencies improperly communicated with developers before approving the largest development project in the Adirondacks.