In May 2025, Community Science Institute was invited to provide testimony on New York State’s monitoring and management of harmful algal blooms (HABs) at a public hearing of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation. The hearing focused on four questions:
- How effective are the state’s current monitoring programs in accurately detecting and tracking the extent and severity of HABs?
- Where have current policies worked in effectively addressing HABs, and where have they been less successful? Where could successes be expanded upon?
- What are the most promising existing and emerging technologies and techniques for mitigating and remediating HABs?
- What is the state doing to assist municipalities and lake communities to address HABs?
Although CSI staff could not attend in person, we submitted written testimony to share our insights:
