Governor Hochul Issues Update on Statewide Air Quality Monitoring to Keep New Yorkers Safe this Summer

Air Quality Health Advisory Issued for the Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario and Western New York Regions due to Canadian Wildfire Smoke Impacts

Air Quality Tracked by DEC Meteorologists Using Data from More Than 50 Sites Across New York State

As Warm Weather Approaches, New Yorkers Encouraged to be “Air Quality Aware”

Governor Kathy Hochul today issued an update on the State’s comprehensive air monitoring efforts to track air quality statewide and keep New Yorkers safe this summer. New York residents and visitors are reminded to include air quality awareness in their daily warm weather routines. In addition, New York State is issuing an Air Quality Health Advisory for today, Friday, June 6, for the Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario, and Western New York regions for fine particulate matter pollution caused by wildland fires in Western Canada.

“Using the latest science and data, New York continues to track air quality conditions across the State to keep New York communities safe,” Governor Hochul said. “As temperatures begin to climb during the summer months and less predictable factors like distant wildfires occur, I strongly encourage New Yorkers to stay informed and prepare for changes in air quality by paying attention to the State’s Air Quality Health Advisories and take necessary precautions to stay safe.”

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) provides daily air quality forecasts to ensure air quality information is available at New Yorkers’ fingertips. While New York State has some of the nation’s most stringent air quality regulations to reduce air pollution and protect public health and the environment, there are certain days that ozone or particulate matter can impact air quality in your community.

Using data collected from more than 50 sites across the state, DEC and Department of Health (DOH) issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter (PM2.5), are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern. 

An Air Quality Health Advisory for PM2.5 is being issued for Friday, June 6, 2025, for the Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario, and Western New York regions due to the impact of smoke from wildfires in Canada.

New Yorkers are encouraged to check airnow.gov for accurate information on air quality forecasts and conditions. Information about exposure to smoke from fires can be found on DOH’s website.

Air pollution can harm public health and natural resources in a variety of ways. Hot summer weather sets the stage for two major pollutants of concern for human health: the formation of ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), tiny solid particles or liquid droplets in the air that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter. Fish and wildlife show harmful effects from acid rain and mercury in air. Greenhouse gases in the air are changing the world’s climate and contributing to harmful impacts including extreme heat, deadly flooding, drought, fires, rising sea levels, and severe storms.

Extreme Heat

Governor Hochul recently highlighted new and enhanced resources available to protect New York communities from extreme heat this summer as recommended by the State’s Extreme Heat Action Plan, including:

• New support for cooling at home: With the new Essential Plan Cooling program, NY State of Health will provide eligible Essential Plan members a free air conditioner to help keep their homes cool. This will complement assistance available in 2025 through the HEAP Cooling program which served more than 23,000 households in 2024.
• Better access to cooling centers: New resources are available to help connect New Yorkers with safe spaces for cooling. The New York State Department of Health and Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) will continue to coordinate with local health departments and emergency managers to update the Cooling Center Finder throughout summer 2025. DOH offers new resources to provide information about best practices for setting up cooling centers and how these locations could serve as clean air centers. Round 8 of the Climate Smart Communities grant program is now open, making $22 million available to fund GHG mitigation and climate adaptation projects, including establishing cooling centers.
• Additional support for cool buildings: Funding available through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) supports weatherization and clean and efficient heating and cooling that can improve extreme heat resilience at homes, community anchor institutions, schools, and more. The Office of General Services’ new “Decarbonization and Climate Resiliency Design Guide” was released for new and majorly renovated State building projects to assess and reduce climate risk (including extreme heat and Urban Heat Islands) through proactive design.
• New investments in cool schools: The Education Law newly requires public school districts and BOCES to develop an extreme heat policy, which establishes certain temperature thresholds. NYSERDA offers additional funding to install clean cooling and heating at schools, for example through funding as part of the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act.
• Enhanced tools and funding for cool communities: Extreme heat advice and forecasts for New Yorkers, preliminary extreme heat exposure maps and DOH’s Heat Vulnerability Index help communities understand exposure and vulnerabilities. Programs such as Climate Smart Communities fund communities in planning, designing, and implementation solutions. New and expanded funding supports nature-based solutions such as urban forests, urban farms, and community gardens to cool neighborhoods and mitigate heat islands. Governor Hochul’s New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative expanded outdoor swimming through the Connect Kids to Swimming Instruction Transportation grant program and advanced capital projects for swimming facilities in underserved communities through the NY SWIMS Round One competitive grant program.

DOH recently launched an interactive New York State Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard that allows the public and county health care officials to determine the forecasted level of heat-related health risks in their area and raise awareness about the dangers of heat exposure.

Check out “DEC Does What?!” podcast episode #4 The Air Up There (May 2024) where air pollution meteorologists explain the Air Quality Index and how to use it, how weather conditions and different seasons can affect air quality, whether New Yorkers have to worry about wildfire smoke, and what it’s like to measure air quality in Antarctica.

Former Owner of Fuel Truck Supply Company Sentenced to Prison for Bid Rigging and Conspiracy to Monopolize

 

The former owner of fuel truck supply companies was sentenced today in Boise, Idaho, to 12 months in prison and a $20,000 fine for his leadership role in conspiracies to monopolize, rig bids, and allocate territories for fuel truck contracts that assist the U.S. Forest Service’s efforts to battle wildfires in Idaho and the mountain west. The conduct lasted at least eight years.

Ike Tomlinson pleaded guilty in May 2024 to conspiring with Kris Bird, the owner of another fuel truck company to rig bids in each other’s favor. Both individuals pleaded guilty to the charges from the federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the fuel truck services industry.

“This sentence sends a message that bid rigging—particularly bid rigging affecting federal agencies—will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Defendant’s conspiracies struck at the heart of the competitive process. They damaged essential taxpayer-funded services critical to protecting the American public and its property from wildfires while profiting at the expense of American taxpayers. The Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to ensure that individuals who cheat and deprive their communities of these essential services are incarcerated.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who manipulate markets and undermine fair competition will be held accountable,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division. “Antitrust violations harm consumers, distort markets and erode trust in our economy. The FBI remains committed to working with our partners to investigate and disrupt all forms of corporate fraud.”

“Competition is critical for fair and efficient federal contracting,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Jason Suffredini of the General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG). “GSA OIG special agents and our partners are committed to pursuing those who engage in any form of procurement fraud.”

According to court documents, the co-conspirators coordinated their bids to inflate prices and to determine who would have priority to receive business from the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies in the event of a wildfire in a specific geographic area. These bids gave the false impression of competition when, in fact, the co-conspirators had predetermined who would receive priority from the Forest Service. The co-conspirators further coordinated to exclude and punish potential competitors to further maintain the success of their conspiracy.  Tomlinson participated in the conduct from 2015 through 2023.

The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency, and General Services Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case.  Assistant Chief Christopher J. Carlberg and Trial Attorneys Elena A. Goldstein, Daniel B. Twomey, and Matthew Chou of the Antitrust Division's San Francisco Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.

In addition to today’s criminal sentence, on July 10, 2024, the United States, on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, entered into a civil settlement with Ike Tomlinson and other related entities and individuals who agreed to pay $1.1 million to resolve civil claims related to allegations that they obtained government contracts through bid-rigging and the submission of false SAM Certifications, submitted false claims for helicopter operations support trailers, wrongly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan, and other conduct.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General investigated the civil case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert B. Firpo and Civil Chief James Schaefer are handling the case.

In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government—federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above. 

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: State Pension Fund Investments Return 5.84% for State Fiscal Year 2024-25

 

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced that the New York State Common Retirement Fund’s (Fund) investment return was 5.84% for the state fiscal year that ended March 31, 2025. The Fund closed the year with an estimated value of $272.8 billion.

“Market volatility has been pronounced in the first half of 2025, with unpredictable actions out of Washington and other economic and geopolitical issues causing uncertainty for investors that is likely to continue in the short term,” DiNapoli said. “The state pension fund’s sound management and long-term approach has weathered previous market ups and downs and remains well-positioned to provide the retirement benefits state and local government employees have earned.”

The Fund’s long-term expected rate of return is 5.9%. Its annual valuation date is tied to the state fiscal year. DiNapoli noted that while yearly returns vary, the Fund has delivered a five-year rate of return of 10.6% and a 10-year rate of 7.74%

Employer contribution rates are determined by investment results over a multi-year period along with numerous other actuarial assumptions, including wage growth, inflation, age of retirement, and mortality. Integral to the Fund’s strength have been the state and local governments, which consistently pay their contributions.

The Fund's value reflects retirement and death benefits of $16.7 billion paid out during the fiscal year.

As of March 31, 2025, the Fund had 39.2% of its assets invested in publicly traded equities. The remaining Fund assets by allocation are invested in cash, bonds, and mortgages (23%), private equity (14.9%), real estate and real assets (14.1%) and credit, absolute return strategies, and opportunistic alternatives (8.8%).

The New York State Common Retirement Fund is one of the largest public pension funds in the United States. The Fund holds and invests the assets of the New York State and Local Retirement System on behalf of more than one million state and local government employees and retirees and their beneficiaries. It has consistently been ranked as one of the best managed and best funded plans in the nation.

Links

Funds historic value and rate of return in prior years

Return for Third Quarter

Return for 2024

Air Quality Health Advisory Issued for Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario, and Western New York Regions

 

In Effect for Friday, June 6

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. James McDonald are issuing an Air Quality Health Advisory for fine particulate matter on Friday, June 6, 2025, for the Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario, and Western New York regions due to the impact of smoke from wildfires in Canada. 

The pollutant of concern is: Fine Particulate Matter 

The advisory will be in effect 10 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. 

The Air Quality Health Advisory regions consist of: Adirondacks, which includes Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, northern Herkimer, Lewis, St. Lawrence, and Warren counties; Eastern Lake Ontario, which includes northern Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe, Oswego, and Wayne counties; and Western New York, which includes Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. 

DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter (PM2.5), are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern. 

Fine Particulate Matter

Fine particulate matter (PM) consists of tiny solid particles or liquid droplets in the air that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter. PM 2.5 can be made of many different types of particles and often come from processes that involve combustion (e.g., vehicle exhaust, power plants, and fires) and from chemical reactions in the atmosphere. 

Exposure can cause short-term health effects, such as irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter can also worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. People with heart or breathing problems, and children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive to PM 2.5. 

When outdoor levels are elevated, going indoors may reduce exposure. If there are significant indoor sources of PM 2.5 (tobacco, candle or incense smoke, or fumes from cooking) levels inside may not be lower than outside. Some ways to reduce exposure are to minimize outdoor and indoor sources and avoid strenuous activities in areas where fine particle concentrations are high. Additional information on ozone and PM 2.5 is available on DEC's website and on DOH's website. 

Additional information on PM 2.5 is available on DEC's website and on DOH's website (PM 2.5). A new DEC fact sheet about the Air Quality Index is also available on DEC’s website or by PDF download.

To stay up-to-date with announcements from DEC, sign up to receive Air Quality Alerts through DEC Delivers: DEC's Premier Email Service. A toll-free Air Quality Hotline (1-800-535-1345) was also established by DEC to keep New Yorkers informed of the latest air quality situation.

VCJC Office hours changed

 

An Announcement from the VCJC

New Office Hours

Effective immediately we are reducing the office hours.

The VCJC office will be open 2 days a week, Tuesday mornings and Thursday mid-day.

Tuesday hours: 10AM to 1 PM

Thursday hours: 12 noon to 3 PM

Messages may be left in the mailbox on the door to Memorial Hall or by phone.

These hours may be adjusted as necessary, especially for theHigh Holidays.

VCJC News & Notes 6/6/25

 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

Reminders

1. Shabbos
   

   
   
   Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.
   Here are the times you need:  
   Shabbos Candles Friday 6/6/25 @ 8:06 pm
   Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely. 
   Shabbos Ends Saturday 6/7/25 @ 9:10 pm
   If you require an aliyah or would like to lead services, read from the torah or haftorah please speak to one of the gabbaim.
    

2. Save the date

   Next Blood Drive has been scheduled for

   July 27, 2025, from 9:30 - 2:00 PM

   Please plan on participating.

Our mailing address is:

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

3880 Sedgwick Ave

Bronx, NY 10463