Why Riverkeeper sued New York City to protect its drinking water
April 28, 2026
Mike Dulong
Legal Program Director
The deal also allows sand, stone, and gravel mining, new roads, renewable energy infrastructure, and utility crossings on properties that the city previously committed to forever preserve in their natural condition. In its rush, the city never fulfilled its legal duty to examine the environmental consequences of the agreement before signing. The city and upstate communities also moved forward with this agreement without the environmental partners they’ve been working with over the last 30 years, violating prior agreements in the process.
Looking forward:
This monumental change in watershed protection must first undergo environmental review. Even renewable energy in such sensitive areas needs environmental review so it can be planned in a way that supports both clean energy and clean water. This is consistent with our strong support for the state climate law.
By filing this suit, we’re working to repair and restore relationships that were cast aside by a rushed agreement that didn’t include all the groups and communities involved in the decades-long collaboration to preserve the source waters. It remains Riverkeeper’s goal to collaborate with all interested parties to achieve the best results for water quality and communities.
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Protecting Hudson River watershed drinking water at the source
Riverkeeper ensures that drinking water sources stay clean and safe through vigilant advocacy and conservation efforts