Sustainable Finger Lakes is accepting applications for our October 2026 round of Neighborhood Mini-Grants, now available in Cayuga, Cortland, and Tompkins Counties. Local residents often know best what projects would improve quality of life for their neighborhoods, but need a little help covering the costs, and we hope to support those who seek to improve…
Around 200 community members showed up for Friday’s press conference, organized by Sustainable Finger Lakes on behalf of the FLX Strong coalition, as part of the statewide ‘Stop Data Centers’ tour. This is led by State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, who introduced the bill (S.10642, the Responsible Data Center Development Act) and the environmental group Food…
We are hiring interns for the Fall and Spring semesters! Apply soon (deadline: August 27; applications accepted on a rolling basis) or send this to someone who would be a great addition to our team! The Communications and Outreach Intern will: The Clean Energy and Networks Intern will: In addition, the interns may be asked to help staff with…
Jessika Bond and Emily La speak with Joe Salzone of 607 News Now about the recent expansion of the Sustainable Finger Lakes Neighborhood Mini-Grant program. Applications for grants between $150 and $750 are open until September 1 for residents from Steuben, Chemung, and Tioga Counties. Interested applicants should reach out to Sasha@sustainablefingerlakes.org to request an…
New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez (SD-59), Chair of the Senate Committee on Internet and Technology and sponsor of the Responsible Data Center Development Act (S.10642), will be embarking on the New York Fights AI Data Centers statewide tour from August 22 to August 30. The Senator will be visiting 13 sites with active or…
(Tompkins Weekly, 8-12-26, by Elizabeth Keokosky) As early as 1972 American law professor Christopher Stone wrote a detailed, 52-page, seminal article, “Should trees have standing – toward legal rights for natural objects.” Stone writes, “Throughout legal history, each successive extension of rights to some new entity has been, theretofore, a bit unthinkable.” The article acknowledges…
Sustainable Finger Lakes is accepting applications for our first-ever round of Neighborhood Mini-Grants in Steuben, Chemung, and Tioga Counties. Local residents often know best what projects would improve quality of life for their neighborhoods, but need a little help covering the costs, and we hope to support those who seek to improve the resilience, equity, and…
Sustainable Finger Lakes recently awarded Dundee Central School a mini-grant to help create The Highland Hub. This space provides free apparel, school supplies, and essential personal items for their students. Check out the full article at The Observer.
In a recent interview with Rochester Beacon, Gay Nicholson, President of Sustainable Finger Lakes, discussed the organization’s concerns surrounding the proposed Lake Hawkeye AI data center in Lansing and the broader implications for New York communities. The proposal has sparked significant public response, with more than 20,000 people signing a petition urging the Lansing Town…
(Tompkins Weekly, 7-7-26, by Charles McKenzie) When federal food benefits were cut over the past year, the impact didn’t fall evenly — it landed hardest on children in households already stretched thin by low wages and the rising cost of living. Families who were already walking a tightrope soon found themselves balancing over a canyon.…
In May 2026, the Keuka and Seneca Watersheds Chapter of the Sustainable Finger Lakes Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program awarded $2,821 in five grants to locally-run initiatives connecting community voices, sharing resources, and reducing waste in rural villages in Yates and Seneca Counties. Dundee Central School is launching a school-based pantry of essential supplies, food, and clothing…
Sustainable Finger Lakes (SFLX) is pleased to announce the hiring of Jessika Bond as its new Deputy Director. Bond holds a Master of Public Administration from Western Carolina University, a bachelor’s degree in History and Anthropology from UNC Asheville, a certificate in sustainable zoning and land use from UNC SOG, and a Certificate in Rural…
Join us for a public presentation in Ithaca where you will hear from experts and organizers on data centers, their harms, the proposed data center in Lansing on Cayuga Lake and what you can do!In addition to learning from our presenters, we will have action steps you can take and materials that you can take to…
Gay Nicholson of Sustainable Finger Lakes, alongside other leaders from local organizations, delivered a petition opposing TeraWulf’s proposed data center on Cayuga Lake. The organizers also raised concerns regarding long-term impacts on water use, air quality, and future electric system reliability. Read the full announcement from the Ithaca Voice here. See below for other media…
Cayuga Climate Action received an award from the Neighborhood Mini-Grant program to support expenses for their annual Styrofoam drop-off and recycling event. This group is also the first organization to receive a grant in Cayuga County. Upcoming grant cycles will now expand to Tompkins, Cortland, and Cayuga counties. Read the full article from The Citizen…