[THEME MUSIC] >> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

WITH ABOUT TWO WEEKS UNTIL ELECTION DAY, POLITICAL OBSERVERS ARE INTERESTED IN THE RESULTS OF MANY STATEWIDE RACES, INCLUDING THE GUBERNATORIAL RACE.

A POLL FROM QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY THIS WEEK FOUND THAT GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL HAS A 14-POINT LEAD OVER HER REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CHALLENGER BRUCE BLAKEMAN.

THE SAME POLL FROM LAST MONTH FOUND THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD A 19 POINT LEAD.

WHILE POLLS DO PAINT A PICTURE, ON SOME LEVEL, ON WHERE VOTERS STAND, POLITICAL OBSERVERS REFRAIN FROM PUTTING TOO MUCH EMPHASIS AS THE REAL MEASURE FOR VOTERS' SUPPORT FOR ANY GIVEN CANDIDATE WILL BE BALLOTS ON ELECTION DAY.

AND TURNING AWAY FROM THE GUBERNATORIAL RACE, THERE ARE ALSO SOME BIG STATEWIDE RACES ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR, INCLUDING THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND COMPTROLLER.

THE INCUMBENTS, ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES AND STATE COMPTROLLER TOM DINAPOLI, ARE DEFENDING THEIR RECORD AGAINST REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS, SARITHA COMMA DERETY AND JOSEPH HERNANDEZ.

THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES SLATED TO WIN THEIR RACES COME NOVEMBER BOTH HERE IN NEW YORK AND ACROSS THE STATE.

IN THIS NEXT SEGMENT, OUR VERY OWN ELISE KLINE WILL SIT DOWN WITH KATE LISA OF CITY AND STATE NEW YORK AND ALEX MACDOUGALL FROM THE TIMES UNION TO UNPACK THESE RACES AND MORE.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

[THEME MUSIC] >> THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF STATEWIDE RACES TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

I WANT TO START WITH THE COMPTROLLER RACE.

TOM DINAPOLI IS FACING THE REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER JOSEPH HERNANDEZ, AND A RECENT CNN POLL SHOWED THAT TOM DINAPOLI IS LEADING BY ABOUT 20%.

DO YOU THINK HE'S GOING TO COME OUT ON TOP?

>> I THINK THAT IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, TOM DINAPOLI, THE STATE COMPTROLLER, HE'S SEEN, HE'S KNOWN AS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR, REALLY POLITICIANS IN NEW YORK STATE, EVEN THOUGH HE'S A DEMOCRAT, HE REALLY POLLS WELL ACROSS THE STATE GEOGRAPHICALLY, WITH INDEPENDENTS, WITH CONSERVATIVES, DEMOCRATS ALIKE.

I THINK THAT IN THIS STATE THAT HAS OBVIOUSLY DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF REGISTERED DEMOCRATS VERSUS REPUBLICANS, WE'LL SEE THAT OBVIOUSLY, THE POLLS HAVE SHOWN THAT DINAPOLI HAS A COMMANDING LEAD OVER HIS REPUBLICAN OPPONENT HERNANDEZ, AND WE WILL SEE THAT PLAY OUT ON ELECTION DAY.

HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY VIRAL MOMENTS IN THE DEBATE THAT WOULD CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THE RACE.

SO I JUST SEE THAT COMMANDING DOUBLE DIGIT LEAD THAT THE POLLS SHOW HIM HAVING.

NOTHING'S A MATHEMATICAL CERTAINTY, BUT HE WILL MORE THAN LIKELY CRUISE INTO RE ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 3RD.

>> YEAH, I AGREE.

THIS IS TOM DINAPOLI IS A GUY WHO HAS GUIDED THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE WITH A VERY STEADY HAND.

THERE HASN'T REALLY BEEN ANY CONTROVERSY, AND HE'S HAD A VERY LONG TENURE AS STATE COMPTROLLER.

PEOPLE RESPECT THAT.

THEY SEE HIM AS SOMEONE VERY DEPENDABLE.

IT'S SORT OF A POSITION WHERE, IF YOU DO A GOOD JOB AND THERE ARE NO CONTROVERSIES, YOU CAN STAY ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

>> VOTERS SOMETIMES GO WITH JUST THEIR PARTY, I'M JUST GOING TO VOTE FOR WHATEVER REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE OR WHATEVER DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE THERE IS, AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A REPUBLICAN COMPTROLLER SINCE 1990.

DO YOU THINK VOTERS ARE AS YOU SAID, HE IS VERY POPULAR, EVEN JUST BEING A DEMOCRAT.

ARE VOTERS GOING TO SWAY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ON THAT, OR ARE THERE GOING TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO JUST WHO THEY KNOW?

>> YOU KNOW NAME RECOGNITION COUNTS FOR A LOT.

PEOPLE LIKE TO PEOPLE WHO THEY FEEL FAMILIAR WITH OR JUST A NAME THAT THEY'VE SEEN.

IT'S BEEN STUDIED THAT PEOPLE, IF THEY HAVEN'T PAID ATTENTION TO MAYBE THE DETAILS OF EVERY NEWS STORY OR THE RACE, IF IT HASN'T BEEN PARTICULARLY YOU KNOW, IF IT HASN'T GOTTEN STATEWIDE HEADLINES FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEN YEAH, USUALLY THAT WILL PROBABLY CARRY A LOT OF WEIGHT, THE FACT THAT THEY'VE SEEN THE NAME TOM DINAPOLI AROUND AND HE HASN'T BEEN TIED TO ANYTHING UNFAVORABLE.

BUT YOU KNOW, HERNANDEZ REALLY HE PERFORMED WELL IN THE DEBATE EARLIER THIS MONTH, AND I THINK THAT WE'LL SEE HIM REALLY GAIN GROUND WITH SOME INDEPENDENT VOTERS, MAYBE SOME OBVIOUSLY THE LATINO VOTE.

SO MAYBE WE'LL SEE HIM BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE POPULAR THAN THE LATEST POLLS HAVE SHOWN, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE TIME QUITE YET FOR A REPUBLICAN COMPTROLLER.

ALEX?

>> DINAPOLI, HE'S RUN THE OFFICE IN A VERY POLITICALLY NEUTRAL WAY.

YOU MENTIONED THE TIER 6 REFORMS.

HE HAS ALSO USED THE PENSION FUND TO GO AGAINST CERTAIN COMPANIES LIKE UBER, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, HE'S RUN THE OFFICE IN A VERY POLITICALLY NEUTRAL MANNER.

JUST GOING BACK TO THE TERM LIMIT ISSUE, FOR A POSITION LIKE THE GOVERNOR OR A STATE SENATOR OR ASSEMBLYMAN, TERM LIMITS MIGHT BE SOMETHING ON THE MINDS OF VOTERS, BUT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE WHERE YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE PENSION FUND, STATE'S FINANCES, THAT'S SOMETHING, I THINK, PEOPLE MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE WILLING TO LET SOMEONE RUN IN OFFICE FOR A LONGER TIME.

>> YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.

HE'S DEFINITELY VERY POPULAR.

HE RUNS THINGS SO SMOOTHLY, AND HE DOESN'T KIND OF BEHAVE LIKE, I GUESS, A NORMAL BUREAUCRAT IN A STATE LEADER OFFICE, LIKE YOU HAD MENTIONED.

I THINK THAT HE'S REALLY STRONG ON THAT POINT, AND THAT'S WHY VOTERS REALLY LIKE HIM.

I'D LIKE TO PIVOT TO ANOTHER STATE RACE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, WHICH IS ANOTHER POPULAR ONE.

LETITIA JAMES IS FACING A REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER, SARITHA COMMA DERETY.

A RECENT CNN POLL ALSO SHOWS JAMES LEADING BY ABOUT 18%.

WHAT IS THIS RACE LOOKING LIKE IN YOUR OPINION?

DO YOU THINK LETITIA JAMES IS GOING TO COME OUT ON TOP, OR COULD SHE BE UNSEATED?

>> SO I DON'T THINK THIS YEAR OBVIOUSLY IS EVERY MIDTERM ELECTION.

EVERY FOUR YEARS WE REALLY SEE THE PENDULUM SHIFT, NATIONALLY AT LEAST, SO THE MOMENTUM IS SHIFTING TO THE LEFT THIS YEAR JUST BECAUSE WE'VE HAD REPUBLICANS IN POWER FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS, RIGHT?

SO LETITIA JAMES OBVIOUSLY, SHE'S A SHE CAN BE CONTROVERSIAL IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

SHE'S ASSERTED HERSELF AS A PRETTY FORMIDABLE POLITICAL FOE OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S, HIS ADMINISTRATION.

THAT'S WHAT SHE SPENT SHE'S BEEN IN OFFICE SINCE 2019, SHE SPENT A BULK OF TIME FOCUSING ON NOT JUST HER OFFICE'S CASE, FRAUD CASE AGAINST TRUMP, BUT ALSO SHE'S RALLIED A COALITION OF OTHER ATTORNEYS GENERAL ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES FROM BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP TO SHE'S TAKEN ON, OR SHE'S LED THE STATE'S LAWSUITS AGAINST KALSHI PREDICTION MARKETS.

I THINK THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES WILL PROBABLY SIT AT THE FOREFRONT OF VOTERS' MINDS THIS YEAR WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY KIND OF DISPLEASED OR THEY'RE SOURING ON THE PRESIDENT.

THERE'S AND THE DEBATE, HOWEVER, WE SAW WITH SARITHA COMMA DERETY AND TISH JAMES, IT WAS FIERY, AND TISH JAMES DID NOT DO AS WELL AS HER OPPONENT IN THAT DEBATE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THE LARGER VOTING POPULATION WON'T REMEMBER THAT ONE NIGHT AND WILL PROBABLY THINK OF THE LARGER PICTURE OF WHAT SHE'S DONE, AND I THINK THAT LEAD WILL, AGAIN, WILL HOLD OVER THROUGH ELECTION DAY.

>> YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.

SHE DOES HAVE A STRONG RECORD ON STANDING UP AGAINST TRUMP, AND THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF VOTERS RIGHT NOW REALLY WANT.

SARITHA COMMA DERETY WAS ENDORSED BY TRUMP, AND SO I'M WONDERING IS THAT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR VOTERS?

AS THE PEOPLE'S LAWYER, THEY WANT TO SEE SOMEONE VERY LIKELY THAT'S GOING TO STAND UP AGAINST TRUMP.

IS SARITHA COMMA DERETY GOING TO DO THAT?

>> YEAH, JUST TO GO BACK TO JAMES FOR A SECOND, SHE DEFINITELY HAS THE BENEFIT OF BEING IN AN ELECTION YEAR WHERE THE DEMOCRATS ARE LOOKING A LOT STRONGER AND PEOPLE WANT A CHECK ON TRUMP'S POWER, SO HAVING A TRUMP ENDORSEMENT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT IT, AT LEAST HERE IN NEW YORK.

THAT BEING SAID, COMMA DERETY DID DO VERY WELL IN THAT DEBATE, SO IT COULD BE VERY INTERESTING.

I THINK JAMES HAS A MUCH HIGHER PROFILE.

SHE HAS ALL THESE HIGH PROFILE CASES.

YOU COULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT WHETHER SHE'S POLITICIZING THE OFFICE TOO MUCH, AND THAT MIGHT WORK BETTER FOR COMMA DERETY.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK JAMES HAS A MUCH HIGHER PROFILE.

SHE HAS THESE HIGH PROFILE CASES YOU MENTIONED KALSHI.

SO FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK THIS IS LOOKING MORE FORWARD FOR JAMES.

>> COMMA DERETY DEFINITELY, I THINK, SINCE THE DEBATE, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN OF HER POLLING, IS SHE'S SHRUNKEN THAT LEAD OVER JAMES, ESPECIALLY IN CERTAIN AREAS.

I MEAN, AS MUCH AS JAMES IS MORE POPULAR DOWNSTATE, OBVIOUSLY IN THE FIVE BOROUGHS, SHE'S REALLY CHANGED THE POWER OF THE BROOKLYN DEMOCRATS OR AIDED IN THAT ONGOING TRAJECTORY UPWARD FOR THEM, I THINK THERE ARE QUESTIONS LARGER ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT MAYBE WHAT SOME OF HER PRIORITIES ARE.

YOU DID HEAR COMMA DERETY HAD A REALLY INTERESTING CRITICAL MOMENT WITH HER ABOUT DISCUSSING THE CORNELL RAPE CASE AND SAYING, LOOK, YOU'VE ALREADY PRETTY MUCH PREDETERMINED OR SOME OF THE STATEMENTS YOU'VE MADE SUPPORTING THE VICTIM, KNOWN AS JANE DOE, SHE ALLEGES SHE WAS GANG RAPED AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY BY SEVERAL FRATERNITY BROTHERS IN 2024.

GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL APPOINTED JAMES AS A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR IN THAT CASE, AND BEFOREHAND SHE HAD POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN A STATEMENT JUST EMPATHIZING WITH THE VICTIM, AND COMMA DERETY SAID, WELL, HOW CAN YOU BE IMPARTIAL HERE?

I THINK THERE ARE DEFINITELY QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT TISH JAMES' MOTIVES RIGHT?

AS YOU SAID, HOW SHE POLITICIZES THE OFFICE.

>> I DON'T THINK SHE WOULD HAVE MADE THAT STATEMENT IF SHE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO BE APPOINTED A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR, BUT THAT IS HER STYLE TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICAL ISSUES LIKE THAT.

>> YES, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME UP A LOT DURING THE DEBATE.

IT'S A BIG ISSUE ON VOTERS' MINDS.

IT'S A BIG HIGH PROFILE CASE AND HOW STATE LEADERS ARE GOING TO HANDLE IT.

THEY ALSO HAD SOME BACK AND FORTH ABOUT TISH JAMES, HER RECORD, IN TERMS OF COMMA DERETY, WAS A CRIMINAL PROSECUTOR FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

SO SHE FEELS LIKE THAT RECORD IS A LITTLE BIT STRONGER THAN JAMES, AND I'M WONDERING IS THAT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR VOTERS?

JAMES DID POINT OUT IN THE DEBATE THAT A LOT OF THE CASES THEY DEAL WITH THAT COME TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE ARE CIVIL, NOT CRIMINAL.

>> YOU COULD SEE THAT COMMA DERETY'S BACKGROUND, HER PROSECUTORIAL EXPERIENCE ON DISPLAY DURING THE DEBATE, I THINK, BECAUSE SHE WAS JUST SO STRONG IN HER ARGUMENTS, IN HER QUICK QUIPS, IN HER YOU KNOW, SHE JUST, SHE HAD A COMMAND OVER JAMES, AT LEAST IN SPEAKING THAT NIGHT.

I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE EXPECTED FROM A POLITICAL NEWCOMER LIKE HER.

OBVIOUSLY SHE'S GOT QUITE OBVIOUSLY THE EXPERIENCE IN THE COURTROOM.

BUT YEAH, I THINK UNLESS PEOPLE WERE PAYING ATTENTION THAT EVENING, THAT HOUR, JAMES' EXPERIENCE WILL STILL WILL CARRY IT.

OBVIOUSLY THE DEMOCRATIC NAME, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY LETTER NEXT TO HER NAME IS WORKING IN HER FAVOR, ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK AND THIS YEAR.

>> AND I WANT TO TURN TO SOME OF THE NATIONAL RACES.

FOLLOWING ZOHRAN MAMDANI'S POLITICAL UPSET IN 2025, WE HAVE SEEN A SURGE IN DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATES AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST ALIGNED CANDIDATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON CONGRESSIONAL BALLOTS.

WE'VE SEEN FORMER ASSEMBLY MEMBER CLAIRE VALDEZ ON THE CONGRESSIONAL BALLOT FOR THIS YEAR, IN ADDITION TO DARIALIZA AVILA CHEVALIER ALSO ON THE CONGRESSIONAL BALLOT FOR THIS YEAR.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES COMING UP IN NEW YORK, ESPECIALLY VALDEZ, WHO USED TO BE IN THE ASSEMBLY, AND HOW DO YOU THINK THEY'RE DOING?

>> DEFINITELY THE DSA IS ON THE RISE EVER SINCE MAMDANI'S ELECTION AS MAYOR WAS A REALLY BIG TURNING POINT.

THEY HAD THAT BIG BURST WHEN AOC WAS FIRST ELECTED, BUT THEY HAD BEEN SORT OF DECLINING IN RELEVANCE A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK WITH MAMDANI'S ELECTION, THEY HAVE RE EMERGED.

AT THE STATE LEVEL, YOU SEE MORE CANDIDATES.

YOU SEE ADAM BOJAK, FOR EXAMPLE, IS IN BUFFALO, SO EXPANDING OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY.

THEN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, YOU SEE DARIALIZA AVILA CHEVALIER, YOU SEE CLAIRE VALDEZ, AND THEN YOU ALSO SEE BRAD LANDER.

HE'S NOT A DSA MEMBER, BUT HE WAS STRONGLY BACKED BY MAMDANI, AND HE WAS ABLE TO PREVAIL IN THAT PRIMARY PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THAT BACKING.

DEFINITELY, MAMDANI'S RISE HAS LED TO A RISE IN THE DSA AT THE STATE LEVEL.

>> THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT, WE'VE SEEN IT REALLY RISE AT THE STATE LEVEL.

WE SAW THAT RIPPLE EFFECT OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATES BE POPULAR OUTSIDE OF THE CITY FOR THE FIRST TIME, AT LEAST HERE IN NEW YORK, RIGHT?

BOTH SYRACUSE AND BUFFALO ARE POISED TO ELECT THEIR FIRST DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MEMBER TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT SAME MOMENTUM NATIONALLY TO THE SAME LEVEL.

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM, I THINK, HAS BEEN A MOVEMENT THAT, AT LEAST IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, IT HAS SEEMED TO BE AMONG COASTAL ELITES, URBAN ELITES THAT WE SEE THAT FROM.

NOW YOU HAD VICTORIES, DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST VICTORIES IN COLORADO, IN MICHIGAN, IN PENNSYLVANIA.

SO THIS IS ABOUT FINDING THE SOUL OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND WE'LL SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL, HOW POPULAR THE POPULOUS MOVEMENT ON THE LEFT TENDS TO BE IN NOVEMBER.

>> WE'VE DEFINITELY SEEN IT COME UP IN OTHER STATES, BUT I GUESS WE'LL SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT IN THE ELECTION AS WE APPROACH THAT DAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR TODAY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> WE WERE SPEAKING WITH KATE LISA OF CITY AND STATE AND ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL OF THE TIMES.

[THEME MUSIC] >> AND FOR MORE ON THE RACES ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOPIC.

NY& CLIMATE IS BACK!

WMHT IS PRODUCING FOUR VIDEOS PREMIERING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO EXAMINE VARIOUS CLIMATE ISSUES IN NEW YORK.

THIS WEEK, WMHT PRODUCER DANA WRIGHT DOVE INTO THE CAUSES AND HARM OF ALGAL BLOOMS.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

[THEME MUSIC] >> I'M STANDING BY A SERIES OF SWAMPY PONDS AND CANALS, WHICH CONTAIN A MYSTERIOUS GREEN GOO.

WHAT COULD IT BE?

IT LOOKS LIKE ALGAE, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE.

IT INSTEAD COULD BE A HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM, WHICH IS SOMETHING TO LOOK OUT FOR IN BODIES OF WATER.

HOLD ON A SECOND, DANA.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AREN'T A TYPE OF ALGAE?

HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, ME.

THE ANSWER IS MAYBE.

I DON'T KNOW.

I'LL HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

OKAY, BUT WHAT EVEN IS A HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM?

HOW DO THEY FORM?

SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?

CAN YOU GIVE ME A BREAK HERE?

I HAVEN'T TALKED TO THE EXPERTS YET.

OH, SORRY.

EVEN THOUGH I PERSONALLY KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS, I DECIDED TO REACH OUT TO SOME EXPERTS WHO CAN HELP EXPLAIN THE SAME THINGS THAT I DEFINITELY COULD AS WELL.

LET'S TAKE A TRIP TO ALBANY TO SPEAK WITH BRIAN DUFFY, A RESEARCH SCIENTIST WITH THE DEC.

>> HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS, WE SAY ALGAL, THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT ALGAE AT ALL.

THEY'RE CYANOBACTERIA.

THEY'RE NATIVE ANCIENT MICROSCOPIC ORGANISMS THAT ARE ALMOST UBIQUITOUS IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THEM TO FORM INTO WHAT WE WOULD CALL BLOOMS.

THEY'RE HARMFUL BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE TOXINS.

THEY DON'T ALWAYS PRODUCE TOXINS.

NOT ALL OF THEM DO.

THAT TOXIN PRODUCTION CAN VARY FROM DAY TO DAY.

HUMANS THAT COME INTO CONTACT WITH HABS COULD EXPERIENCE THINGS LIKE NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA, RESPIRATORY ISSUES.

WE CAN SEE IMPACTS TO LIVER AND KIDNEY FUNCTION AND POTENTIALLY SKIN RASHES AND IRRITATIONS AND THAT KIND OF THING.

>> IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT THESE CAN IMPACT THE HEALTH OF PETS AS WELL, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF WATER DOGS CAN CONSUME WHILE SWIMMING, PUTTING THEM AT AN ELEVATED RISK.

SO THESE THINGS CAN BE PRETTY NASTY.

WHAT CAN CAUSE THEM TO FORM?

>> ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES IS EXCESS NUTRIENTS, PHOSPHORUS, NITROGEN, THAT KIND OF THING.

THESE ARE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS AND NATURALLY OCCURRING ELEMENTS FOR AQUATIC LIFE IN THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT WHEN THEY GET TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, THAT'S WHEN WE START TO SEE PROBLEMS.

THERE'S SORT OF THE MORE PROXIMAL DRIVERS, SUNLIGHT, TEMPERATURE, THOSE ARE BIG DRIVERS OF HABS.

ZEBRA AND QUAGGA MUSSELS, THEY FILTER A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WATER AND THEY CAN SELECTIVELY AVOID CYANOBACTERIA.

THAT SELECTIVE AVOIDANCE COUPLED WITH THE ADDITIONAL WATER CLARITY THEN ALLOWS MORE SUNLIGHT TO PENETRATE AND TO FUEL THE BLOOMS.

CLIMATE CHANGE DOES HAVE AN EFFECT ON BLOOMS AND HAB FORMATION ACROSS THE STATE.

WITH INCREASING TEMPERATURES OVERALL, IT JUST INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF HABS OCCURRING.

THE OTHER SIDE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IS EXTREME WEATHER.

WE CAN SEE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS THAT CAUSE RUNOFF.

WHEN WE HAVE HEAVY RAINS AND STORMS, THERE'S A LOT OF RUNOFF FROM THE LANDSCAPE THAT CARRIES WITH IT THE NUTRIENTS THAT THEN FUEL HABS.

SO WE COUPLE THAT EXCESS RUNOFF WITH HOT, DRY, COMP CONDITIONS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND INCREASING TEMPERATURES, WHICH TOGETHER IS A RECIPE FOR HAB FORMATION.

>> SO LET'S GO BACK TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE NATURE SPOTS TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY ACTIVE BLOOMS.

WHEN IDENTIFYING HABS, BRIAN TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN LOOK LIKE SPILLED PAINT ON THE WATER'S SURFACE.

THEY CAN BE STREAKY IN APPEARANCE AND GREEN OR BLUISH GREEN IN COLOR.

IN ADDITION TO TAKING PHOTOS, I DECIDED TO GATHER A SAMPLE FOR FURTHER TESTING.

THE WATER LOOKED SUSPICIOUS ENOUGH, BUT I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WERE OTHER WAYS TO TEST IT TO SEE IF A BLOOM WAS OCCURRING.

[ SLURPING ] THIS IS A SMOOTHIE.

IT'S A DIFFERENT CONTAINER.

MAYBE NOT A TASTE TEST.

INSTEAD OF TAKING A SWIG OF NATURE'S FORBIDDEN PEA SOUP AND RISKING GETTING INCREDIBLY SICK, LET'S PUT THIS SAMPLE IN A PROPER CONTAINER AND BRING IT TO A PROFESSIONAL.

I MET UP WITH JULIAN DAMASHEK AT THE NATURE LAB IN TROY.

JULIAN IS A WATER QUALITY SCIENTIST WITH RIVERKEEPER, AN ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE HUDSON RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.

HE BROUGHT TESTING EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS A WATER SAMPLE OF HIS OWN.

LET'S SEE HOW IT GOES.

>> SO WE HAVE PROBES IN HERE THAT WE CAN SUBMERGE IN A WATER SAMPLE AND THEY CAN JUST GET SOME REAL TIME MEASUREMENTS OF VARIOUS WATER QUALITY THINGS.

WE CAN LOOK AT THE CHLOROPHYLL NUMBERS AND LOOK AT CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE TO SEE JUST HOW MUCH OF A BLOOM THERE IS OF ANYTHING, WHETHER IT'S TOXIC OR NOT.

AND SO IF WE SEE THOSE NUMBERS GO UP, IT GENERALLY MEANS THERE'S SOMETHING PHOTOSYNTHESIZING IN THE WATER.

AND THEN FROM PHYCOCYANIN, WE CAN ALSO SEE HOW MUCH OF THAT BLOOM IS CYANOBACTERIA.

WE DON'T SPECIFICALLY GET DATA ON WHETHER A BLOOM IS TOXIC FROM THESE PROBES, BUT IF WE SEE A LOT OF CHLOROPHYLL AND A LOT OF PHYCOCYANIN, THAT'S USUALLY MORE OF THE CYANOBACTERIAL PIGMENT, THEN IT'S LIKELY THAT THAT ONE COULD BE TOXIC.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ON HERE.

SO THESE TWO PIGMENTS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, IF THESE NUMBERS ARE ABOVE ONE OR TWO, THEN THAT'S INDICATIVE OF SOME SORT OF BLOOM.

SO THE MAIN THING WE CAN GET FROM THIS PROBE IS THEN BASICALLY A MEASUREMENT OF HOW GREEN THE WATER IS, AND THAT WILL TELL US HOW MANY ALGAE ARE IN THIS WATER.

SO THIS ONE IS A PRETTY OBVIOUS SAMPLE BECAUSE WE CAN SEE IT'S GREEN, BUT THE PROBE CAN STILL MEASURE PRETTY LOW LEVELS OF THOSE MOLECULES.

SO EVEN IF WE CAN'T SEE THE GREEN COLOR, THE PROBE WILL PROBABLY PICK IT UP.

>> UNFORTUNATELY, I DID NOT COLLECT ENOUGH WATER TO USE THE PROBE TEST, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT BOTH WATER SAMPLES UNDER A MICROSCOPE, STARTING WITH JULIAN'S.

SO WHAT ARE THESE LITTLE SPRING LOOKING THINGS THAT I'M SEEING ON THE MONITOR HERE?

>> YEAH, SO ALL OF THESE BIG THINGS THAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THE MONITOR ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CYANOBACTERIAL CELLS.

SO THEY'RE THE THINGS THAT ARE PHOTOSYNTHESIZING IN THE WATER.

AND THE ONES THAT LOOK LIKE THESE COILED UP SPRINGS ARE DOLICHOSPERMUM, A SPECIES THAT WE KNOW IS OFTEN TOXIC IN FRESH WATERS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A VERY DISTINCTIVE SHAPE.

SO SOME OF THESE ALGAE AND CYANOBACTERIA ARE A LITTLE CHALLENGING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY ARE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

THAT'S A REALLY EASY ONE.

>> UP NEXT, MY SAMPLE.

>> SO FROM THE THINGS THAT I KNOW OF THAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON HARMFUL SPECIES IN THIS AREA, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT REALLY LOOKS LIKE IT'S WHAT I WOULD EXPECT.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE MAIN THING THAT'S GROWING HERE ARE THESE BIG GREEN KIND OF PETAL LOOKING ORGANISMS.

I'M ACTUALLY NOT SURE WHAT THOSE ARE, BUT I THINK THERE'S A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT IT'S JUST AN AQUATIC PLANT.

>> THIS MAKES SENSE TO ME BECAUSE WHEN I ORIGINALLY COLLECTED MY SAMPLE, I THOUGHT IT LOOKED LIKE A BUNCH OF TINY SEEDS OR PLANTS.

AFTER SOME RESEARCH, IT IS LIKELY THAT WHAT I COLLECTED IS SOMETHING CALLED WATERMEAL, A VERY, VERY SMALL AQUATIC PLANT THAT, ACCORDING TO BRIAN, CAN OFTEN BE MISTAKEN FOR A HAB AND WHOSE GROWTH CAN ALSO BE FUELED BY NUTRIENT RICH WATER.

SO EVEN THOUGH THIS WASN'T A BLOOM, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN ENCOUNTERING SOMETHING IN THE WATER THAT YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT.

BUT THAT JUST LEAVES ONE MORE QUESTION.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

>> AS A STATE, WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING HABS IN WHAT WE LIKE TO CALL USING OUR HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, WHICH STARTS WITH NUTRIENT REDUCTION AS THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF HABS THAT WE ACTUALLY CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT.

AND THEY COME FROM A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT SOURCES ON THE LANDSCAPE, ONE OF WHICH IS AGRICULTURE AND FERTILIZERS AND THAT KIND OF THING, FERTILIZER ON LAWNS.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS ARE ANOTHER BIG SOURCE.

WE CAN UPGRADE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS TO INCREASE PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL, BUILD NEW ONES EVEN, STABILIZE STREAM BANKS, PUT COVER CROPS IN AND REDUCE THE RUNOFF AND CONTRIBUTION OF PHOSPHORUS TO OUR WATERWAYS.

>> IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT YOU CAN CHECK OUT A MAP OF REPORTED BLOOMS ACROSS NEW YORK AND EVEN SUBMIT YOUR OWN REPORTS AT THE DEC'S WEBSITE.

THANK YOU.

SO DESPITE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS BEING AN ISSUE IN NEW YORK, WE KNOW THAT THE DEC AS WELL AS GROUPS LIKE RIVERKEEPER ARE WORKING TO EDUCATE, RESEARCH AND FIND WAYS TO MANAGE THIS PROBLEM.

AND NOW YOU HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CAN USE TO KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR PETS SAFE WHEN ENJOYING OUR STATE'S BEAUTIFUL LAKES, PONDS, AND RIVERS.

SO REMEMBER WHAT YOU LEARNED IN THIS VIDEO BECAUSE THESE BLOOMS CAN CONTINUE TO SHOW UP EVEN WHEN THE WEATHER STARTS GETTING CHILLY.

THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TO GET TO TODAY.

KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR ANY SUSPICIOUS BLOOM ACTIVITY, AND AS ALWAYS, I'LL SEE YOU OUTSIDE.

>> AND FOR MORE NY& CLIMATE EPISODES, YOU CAN VISIT WMHT.ORG/CLIMATE.

NEW EPISODE ARE PREMIERING ON YOUTUBE AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT BY GOING TO NEWSLETTER.NYNOW.ORG OR BY SCANNING THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN.

WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> FUNDING FOR NEW YORK NOW IS PROVIDED BY WNET.