Glenn Blain reports in The New York Daily News that almost 200 environmental and community groups urged Gov. Cuomo and state lawmakers to ban plastic shopping bags on March 9. “We urge you to take immediate action to reduce litter and the fossil fuels that create them, save tax dollars, and protect the environment and wildlife,” said a letter from the groups, which include the New York Public Interest Research Group, Environmental Advocates, the Waterkeeper Alliance, and others. California has already banned the thin plastic bags often used by supermarkets, and also added a 10-cent fee on paper and thicker plastic bags. “It’s clear that we need to address the real environmental concerns caused by the proliferation of plastic bags, and a ban is one of the options we’re reviewing,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo's spokesperson Rich Azzopardi on March 12. Cuomo created a task force to study the issue last year after he blocked New York City from adding a five-cent fee on plastic and paper disposable bags. Read the full story in The New York Daily News.