Attorney General James and DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar Announce Completion of $68.6 Million Environmental Investment Program in Greenpoint

 

Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund Invested More Than $68 Million in Green Infrastructure and Environmental Programming

In celebration of Climate Week, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar announced the completion of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund (GCEF), an innovative, community-led grant program that invested more than $68.6 million in environmental initiatives for Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The GCEF was established with funds from New York state’s 2010 settlement with ExxonMobil that addressed the company’s responsibility for allowing millions of gallons of oil to contaminate the land and groundwater in Greenpoint for more than five decades. The Greenpoint oil spill was one of the largest spills recorded in the United States. Throughout its 13 years, GCEF created a wide range of public space enhancements, infrastructure improvements, and environmental education programs, including a new, state-of-the-art public library and environmental education center, a tree planting program, and major park upgrades. In total, GCEF awarded 77 grants, ranging from $5,000 to more than $5 million, to initiatives selected with the input from the Greenpoint community.

“After we held ExxonMobil accountable for its careless destruction of the Greenpoint environment, the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has invested millions of dollars in restoring the neighborhood and bringing residents together,” said Attorney General James. “From a new public library to vibrant green space improvements, this community-led effort directly supported the initiatives that residents wanted. It has been an honor to work so closely with this community and our partners at DEC to deliver a cleaner, healthier, and greener Greenpoint for generations to come.”

“The successful implementation of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund is an excellent example of state government working with New Yorkers to hold responsible parties accountable for legacy industrial pollution to benefit both community residents and the environment,” said DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar. “In Greenpoint, nearly $68 million is being invested to improve green infrastructure, renew and restore the waterfront, and advance environmental stewardship programs that will leave a lasting impact on this community and the environment.”

Greenpoint residents played a direct role in the GCEF and its investments. Residents prioritized four specific areas of investment for the program: 1) funding education and environmental stewardship; 2) greening the community; 3) revitalizing neighborhood parks and open spaces; and 4) restoring the waterfront and its infrastructure. An advisory panel, comprised of members of the Greenpoint community, guided every stage of the program’s development and implementation.

As a result of GCEF’s investments, residents were able to attend environmental lectures and events at the library, participate in a birdwatching tour at the park, spend recess learning to care for the trees and plants on the playground, learn about the neighborhood’s history on a canoe tour, and watch the sunset with friends from a rooftop garden. Projects funded by GCEF include:

• Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, a $5 million brand new, state-of-the-art, sustainable public library with dedicated community green space, and $100,000 to provide ongoing environmental programming for Greenpoint families. 
• Greenpoint Eco-Schools, a project that developed and implemented more than 40 environmental education programs at eight schools in Greenpoint, providing hands-on environmental education and enrichment to more than 4,700 students by transforming the way they learn about and care for nature and their community. 
• Greening Greenpoint, a multi-year initiative that engaged nearly 3,000 community volunteers in planting more than 1,000 new trees and over 27,000 flowers and other plants throughout the neighborhood. 
• Monsignor McGolrick Park Restoration and Upgrades, an ongoing investment of approximately $840,000 to support planting and beautification efforts and introduce community engagement programming, including nature walks and birdwatching groups, at a beloved park in the heart of Greenpoint. 
• Various other community-led initiatives that included but were not limited to the creation of 25,000 square feet of community rooftop gardens for gardening, education, and enjoyment; upgrades to 19 parks, community gardens, and other shared greenspaces; and the creation of nearly eight acres of new natural areas.

The GCEF was established by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and DEC in 2011 after New York state obtained a settlement with ExxonMobil over its massive oil spill in Greenpoint. The spill released at least 17 million gallons of oil, contaminating more than 50 acres of soil and groundwater in Greenpoint. DEC required ExxonMobil to contain and cleanup the massive underground plume of oil for more than a decade, and it will continue to require ExxonMobil to take actions to protect Newtown Creek.

With matching contributions from grantees, the GCEF program was able to more than triple the funds won in the ExxonMobil settlement into a total investment of more than $68.6 million. The GCEF convened nearly 70 community meetings, attended by more than 2,600 people, to educate Greenpoint residents about the program, identify their funding priorities, and assist them in developing projects for funding. The GCEF’s biggest investments were determined by community vote—more than 1,000 Greenpoint residents cast votes for their preferred projects.

The short film “Greening Greenpoint” highlights the program’s innovations and years of success in the community. A full report detailing GCEF’s history, design, implementation, and a description of each project funded is available online and in print at the Greenpoint Library. 

The OAG and DEC have received support from GCEF’s general administrators, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the North Brooklyn Development Corporation, Community Outreach Consultants Laura Truettner and Laura Treciokas, Graphics and Design Consultant SooYoung VanDeMark, the GCEF Community Advisory Panel, and former State Assemblymember Joseph Lentol.