News From The Bronx Council for Environmental Quality

 Using Waterfront Parkland for Private Housing and Economic Development - and what that means for you

Dear Friend of Parks and Waterfront Access,

For more than twenty years, city leaders have twisted the arms of local elected officials to support using Bronx Parkland for new dream projects.  The Bronx is the testing ground for quick and greedy land swaps.  If it happens in the Bronx, it will happen in your borough.  Do not think for one moment that there is a paucity of Bronx vacant land for affordable housing; there is plenty -- it just costs more money than free parkland! 

 

The ULURP has started.  They are selling off publicly owned waterfront property for private profit (POW-P3).  That would be the southern section of the always-crowded-Mill Pond Park -- once the site of the historic Bronx Terminal Market swept away in exchange for Gateway, then given back (due to the high brownfield costs) for a trade-in with the Yankee Stadium Redevelopment project that alienated another crowded neighborhood park.  

 

Make no mistakes: this is an expensive site for NYC taxpayers.  While it is on the Harlem River waterfront, parkland will have to be alienated, sanitary and runoff sewers will have to be connected to the combined sewer system; schools will have to be built (even though vacancies are abound all over that district); noise and sensory buffers will have to be added as this area has the highest asthma rate in the country; and as they ask for an exemption for parking, more subway trains will have to be added to an already overcrowded mass transit system. This is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

City Developers have an answer for everything.  They say they don’t need to replace the parkland they are taking -- that they already provided for the Lower Concourse Rezoning greenway years ago. That the area has no infrastructure connection, is not a problem -- the new sewer lines will take care of adding the runoff overstressed CSO system; there is no date to begin the plan for the Harlem River LTCP; it has the largest discharge outfall citywide, with the most outfalls of any other waterbody, and has the largest catchment area per outfall. City Developers say they will build a school.  The transportation stuff is bad too. They can't fit more people in at the 149th Street Station and there is no guarantee MTA will do anything about it. Where are we going to get all this money?  All this among many years of previous broken promises in this neighborhood already!

 

The city does not need this; they don’t even have a private developer.  This project is not in the Lower Concourse area – it is north of that.  The $200 million for infrastructure is not enough – the CSO connection will cost that much alone.

 

The Bronx Council for Environmental Quality (BCEQ) will be submitting detailed comments.  BCEQ has sought to establish — as an Inherent Human Right — a sound, forward-looking environmental policy regarding an aesthetic, unpolluted, environment protecting a natural and historic heritage.  We have been working on Harlem River issues to develop connections to and along the River and create on water access and activities.  This included work on the Pier 5 Wetland and community visioning for a park, as well as the planning document for the Brownfield Opportunity Area along the River.

 

CITYWIDE ACTION NEEDED

If it happens here, it will happen in your community.  Call/write/meet with your Council Member:  tell them you want them to vote against using parkland for housing and economic development.  We will update you when it gets to the Council.  

BRONX ACTION NEEDED

 

Come to the Bronx Community Board 4 Public Hearing this Tuesday, April 25 at 6 pm -- the Bronx Museum of the Arts.  Arrive early as you have to sign in. Be prepared, you only have 2 minutes, bring a written statement.  Ask the Community Board to please vote against using waterfront parkland for housing and economic development.

Date & Time:

Tuesday, 4.25.17

6 pm - be early   

Bronx CB 4 Hearing

ULURP, Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement, etc.

Place:

Bronx Museum of the Arts

1040 Grand Concourse
Bronx, New York 10456

T: 718-681-6000

Draft Generic EIS Pier 5Parkland:aka Lower Concourse North,      CEQR16DME012X, ULURP 170311ZMX, N170312ZRX, 170314PPX, 170315ZSX

Bronx Borough President Bronx Tech Summit on April 28th

Bronx Day in Albany is on May 1st

5th ANNUAL BRONX DAY IN ALBANY 

Monday, May 1,2017 

Hart Theater Lounge at The Egg 

4:00PM - 8:00PM

COMPLIMENTARY SEATING IS AVAILABLE. 

To reserve your seat, please call 718-409-0109
and ask for Marilyn Ceilema

Bus Locations: 

Assemblyman Gjonaj's District Office 1126 Pelham Pkwy South Bronx, NY 10461

Throgs Neck Houses 425 Swinton Avenue Bronx, NY 10465

Tracey Towers 40 W Mosholu  Pkwy S, Bronx,  NY 10468

Engel Responds to House GOP Plans to Revive Trumpcare

   Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a top member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement on Republicans’ latest plan to revive Trumpcare:

“Trumpcare already takes aim at working families, seniors and children. Now, in a transparent effort to salvage the President’s first 100 days in office, the GOP has concocted a plan to make a bad bill worse by stripping down protections for people with pre-existing conditions even further, and eliminating guarantees to essential health benefits.

“Trumpcare failed because the American people, and House Members from the President’s own party, saw through House Leadership efforts to pass it off as something it wasn’t. I have no doubt that Trumpcare’s revival will meet the same fate.”

ONENYC: MAYOR ANNOUNCES CITY ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLEET AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, HALF WAY TOWARD GOAL

New target for 20% of motor vehicles sold for use in NYC to be electric by 2025, supported by initial $10 million capital investment in fast charging infrastructure citywide

   In advance of Earth Day on April 22, Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that New York City’s municipal vehicle fleet is ahead of schedule to meet its target of adding 2,000 electric vehicles (EVs) by 2025. The City’s vehicle fleet currently boasts more than 650 EV sedans and more than 75 Stealth ambulances, which run on battery power rather than idle their engines to support on-board services. The municipal fleet will have 1,000 EV sedans by the end of July 2017, halfway toward the Clean Fleet goal, with eight years still to go.

“Just over a year ago, we committed to bring more EVs into the city fleet, making a more sustainable city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I am proud to say that we’re well ahead of schedule. Now it’s time to go further, by working with partners to build the infrastructure needed to make these vehicles of the future more accessible to New Yorkers. When it comes to meeting the challenge of climate change while creating a more just and equitable city, New York is leading the way.”

In light of this rapid expansion, Mayor de Blasio today also announced a bold new target for 20% of the motor vehicles sold for use in New York City to be electric by 2025, up from less than 1% today. This commitment includes an initial $10 million capital investment to support fast charging infrastructure that will extend access to electric mobility across the city. The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) will jointly direct this strategic investment along with complementary partnerships and policies to meet this EV penetration target, while taking into account the potential impacts on car ownership and traffic volumes to avoid exacerbating congestion on city streets.

One critical partnership for expanding EV penetration got underway this week, as Con Edison announced a plan to invest up to an additional $25 million in innovative EV strategies and infrastructure. The company released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking partners with the expertise to work on projects such as placing public fast chargers in the city and putting more than 100 EV chargers on NYC sidewalks. These would be the first-ever public street chargers in the city and a step toward serving the many New Yorkers who do not have their own driveways or parking lots. Fast charging could enable the electrification of taxis, carshare, passenger cars and delivery vehicles.

In addition, a new EV workplace charging program being funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), with support from DOT, was launched earlier this year. The “Charge to Work” program is a partnership between NYSERDA, DOT, CALSTART, Empire Clean Cities Coalition, ChargePoint, ABM, and NESCAUM. Recognizing that the presence of vehicle charging stations at the workplace is a strong predictor of EV adoption by commuters, Charge to Work will engage employers in and around New York City to provide incentives for the installation of more than 100 vehicle charging stations at workplaces in hopes of stimulating adoption of more than 450 EVs in the greater metropolitan area by 2020. Charge to Work supports the Governor’s Charge NY initiative, which is accelerating the growth of electric vehicle market in the state through education, research, consumer outreach and financial support for the installation of charging stations throughout New York state. 

Also earlier this year, New York City joined 29 other U.S. cities in issuing a joint Request for Information (RFI) to invite automakers to address an unprecedented expression of demand for EVs. New York City’s municipal fleet represents more than 20% of the nearly 114,000 vehicles captured in the RFI and contributes to a powerful message that cities will lead the way on clean vehicles as federal support for transportation sustainability recedes.

MAYOR DE BLASIO, CHANCELLOR FARIÑA AND DEPUTY MAYOR BUERY ANNOUNCE RECORD PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES RECEIVING TOP PRE-K FOR ALL CHOICE

Families receive Round 1 offers in April for the first time, earlier than ever before

   Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Carmen Fariña today announced that a record 87 percent of families received an offer to one of their top three free, full-day, high-quality Pre-K for All program choices and 74 percent of families received an offer to their top choice. In 2015, 82 percent of families received an offer to one of their top three choices, and 70 percent received an offer to their top choice. All 65,348 applicants received an offer for a Pre-K for All seat today, and there are thousands of additional seats available for Round 2 of admissions, which runs through May 9. Families are encouraged to pre-register by May 9 for the offer they received, and also explore Round 2 options.

Every child born in 2013 who lives in New York City is eligible to apply and to attend Pre-K for All this fall.

“Pre-K for All is one of many ways we’re attempting to even the playing field for students and families. Regardless of which neighborhood you live in, your parents’ financial situation or what language you speak, if you are a four-year old in this city, you have a right to free, full-day, high-quality Pre-K,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Pre-K is the first step on the path to academic success and I’m thrilled to offer acceptance to over 65,000 families in this first round.” 

“Pre-K for All provides an essential foundation for our students, and the first part of a great education in New York City. It is also a game-changer for parents, saving them an average of $10,000 a year on childcare costs. I share the excitement of the tens of thousands of families who received their Pre-K offers today,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “I encourage families who haven’t yet applied to take advantage of the Round 2 admissions process, and our Pre-K outreach team is contacting families across the five boroughs to get the word out to everyone, regardless of what language they speak or what background they come from.”

This year, the percentage of eligible students in shelter applying to Pre-K increased to 47 percent, up from 38 percent last year. 92 percent of students in shelter who applied received an offer to one of their top three program choices, higher than the citywide average. These promising results follow a number of new admissions supports for students in shelter – including training for shelter-based staff; shelter-based workshops; shelter “Days of Action”; texting campaigns; and direct invitation, transportation, and individualized counseling at information sessions and fairs.

This is the earliest-ever first round of Pre-K for All offers, and the first time that families have received offers in April.

Approximately 2,400 families participated in a survey about the Pre-K for All application process. Overall, 95 percent of respondents had a positive experience submitting their Pre-K application using the single, easy-to-complete online process. 92 percent of families who used the new Pre-K Quality Snapshot, a new tool launched in January to learn about pre-K options, found it helpful. Following a number of changes to improve the online Pre-K Finder – including making it easier to search, and adding more information on programs – 81 percent of families said they found the tool helpful in their program search, up from 56 percent last year.

There are a record 69,510 students enrolled in free, full-day, high quality Pre-K for All, more than a threefold increase from 19,287 full-day pre-K students during the 2013-14 school year. 53,120 students were enrolled in full-day pre-K in 2014-15, and 68,647 full-day pre-K students were enrolled in 2015-16. Pre-K for All is the foundation of Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Fariña’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda, which aims to ensure that by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time and two-thirds of graduates are college ready.

From Pre-K for All to College Access for All, the Equity and Excellence for All initiatives are building a pathway to success in college and careers for all students. Our schools are starting earlier – free, full-day, high-quality pre-K for every four-year-old through Pre-K for All. They are strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier – Universal Literacy so that every student is reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade; and Algebra for All to improve elementary- and middle-school math instruction and ensure that all 8th graders have access to algebra. They are offering students more challenging, hands-on, college and career-aligned coursework – Computer Science for All brings 21st-century computer science instruction to every school, and AP for All will give all high school students access to at least five Advanced Placement courses. Along the way, they are giving students and families additional support through College Access for All, Single Shepherd, and investment in Community Schools.

The percentage of applicants receiving an offer to their top Pre-K for All choice increased or stayed consistent across all five boroughs:

·         80 percent of Bronx families received their top choice, up from 78 percent in 2016

·         74 percent of Brooklyn families received their top choice, up from 72 percent in 2016

·         70 percent of Manhattan families received their top choice, up from 69 percent in 2016

·         72 percent of Queens families received their top choice, up from 69 percent in 2016

·         70 percent of Staten Island families received their top choice, consistent with 70 percent in 2016

All families with children born in 2013 – including those who received offers today – are eligible to apply in the second round, which remains open until 11:59 PM on May 9. Submitting a Round 2 application does not affect a family’s current offer or waitlist status. Families can use the online Pre-K Finder to find programs near them and see those programs’ Pre-K Quality Snapshots, and families looking for more information about the application process should review the Pre-K Directory. Both resources are available in ten languages. Additionally, hard copies of English and translated directories are available for all families who need one. Hard copies are available at our Family Welcome Centers, elementary schools, pre-K programs, and libraries and community organizations across the City.

Families can apply in one of three ways: online at www.nyc.gov/prek, over the phone by calling 718-935-2067, or in person at one of the DOE’s 12 Family Welcome Centers. The application is translated into nine languages, and additional translation services are available over the phone in more than 200 languages. There are enough free, full-day, high-quality seats to meet the demand of every four-year-old in New York City.

For this admissions cycle, a total of 19 elementary, middle, and high schools are participating in the Diversity in Admissions pilot. These schools give priority in their admissions processes to students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch (FL or FRL), English Language Learners (ELLs), and/or were in the child welfare system or impacted by incarceration. Offers for nine participating elementary schools with Pre-K went to families today. The nine schools met or exceeded nearly every one of their targets.

Parents with children enrolled in free, full-day pre-K save an average of $10,000 annually on childcare costs. A new NYU study found that Pre-K for All makes it more likely that a low-income child in New York City is properly diagnosed with asthma or vision problems, and receives screening or treatment for hearing or vision problems. Additionally, independent research from the NYC Center for Economic Opportunity demonstrated high satisfaction with pre-K for all: 92 percent of families surveyed rated their program as excellent or good, and 83 percent of families said their child learned “a lot” in pre-K. Across the board, the research shows that both students and families are seeing critical benefits from Pre-K for All.  

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz

Why I Am Against A Constitutional Convention

You should know that on November 7, 2017, New Yorkers will vote on whether or not to spend millions of dollars to hold a State Constitutional Convention.

You should also know that under the New York State Constitution, every 20 years on Election Day, New Yorkers are asked to answer this ballot question: “Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution and amend the same?”

It is also important for you to know that I believe that a Constitutional Convention will hurt the men and women in New York who are already struggling to pay their bills and raise their families, among them are union workers from transit to teachers, retirees, those seeking employment, those who find themselves in court, and even our environment will almost certainly suffer irreparable damage.

Some of the reasons why I am opposed to a Constitutional Convention are:

(1) Currently, the Constitution guarantees that pensions benefits for every public employee are protected and cannot be diminished or impaired.  A Constitutional Convention would almost certainly result in the lowering of pension benefits across the board for all public employees.

(2) The public sector union currently has the right to collective bargaining. With a Constitutional Convention, it is most likely that those collective bargaining for public sector unions will end.  This will do away with the right to good jobs and good wages.

(3) Presently, under the Constitution, all workers have the right to access public sector jobs. A Constitutional Convention will most probably turn back the hands of time and allow for discrimination, favoritism and nepotism in hiring.

(4) The Constitution currently provides for right to a free public education. A Constitutional Convention could take away this right, harming our children's fundamental right to education.

(5) Workers compensation rights are currently protected by the Constitution. A Constitutional Convention will almost certainly alter workers compensation, making work especially dangerous for many men and women who face serious injuries every day on the job.

(6) Our watersheds, state parks and wild preserves are being protected by the Constitution.  A Constitutional Convention can do enormous harm to our environment by opening up our watersheds, state parks and wild preserves to developers so they can be seized or plundered by the private sector.

(7) Our Constitution requires for judges to be elected into office by voters. A Constitutional Convention would almost certainly end the election of judges in favor or lifetime appointments, thereby opening our judicial system to many levels of corruption.

It is for this reason that I am opposed to, and ask everyone to vote “NO” to a Constitutional Convention. Otherwise, union workers, children, retirees, those seeking employment, those who find themselves in court, and even our environment will almost certainly suffer irreparable damage.

I am Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know. 

Bronx Young Dems Spring Gala 2017

 

 Last night the BYD held their 2017 Spring Gala. 

 Five Honorees and a surprise were on hand for those who were in attendance.

 The five Honorees were State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Mr. Patrick B. Jenkins, Ms. Tracy McDermott, Mr. Anthony Perez, and Ms. Ischia Bravo. The surprise was that outgoing President of the BYD Mr. Eric C. Henry was given a special honor by his fellow Executive Board members for his service as President of the BYD. The photos below should tell the rest of the story, except that Ms. Ischia Bravo was not able to attend for personal reasons.

Above - Honoree Ms. Tracy McDermott with One of her bosses (as she said their are many) Deputy Bronx Borough President Aurelia Greene.

Below - BYD President Eric Henry says a little about his tenure as President of the BYD.

Above - Honoree Anthony Perez.

Below - Honoree State Senator Jamaal Bailey.

Above - The Executive Board of the BYD with Honoree Patrick Jenkins.

Below - The Honorees with BYD President Eric Henry and Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson.

BYD Vice- President Daniel Johnson presents outgoing BYD President Eric Henry with his surprise honor.