HRWG, BCEQ, NYSDEC Power Plan 4:30-8pm on Wed 5/11

REMINDER

TIME:             Wednesday May 11, 2016 from 4:30 pm to 8 pm

 

TOPICS:          Future Plans for Harlem River Working Group

BCEQ Board Meeting

Conversation NYS Clean Power Plan 

PLACE: Bronx Museum of the Arts

1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street. Bronx NY in the Conference Room

Directions:  http://www.bronxmuseum.org/visit

4:30 pm  - The Harlem River Working Group will discuss updates 

on the Harlem River and plans for the year. 

6 pm - BCEQ will hold a brief Board meeting to discuss Educational and Environmental Awards. 

6:15 pm - A conversation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on the State's Clean Power Plan

  

These meetings are open to the public, but a reservation is necessary.  

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meetings-harlem-river-working-group-bceq-nysdec-clean-power-plan-registration-24946108482

Harlem River Working Group (HRWG)

The HRWG will be meeting to discuss our successes, updates, and future plans.  

• Fall Festivals (Roberto Clemente and VCP) and Wilderness Inquiry Canoemobile
• Workshops on the Harlem River Long Term Control Plan
• What's next along the Harlem River Greenway
• Tibbetts Brook Daylighting
• BCEQ's Step 2 of the Harlem River Brownfield Opportunity Area Program
• City of Water Day Activities

A Conversation on the State's Clean Power Plan

The Clean Power Plan is a new rule set by President Obama and the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) to cut carbon pollution from large power plants – the biggest source of carbon pollution in the United States. The Clean Power Plan will reduce the pollution causing climate change and its impacts on New York. 

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) needs to develop a state plan to meet the goal that EPA has set for New York and would like your input. New York is better situated than most states to comply with the Clean Power Plan because it has reduced emissions substantially over the past decade.  Governor Cuomo’s clean energy programs will reduce these emissions even more. 

New York is working to develop strategies to provide broad benefits to communities - particularly low-income and communities of color – by reducing carbon pollution from power plants and doing so in a way that focuses on cleaner energy.  

They are looking to you to provide the vision for these strategies. 

NYS has the flexibility on how to meet the goals of the Clean Power Plan.  Help the state choose among various approaches, while also hearing about how the Clean Power Plan works with other air pollution and clean energy programs.

Link to the DEC website

Look for an invite to a discussion for the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program Workshops the second week in July before the City of Water Day.  We are planning to hold the Proposed 2-Hour Workshop at Manhattan College Lower Campus during the day.

 

We also plan a 30 minute brief presentation in the evening at another location.

SENATOR JEFF KLEIN HOSTS ANNUAL SPRING CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL AT ST. THERESA’S SCHOOL

   State Senator Jeff Klein hosted his annual spring children’s festival at St. Theresa’s School on Saturday, May 7 at 12:30 p.m.   Over 200 families enjoyed the festivities that featured face-painting, a bouncy house, arts and crafts, music, and lunch.

Above - State Senator Jeff Klein stands in front of the Bouncy House with only a few of the children who attended his spring festival at St. Theresa's School.

Below - Mike is getting his face painted as his mother looks on.

Above - Hot dogs and snacks were on the menu.

Below - Among all her many other duties Michelle Dolgow Cristofaro helped out at the cotton candy table.

GreenThumb May News

May News & Events Thank you for making our 2016 GrowTogether an enormous success.  With over 1,600 participants, 69 workshops, over 29 sponsors and partner organizations you were part of the growing local gardening movement.  GreenThumb's conference was highlighted by a keynote address from food justice activist Tanya Fields, founder and executive director, the BLK Projek.  We are pleased that this year's GrowTogether was so successful.  Please enjoy the following photos of the event and share your photos or stories with us atwww.greenthumbnyc.org News GreenThumb: Plant Start Giveaway Saturday, May 7, 2016 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Get your veggie transplants at our annual giveaway, and learn some tips on square-foot gardening. All supplies are for registered GreenThumb community gardens only and are available by RSVP while supplies last. One site pick-up only.You must RSVP by calling  (212) 602-5300 or signing up on the online form here . Location : Melrose New Generation Community Garden, Bronx Cost: Free Saturday, May 21, 2016 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Please RSVP by calling (212) 602-5300 or by filling out the online form here. Location: GreenThumb Compound, Queens Cost: Free GreenThumb Garden Month  This June, we invite you to join gardeners across the city to celebrate GreenThumb's first ever 'Garden Month'. We want to highlight the thousands of green pioneers across our urban gardens while showing all New Yorkers the benefits of a healthy garden by inviting the community to join the celebration, learning and service. Please let us know now about your workdays, film nights, workshops, summer concerts or any fun event you are planning so we can help promote them through our online event listing system. Events will be posted for all to see on the NYC Parks website as well as GreenThumb's web calendar, mailing lists and social media. Help spread the word about our beautiful green spaces and the people who make them bloom. Please submit your events for the month of June online here or call 212-602-5300. New Local Summer Supply Giveaway Pick-up basic gardening and maintenance supplies for your registered GreenThumb garden. Please make note of the changes to our traditional summer supply giveaway.  GreenThumb will be coming to the boroughs to distribute our free supplies. You must RSVP online at www.greenthumbnyc.org or by calling our main line at (212) 602-5300 by May 31st Let us know if another garden group is picking-up on behalf of your group On-site pick-up only at the dates and locations below One pick-up per garden group You can carpool with other garden groups that may not have access to transportation Pick-up by RSVP for registered GreenThumb gardens in good standing (no violations) ONLY from 10:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Walk-ins from 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Saturday June 4th, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Saturday June 11th, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. GreenThumb Urban Gardener Profile Gioya Desouza-Fennelly has been gardening for over 20 years in New York City, first at Penny Harvest Garden and now in a plot at Columbia University, Manhattan. The garden plays a central role in the neighborhood, bringing together different generations into a common green space. You can find the story here! If you'd like to have your story profiled please fill out our Urban Gardener Profile form and we will be in touch with you – Urban Gardener Profile. Grants NYRP Gardens for the City Program TRANSFORM YOUR GREEN SPACE NYRP helps transform a schoolyard. Is there a community space in your neighborhood you'd like to see transformed? If so, apply for help from NYRP below. NYRP provides support for project of various scales–from building a few vegetables beds to large-scale restoration work. Apply here. Citizens Committee for New York City Compost Grant In collaboration with the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board and Borough President Gale Brewer, CCNYC is awarding grants of up to $750 to start or expand compost projects in NYC. Groups such as community gardens, schools, tenant associations, and community organizations in all 5 boroughs are eligible for the grant. Grant funds can be used to build compost bins, purchase other compost materials or tools, do outreach and education, and more. Apply here. Workshops & Events Saturday, May 7, 2016 GreenThumb Workshop : Plant Start Giveaway  11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Get your veggie transplants at our annual giveaway, and learn some tips on square-foot gardening. All supplies are for registered GreenThumb community gardens only and are available by RSVP while supplies last. One site pick-up only.You must RSVP by calling  (212) 602-5300 or signing up on the online form here. Location : Melrose New Generation Community Garden, Bronx Cost: Free Tuesday, May 10, 2016 Partnerships Academy Workshop : Partnering for Success (Bronx) 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Would you like to have more support for your community group? At this workshop, participants will gain the skills to build strong relationships with businesses, government, and other organizations. You will leave knowing what type of organization you are going to approach next, and how to get them on board. Location : The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx Cost: Free Wednesday, May 11, 2016 GreenThumb Workshop : The Power of Herbs  5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Companion planting is growing garden plants together that have complementary requirements and so do not compete for light, water, or other resources. Many herbs are good companions: they are beneficial to pollinators, give off essential oils that repel pests and don't require too much water. Come to the workshop to learn more! Please RSVP here. Location: Franklin Memorial Garden, Bronx Cost: Free Saturday, May 14, 2016 GreenThumb Workshop: Event Planning For Volunteer Work Days 11:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Do you want to learn how to plan an event that will also improve your community garden space? Come out and join us at El Flamboyan for an event planning workshop, fruit tree pruning, volunteer work day, and a cookout to celebrate at the end of the day. Please RSVP here. Location: El Flamboyan Community Garden, Bronx Cost: Free Butterfly Project NYC Native Plant Share 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Join Butterfly Project NYC, Grow to Learn, and The New York Botanical Garden/Bronx Green Up Program to learn more about the connections between native plants and pollinators and how to encourage them in urban landscapes. This year's workshop is once again part of NYC Wildflower Week. Plants will be available for pickup, to be used in schoolyards, community gardens, and other public spaces while supplies last. Pre-registration is required. To register, fill out the online form at butterflyprojectnyc.org by 5:00 p.m. on May 9. Location: Grove Hill Learning Garden, Bronx Cost: Free Wednesday, May 18, 2016 GreenThumb Workshop: Brick Laying/BBQ Pit Construction  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Don't know what to do with the bricks in your garden? You can't beat the taste of barbecued meat cooked on an open fire. Forget rushing to the garden center to buy an expensive barbecue; set aside one day and you can have your own stylish brick barbecue. Learn the basics of safe construction and what is allowed in your community garden. Please RSVP here. Location: La Isla Garden, Bronx Cost: Free Saturday, May 21, 2016 GreenThumb Workshop: Plant Start Giveaway 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Get your veggie transplants at our annual giveaway, and learn some tips on square-foot gardening. All supplies are for registered GreenThumb community gardens only and are available by RSVP while supplies last. One site pick-up only. Please RSVP by calling (212) 602-5300 or by filling out the online form here. Location: GreenThumb Compound, Queens Cost: Free GreenThumb Workshop: Marvelous Mushrooms 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Fungi can be helpful in your garden and delicious in the kitchen. This class offers a peek into the fungi kingdom at large and addresses do it yourself indoor growing and cultivation methods with the option to transfer your fungi to your outdoor garden. In addition to a demonstration of basic propagation techniques, the class offers resources for finding mushroom materials to work with as you set about on your homegrown mycological pursuits. Please RSVP here. Location: Smiling Hogshead Ranch, Queens Cost:Free Thursday, May 26, 2016 GreenThumb Workshop: Weed Walk : Plant ID 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. A weed is just a plant out of place. If we know which weeds are in and around our garden, we may put some of them to productive use. Join us for a stroll to begin identifying those weeds. Please RSVP here.  Location: La Finca del Sur, Bronx Cost:Free

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Sisters of Mary Auxiliary's Golf Classic & Dinner

Bronx Borough President - #NOT62 HEALTH DAY

NYLCV Applauds Council on Carryout Bag Bill Passage

NYLCV APPLAUDS NYC COUNCIL FOR PASSING THE CARRYOUT BAG BILL

BILL MOVES TO MAYOR'S DESK AFTER 28-20 VOTE IN FAVOR

  Today the New York City Council passed Intro-209, the Carryout Bags Bill, by a vote of 28-20. NYLCV has long advocated for the bill, making it a priority bill in its last two NYC Council scorecards and sending thousands of petition signatures to council members and the mayor. In response, Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters issued the following statement: 

"Carryout bags are not free. Every New Yorker pays when we see our trees, streets, playgrounds, waterways and beaches littered with plastic bags. Taxpayers spend $12 million a year just to truck bags to landfills, which drive through low-income communities of color to transfer stations, contributing to air pollution and causing increased asthma rates along the way. A shopper uses a disposable bag on average for just minutes, while the toll on the environment lasts for decades.

"New Yorkers can pause for a second at the register. When asked if they need a carryout bag, the choice will be theirs. That pause will make a world of difference for cleaner streets, a greener city and a healthy environment.

"As the largest city in the United States, New York City just took a bold step toward joining the dozens of other municipalities that have already adopted legislation restricting the use of these bags. We thank Council Members Lander and Chin for their tireless advocacy, and Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito for her leadership in shepherding the bill through the Council. We look forward to working with Mayor de Blasio to ensure successful implementation."

EDITOR"S NOTE

Before we celebrate to much, there is talk that the state legislature, which has the power to, may convene to overturn this bill which still has not been signed into law by Mayor Bill de Blasio. If he is still mayor by the time the signing comes around.

MELISSA MARK-VIVERITO, JEFFREY DINOWITZ, ET AL ... And then they call themselves defenders of the poor?

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York

   You should know that there is an old saying that goes like this: “It’s one thing what you say, and another is what you do.” If we apply this expression to elected officials, we can see that all too often, what they say and what they do aren’t always the same.

You should know that some of these elected officials in New York say one thing and do the opposite, and they are often the first ones to call themselves defenders of the poor.

HaHaHaHa!

One of these elected officials is our New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who together with the Democratic majority, approved and passed a law that adds an additional burden to the poor - especially senior citizens.

This new law requires for everyone to pay an extra 5 cents for each plastic bag people will use to put their groceries in. We all know that there are items which need 2-3 plastic bags.  That means people will have to pay 5 cents for each one. (And stores that break this law will be hit with a $250 penalty.)

It is important for you to know that there are many senior citizens in New York City who receive a total income of between $500 and $600 per month. This means that each month, these seniors have to decide if they should pay their rent, pay for their medications, pay for their rice and beans, or pay for their utilities. The cost for these plastic bags imposed upon the poor and our seniors by the so-called "defenders of the poor” just adds insult to injury.  

Instead of our City Council Members using their votes to help defray costs or burdens for our senior citizens and poor people, and instead of finding ways to help decrease day-to-day expenses for people in need, the New York City Council continues to slowly crush our poor and our seniors by taking away money they just don’t have.

I have to publicly commend the Bronx Democratic City Council Members who voted to oppose this punitive measure, who include James Vacca, Rafael Salamanca, Annabel Palma, Vanessa Gibson, and the Council Members from the other boroughs: Inez D. Barron, Joseph Borelli, Robert Cornegy, Jr., Chaim M. Deutsch, Inez E. Dickens, Mathieu Eugene, Vincent Gentile, David G. Greenfield, Barry S. Grodenchik, Karen Koslowitz, Rory Lancman, Steve Matteo, Darlene Mealy,  Deborah L. Rose, Mark Treyger, and Eric A. Ulrich.

Another case that has been highlighted this week in the news involves a lawsuit that was filed against a Democratic Member of the New York State Assembly, Jeffrey Dinowitz.

According to an article titled “PS 24 assistant principal sues DOE” written by Shant Shahrigian, that was published on May 3, 2016 of The Riverdale Press: “The Spuyten Duyvil School’s (P.S. 24) Assistant Principal Manny Verdi says northwest Bronx Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is seeking to keep minority and lower-income students out of the school, one of several bombshell allegations in a suit he filed on Tuesday against the Department of Education (DOE), Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña and District 10 Superintendent Melodie Mashel.”

These are very serious charges.

I’m not saying whether the allegations are true or not, but if this report is credible, then my question is: How can this be so?

We already know that Jeffrey Dinowitz has been a vocal opponent of New York Charter Schools, which were created primarily to serve the educational needs of minority students.  Charter schools enrolment are made up of more than 90 percent of Black and Hispanic children.  Our children get a good education in these Charter Schools.

So how does Jeffrey Dinowitz – a Democrat who claims to be a defender of the poor – oppose Black and Hispanic children from being allowed to attend a public school in Riverdale, and at the same time, also oppose Charter Schools?

This is something that cannot be tolerated.

My question to Assemblyman Dinowitz is: “If you don’t want our Black and Hispanic children going to your neighborhood school, and you also oppose sending our Black and Hispanic children to charter schools, how can you claim to defend the needs of the poor?

If we look at these cases: the harm done by the City Council to the poor and senior citizens, and the other cases of preventing Black and Hispanic children from attending a good public school, and also opposing Charter Schools so our Black and Hispanic children could have good educational opportunities,  then I have to wonder why they call themselves defenders of the poor.

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

EDITOR"S NOTE:

We have to agree with Senator Diaz on the plastic bag fee, but he needs to read the law again, and probably again.

As for Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz - He did help with you depose a hispanic Bronx Democratic County Leader to have a Black Assemblyman become the new county leader. With Assemblyman Dinowitz's help your  black candidate for a judgeship was able to defeat a hispanic candidate who was supported by the former county leader. Assemblyman Dinowitz also helped your Hispanic candidate in the most recent city council special election in the South Bronx. 

As for politics in schools - Assemblyman Dinowitz has never brought the former Republican State Senate Majority Leader (who was convicted of corruption) to an political event in a school. Assemblyman Dinowitz also has not used a political event in a school to advance his candidate for office in a special election. 

Assemblyman Dinowitz is doing his job to find out why a top performing public school in his district is no longer the school it once was. He does not want to have a charter school pull any children away, especially minority children, as you Senator Diaz would. 

Look in the mirror before you put your foot in your mouth Senator Diaz.

And that is what you should know.

RALLY FOR THE KINGSBRIDGE ARMORY

   The rally for the Kingsbridge National Ice Center went on as planned yesterday with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and former New York Ranger Great Mark Messier on hand for the prayer vigil to let this project go forward. The photos below will tell the rest of the story.

Above -The prayer vigil was led by the Reverend Que English.

Below - Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Mark Messier, And Community Board 7 Chair Adaline Walker-Santiago renewed their calls for the city to allow the Kingsbridge National Ice Center project start.

Above = The Celia Cruz Glee Club was on hand posing, and pose with the CB 7 Chair and CB 7 District Manger, and of course Mark Messier.

Below - BP Diaz explains to a woman from Brooklyn that unlike the Barclay Center that was built from scratch with taxpayers dollars, the KNIC proposal does not use ant city monies, and that the armory building has sat empty for many years with the community calling for a community based use such as the KNIC proposal.