MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS 1 JUDGE TO FAMILY COURT, 4 JUDGES TO CRIMINAL COURT, 7 JUDGES TO CIVIL COURT

 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced 1 appointment to Family Court, 4 appointments to Criminal Court, and 7 appointments to Civil Court. 

“These judges have evidenced their commitment and sharpness by managing some of the most difficult cases our city has ever seen. I am proud to appoint these individuals who have fought for fairness and equity at every step of their career,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I have no doubt they will continue to do what they have always done: dedicate their careers to making our city, state, and nation more fair and just.”

 

Family, Criminal, and Civil Court are part of the New York State Unified Court System. Family Court judges hear cases related to adoption, foster care and guardianship, custody and visitation, domestic violence, abused or neglected children, and juvenile delinquency. The City’s Criminal Court handles misdemeanor cases and lesser offenses and conducts arraignments. One of the judges newly appointed to Civil Court will be presiding in Family Court. Six judges newly appointed to Civil Court are expected to preside in Criminal Court.

 

The Mayor appointed the following judge to Family Court:

 

Judge Jonathan H. Shim was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in February 2018 and has been serving in Family Court.  Judge Shim began his legal career as an associate at several firms and started his own practice in family and matrimonial law which he maintained for nine and a half years, prior to his appointment to the bench. He is a graduate of SUNY at Albany and received his law degree from Albany Law School.

 

The Mayor appointed the following judges to Criminal Court:

 

Judge Giyang An formerly served with the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office in the Criminal Court, Intake, and Narcotics Bureaus, and the Gun Readiness Unit of the Trial Bureau. She most recently served as an Assistant Attorney General with the Office of the New York State Attorney General in the Torts Section of the Claims Bureau, Division of State Counsel. She also teaches as an Adjunct Professor of Law, Lawyering, and Legal Writing at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University. She is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine and received her J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University.

 

Judge Carolina Holderness began her legal career as Law Clerk to the Honorable Lawrence M. McKenna in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York. She subsequently joined the New York County District Attorney’s Office and has served in various capacities for the last 14 years, including as Criminal Court Supervisor, Chief of the Human Trafficking Response Unit of the Special Victims Bureau and most recently, prior to her appointment, as the Deputy Chief of the Special Victims Bureau. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received her J.D. from Columbia Law School. Ms. Holderness’s appointment will be effective at the end of this month.

 

Judge Biju J. Koshy formerly served with the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office in the Criminal Court and General Crimes Bureaus. He went on to serve in the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office as a Supervisor, then Deputy Chief of the Criminal Court Bureau before joining the New York State Unified Court System as a Senior Court Attorney to a Criminal Court judge. He subsequently opened his own practice in Richmond County handling felony and misdemeanor cases, as well as serving as a court evaluator and appointed counsel on Guardianship cases in Supreme Court. He is a graduate of Pace University and received his J.D. from Seton Hall Law School.

 

Judge Melissa T. Lewis began her legal career with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office where she remained for 14 years serving in the District Court Misdemeanor Trial Bureau, County Court Felony Trial Bureau, and Major Offense Bureau. She last served as a Deputy Bureau Chief of the County Court Felony Trial Bureau and as Director of Recruitment.  Prior to her appointment to the bench, she served with the New York State Unified Court System as Deputy Chief of Staff to former Deputy Chief Administrative Judge George J. Silver. She is a graduate of St. John’s University and received her law degree from New York Law School.

 

The Mayor appointed the following judges to Civil Court:  

 

Judge Anthony M. Battisti was a former Queens County Assistant District Attorney for four years assigned to the Intake, Criminal Court, Grand Jury, and Supreme Court Bureaus. He subsequently entered into a law partnership and shortly thereafter started his own practice. He was a private practitioner in Queens for over 27 years specializing in criminal defense. Judge Battisti received both his undergraduate and his law degree from St. John’s University. Judge Battisti is appointed to Civil Court and is expected to be assigned to Criminal Court.

 

Judge Diego A. Freire formerly served with The Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Practice in Queens County for 14 years. He was most recently Senior Staff Attorney and Adolescent Intervention and Diversion Attorney prior to his appointment to the bench. Judge Freire is a graduate of Queens College and received his law degree from Temple University, Beasley School of Law. Judge Freire is appointed to Civil Court and is expected to be assigned to Criminal Court.

 

Judge Simiyon S. Haniff began his legal career with the Queens County District Attorney’s Office serving in the Intake, Domestic Violence, Appeals and Trial Bureaus. After two partnerships, he opened his own practice which he maintained for seven and a half years. He returned to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office serving most recently as Supervising Attorney of the Criminal Court Bureau’s Part AP-2. He is a graduate of St. John’s University and Brooklyn Law School. Judge Haniff is appointed to Civil Court and is expected to be assigned to Criminal Court.

 

Judge Marty J. Lentz was a former Law Clerk in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. She went on to serve with The Legal Aid Society for the last 18 years as a Staff Attorney assigned to the Brooklyn Criminal Defense Practice, Misdemeanor Brooklyn Treatment Court, and most recently at the Red Hook Community Justice Center. She is a graduate of Loyola University in Chicago and received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Judge Lentz is appointed to Civil Court and is expected to be assigned to Criminal Court.

 

Judge Srividya Pappachan began her legal career as a Staff Attorney with The Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Practice where she remained for over nine years. She thereafter became Court Attorney to the Honorable Josh E. Hanshaft, New York County Criminal Court and briefly in Kings County Family Court. Judge Pappachan is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts – Amherst and received her law degree from Hofstra University School of Law. Judge Pappachan is appointed to Civil Court and is expected to be assigned to Criminal Court.

 

Judge Rachel S. Pauley was a former Kings County Assistant District Attorney and a Principal Court Attorney in Supreme Court, Criminal Term. She also served with the New York State Attorney General’s Office and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. Most recently, she was Director of Government Programs, Social Justice Initiatives and a Lecturer-in-Law at Columbia Law School. She received her dual bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Columbia University’s Barnard College and School of International and Public Affairs, and her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. Judge Pauley is appointed to Civil Court and is expected to be assigned to Criminal Court.

 

Judge Stephanie Schwartz began her legal career with The Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Practice and later served with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services in New York and Bronx Counties for over nine years. Prior to her appointment to the bench, she was a Court Attorney-Referee in New York County Family Court for five years. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison and received her law degree from CUNY School of Law. Judge Schwartz is appointed to Civil Court and will be assigned to Family Court.

 

New York State Reminds Snowmobilers to Ride Safely

 

Snowmobile Safety Courses Remain Available

Sledders Reminded To Use COVID-19 Safety Measures at Trailheads, During Breaks

 As the snowmobiling season begins, New York State urges riders to keep safety in mind, both when operating on trails and during any breaks with fellow riders.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, snowmobile safety courses continue to be offered, with more than 100 registered classes available. An online list of open classes can be found here. Successful completion of this course results in the issuance of a NYS Snowmobile Safety Certificate.

This certificate is required for youth between ages 10 and 18 to operate a snowmobile, but all riders can benefit from a course that provides fundamental information which everyone needs to ensure the safety of both rider and other trail users.

State Park Police, State Troopers, Environmental Conservation Police Officers, Forest Rangers, and local enforcement agencies enforce State Laws on snowmobile trails, including instances of unsafe or reckless operation, speed limits including the state's maximum speed of 55 MPH, and operating while intoxicated.

Those rules apply on all local and club trails, as well as the Statewide Trail System, which traverses 45 counties and includes lands under the jurisdiction of state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), New York State Canal Corporation, local governments, and many private landowners.

"Park Police are here to remind snowmobilers, especially those that may be new to the sport, of safe operating practices, and that reckless operation, speeding and operating while impaired or intoxicated present significant and serious risks to all trail users. Rules will be strictly enforced by law enforcement," said Acting Assistant Director of Law Enforcement Major Michael Pavelock. "While outside riding is a safe activity during this pandemic, snowmobilers should be aware that for off-trail visits to restaurants and other establishments, the new COVID-19 safety protocols announced by Governor Hochul require that masks are required to be worn in all indoor public places unless the business or venue implements a proof of vaccine requirement.”

A Park Police snowmobile safety video is available here.

State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, “Soon winter sports season will be in full swing and we want snowmobile enthusiasts to take advantage of the beautiful trails in our great state. However, every winter there are needless tragedies and a wake of victims left behind because of the decisions made by impaired drivers. There is no excuse for operating any motorized vehicle or device while impaired whether it be a vehicle, snowmobile, boat, or ATV. By making responsible and safe choices, New Yorkers can do their part to keep our trails safe and enjoyable for all this winter.”

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "Each year, snowmobile enthusiasts visit New York’s thousands of miles of trails statewide to enjoy this popular winter activity in the great outdoors. I join our partners at State Parks and the New York State Police in reminding riders to ride responsibly and safely by taking the proper precautions and never getting on a snowmobile impaired by alcohol or drugs. Even experienced riders can benefit from taking a snowmobile safety course to protect themselves and others, especially on remote, backcountry trails that are generally narrower than trails on private lands.”

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reminds New Yorkers to register their snowmobiles before hitting the trails. Snowmobile registrations must be renewed annually and may be renewed online on the DMV website.

DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “For those taking advantage of New York’s beautiful trails, I hope you have a safe and fun season. As a reminder, when operating a snowmobile in New York, you are legally required to wear a helmet and to never operate a snowmobile while impaired.”

Recommendations for safe riding include:

• Prior to starting your ride, check over the snowmobile to make sure it is in good working order and carry emergency supplies.
• Always wear a DOT- or SNELL-approved helmet and make sure to wear the proper snowmobile gear including bibs, jackets, boots, and gloves.
• Always ride with a buddy or at least one other person.
• Ride responsibly and within your abilities.
• Always ride to the right side of the trail especially at hill crests and curves.
• Operate at a speed which is safe and prudent for the given conditions.
• Respect landowners, obey posted signs, and stay on the marked trail.
• Frozen bodies of water are not designated trails. If planning to ride on ice, proceed with caution and be aware of potential hazards under the snow. Consider wearing a snowmobile suit with flotation built-in and carry a set of ice picks as a precaution.
• Never drink alcohol or use drugs and ride.

For more information on snowmobiling in New York, visit https://parks.ny.gov/recreation/snowmobiles.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails, and boat launches, which were visited by a record 78 million people in 2020. A recent university study found that spending by State Parks and its visitors supports $5 billion in output and sales, 54,000 private-sector jobs and more than $2.8 billion in additional state GDP. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit parks.ny.gov, connect on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Attorney General James Announces Indictment of Former Rochester Nursing Home Employee for Allegedly Raping Nursing Home Resident Suffering from Dementia

 

Khadka Pradhan Charged With Allegedly Raping 81-Year-Old Resident While He Worked In Nursing Home as Housekeeper

 New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the indictment of Khadka Pradhan, 51, of Rochester, for allegedly raping an 81-year-old resident of the Shore Winds Nursing Home in Rochester in September 2021. At the time of the alleged crime, Pradhan was working as a housekeeper at the facility. The indictment charges Pradhan with Rape in the First Degree, Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, and three other related crimes. If convicted, Pradhan faces up to 25 years in state prison.

“The charges outlined in this case are as heinous and disturbing as they come,” said Attorney General James. “Mr. Pradhan allegedly raped an elderly woman with dementia at the nursing home where she lived — grossly violating her, other residents, and her family, who trusted that she would be safe and cared for. The idea that one of our most vulnerable could be so severely abused and taken advantage of is a real shock to the conscience. But make no mistake: We will go after anyone who commits such horrific crimes and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

As outlined in the indictment, Pradhan allegedly, through the use of forcible compulsion, sexually assaulted the elderly and mentally disabled victim in her room at the Shore Winds facility on September 29, 2021, at approximately 6:30 AM. Pradhan is being charged with Rape in the First Degree, Rape in the Second Degree, Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, and Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the First Degree. 

The indictment follows charges filed by the Rochester Police Department, in which the defendant was initially charged in a felony complaint filed on September 29, 2021. The defendant was arraigned on the felony complaint in Rochester City Court on September 30, 2021, and pled not guilty. His bail was set at $10,000 cash, $50,000 secured bond, and $100,000 unsecured bond which he posted that same day.

Following further investigation, a Monroe County Grand Jury handed up the indictment charging the defendant with the elevated charges of Rape in the First Degree, Rape in the Second Degree, Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, and Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the First Degree. The indictment will be calendared in a Monroe County Superior Court for arraignment on a date that will be set by the court.

The charges against the defendant are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty in a court of law.

Attorney General James would like to thank the Rochester Police Department and the Monroe County Crime Laboratory for their valuable assistance in this investigation, as well as the New York state Department of Health for the prompt referral of this incident.

Reporting Medicaid Provider Fraud: MFCU defends the public by addressing Medicaid provider fraud and protecting nursing home residents from abuse and neglect. If an individual believes they have information about Medicaid provider fraud or about an incident of abuse or neglect of a nursing home resident, they can file a confidential complaint online on the OAG website or by calling the MFCU hotline at (800) 771-7755. If the situation is an emergency, they should call 911.

The Mark Gjonaj Float and Bus Make One of Their Final Tours of the Council District.

 

Councilman Mark Gjonaj is going out in a bang. He had his Christmas float out with carolers and staff on it followed by his bright orange bus. Police from the 49th Precinct gave the float and bus an escort from Westchester Square around the district. Here the float and bus cross Pelham Parkway.

The float was so long it took two photos to get all of it in. Here is the front part of the Gjonaj holiday float.

The back end of the Gjonaj float.

The familiar Gjonaj bus that everyone has come to know and love. Here they are crossing Pelham Parkway going north on Williamsbridge Road.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF DIGITIZED PLACARD READERS IN NORTH BROOKLYN

 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the launch of a digitized placard reader program in north Brooklyn, a major step toward cracking down on abuse and ensuring public servants use their parking privileges appropriately. Starting next week, NYPD’s Traffic Enforcement Agents in Patrol Borough Brooklyn North will be equipped to validate issued parking permits with handheld electronic devices. The devices will allow agents to determine if the placard was legitimately issued; if it belongs to the vehicle it’s placed in; and if it’s being used in accordance with the privileges it confers. 

NYPD has issued 43,000 parking summonses to improperly parked vehicles displaying placards in 2021 alone – a 21% increase from 2020.

 

“Placard abuse clogs our streets and weakens New Yorkers’ trust in the government that serves them. There’s no place for it in our city, and I’m proud to take this next step toward a fairer and more accountable system,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

 

“The NYPD recognizes that we play a valuable role in reducing the times when drivers make calculated decisions to use a placard to park in violation of parking rules. These decisions not only jeopardize the safety of other road users and cause congestion, but also erode the public’s trust in the NYPD and other government employees,” said NYPD Chief of Transportation Kim Y. Royster. “The NYPD is fortunate to now have access to advanced technology that will directly reduce the number of times city employees can misuse their parking privileges while simultaneously allowing on-scene enforcement to verify the validity of a vehicle’s presence.”

 

“Placard abuse has no place in New York City and we are grateful to Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD for launching this program to help strengthen enforcement and keep our streets safe,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Hank Gutman. “The DOT has joined our sister agencies in sharing our placard data with the NYPD to help end this type of corruption.”

 

This program’s phased rollout will begin in north Brooklyn, with a special emphasis on downtown Brooklyn. It will expand to lower Manhattan by mid-January, and to the rest of the city by the end of January. By 2022, all placards will be replaced with vehicle stickers.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - DECEMBER 23, 2021

 

149,125 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours    

63 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"We are experiencing the winter surge, and numbers are expected to rise. You can also expect to reduce your chance of severe illness from COVID-19 if you get vaccinated and if you get the booster," Governor Hochul said. "The best gift you can give yourself and your loved ones this holiday season is protection from COVID-19. Encourage your friends and family members to do their part and mask up and exercise caution when in indoor public spaces. Let's all get through this and enjoy a safe and healthy holiday season." 

Today's data is summarized briefly below: 

• Test Results Reported - 324,786
• Total Positive - 38,835
• Percent Positive - 11.96%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 9.46%
• Patient Hospitalization - 4,534 (+82)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 746
• Patients in ICU - 837 (+9)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 474 (-1)
• Total Discharges - 225,180 (+631)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 63
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 47,798
  
  
  The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only. 

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 60,689
  
  
  This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings. 

• Total vaccine doses administered - 32,842,385
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 149,125
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 870,776
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 88.3% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 80.2% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 82.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 77.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 69.3% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 82.7% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 71.2%

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES HISTORIC INVESTMENTS TO DRASTICALLY CUT CITYWIDE CLIMATE EMISSIONS AND ADVANCE CARBON NEUTRALITY

 

New York City makes record-breaking new investments in clean energy and electric vehicles; releases roadmap for aggressive emissions reductions from government operations

 Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today with the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) a slate of bold actions to tackle the climate crisis and advance a green and just future in New York City. The announced efforts and investments surge clean energy in the city’s electricity grid, accelerate the transition to electrified transportation, and reduce emissions from city government buildings and operations. These actions will reduce climate emissions from city government by nearly 70% by 2030 from 2006 levels. All three announcements advance New York City’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, in line with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to prevent the most devastating impacts of the climate crisis.

Today’s announced actions include:

• New finalized contract to power New York City with wind, solar, and hydropower from upstate New York and Canada, catalyzing the development of two major green energy transmission projects. If approved by the New York State Public Service Commission, these projects will be the largest transmission upgrades in the last 50 years, helping meet the city’s growing energy needs. They will bring enough clean energy per year to power more than 2.5 million homes and will increase electricity reliability and resiliency. This agreement means New York City government will power its operations with 100% clean energy by 2025.
• $420 million in investments to accelerate the timeline to achieve an all-electric municipal vehicle fleet and reduce emissions. These record-breaking investments, the largest in history to electrify a public vehicle fleet, include the purchase of over 1,250 electric vehicles in 2022 and the installation of at least 1,776 fast chargers by 2030. The Mayor has also signed an Executive Order setting the most aggressive fleet electrification targets in the country, including requiring all passenger cars and light trucks in the City vehicle fleet to be electric no later than 2030. It also requires a review of every SUV in city government and to eliminate any unnecessary use of SUVs.
• A new Executive Order signed by the Mayor that further increases climate change mitigation ambitions within city government operations. To meet the aggressive requirements of the Executive Order, DCAS has also issued a new Local Law 97 Implementation Action Plan, which complies with and surpasses the City’s legal requirements to reduce emissions from city government operations 40% by 2025 and 50% by 2030.  The City has committed $4.6 billion over the coming decade to achieve these goals.

“Our city is leading the way in the fight against climate change, putting people and the planet first,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These historic investments will touch New Yorkers for generations to come, by cleaning our air, making drastic cuts to climate pollution, and building a clean, sustainable city for all.”

“These record investments reflect the City’s unwavering commitment to fighting the climate crisis,” said Dawn M. Pinnock, Acting Commissioner of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services. “Climate change is happening now, and city government must be aggressive in taking steps now to reduce emissions and break its dependence on fossil fuels.”

“This historic move away from polluting fossil fuels is an investment in our communities,” said Ben Furnas, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability. “We thank our partners across the State and our colleagues at NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Service for implementing ambitious and measurable climate actions that put health and equity first and improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers.”

“NYSERDA is proud to partner with New York City to provide millions of residents, especially those living in underserved communities, with clean, reliable renewable power – helping to transition both the City and State away from fossil fuels and significantly improve air quality,” said Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of NYSERDA. “This contract helps to make the scale of the State’s first of its kind transmission and renewable energy projects possible and significantly reduces the cost impacts of delivering this influx clean energy for New Yorkers statewide. ”

With the three new announcements, the City unveiled the following actions:

100% Clean Energy for New York City Government Operations

New York City has finalized its contract with the New York State Energy Research Development and Authority (NYSERDA) to power New York City government with 100% renewable power. This contract helps to support NYSERDA’s Tier 4 renewable energy program, which aims to responsibly deliver a significant increase of renewable energy to the City and will also support future development of offshore wind. In November, NYSERDA submitted the final contracts for awarded Tier 4 projects to New York's Public Service Commission for public comment and approval.

 

The City’s agreement with NYSERDA will help to support the Clean Path NY (CPNY) project, developed by Clean Path New York LLC, and Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) project, developed by H.Q. Energy Services Inc. The Champlain Hudson Power Express project is slated to phase-in clean energy transmission to New York City in 2025, followed by Clean Path New York in 2027.

 

Combined, the projects will:

• Produce approximately 18 million megawatt-hours of upstate and Canadian renewable energy per year, enough to power more than 2.5 million homes;
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 77 million metric tons over the next 15 years, the equivalent of taking one million cars off the road;
• Deliver up to $7.4 billion in overall societal benefits statewide inclusive of greenhouse gas reductions and air quality improvements;
• Provide up to $4.4 billion in public health benefits over 15 years that will result from reduced exposure to harmful pollutants—including fewer episodes of illness and premature death, fewer days of school or work missed, less disruption of business, and lower health care costs;
• Create approximately 10,000 family-sustaining jobs statewide with $8.2 billion in economic development investments, including developer-committed investment to support disadvantaged communities to help accelerate the City and State's economic recovery from COVID-19;
• Include commitments to prevailing wage and project labor agreements to ensure quality, good-paying jobs for New Yorkers;
• Include provisions for partnership with and protection of indigenous communities, including a partnership with the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke for joint ownership of the CHPE project, and a purchase agreement with the Apuiat wind farm, jointly owned by Innu communities in Quebec.

 

The projects will help reduce the City's reliance on fossil fuels, lower carbon emissions and significantly improve air quality and public health in disadvantaged communities. It will also help meet the Mayor’s commitment to power city government operations with 100% clean and renewable electricity by 2025. New York City government, on an average day, uses as much electricity as the state of Vermont.

Green Fleet Investments

The City of New York will invest $420 million in electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and alternative fuels to accelerate the transition to an all-electric municipal vehicle fleet. The new investments, the largest ever made in the electrification of a public vehicle fleet, will help the City achieve an all-electric fleet by 2035, five years sooner than the previous goal of 2040. All light-duty, medium-duty, and non-emergency heavy-duty vehicles will be converted to electric by 2035. This entails the most aggressive fleet electrification target in the country, and includes earlier restrictions for passenger cars and light trucks requiring electrification by 2030. New York City operates nearly 30,000 vehicles, the largest municipal fleet in the country.

With the new investments to facilitate the transition to an all-electric fleet, DCAS will:

• Begin a central replacement program for the City’s gas-powered vehicles, starting with at least 1,250 in 2022. DCAS is in the process of finalizing a contract with a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) vendor to supply many of these vehicles.
• Install at least 1,776 fast electric vehicle chargers spanning all five boroughs by 2030. DCAS will make at least 100 of the 1,776 fast chargers open to the public. DCAS completed its 100th fast charger last month, with 11 open to the public, and is beginning work on an additional 275.
• Add 180 portable mobile electric vehicle chargers and solar carports. These solar carports and portable chargers can be moved from location to location, supporting flexible and emergency charging as the City of New York transitions the fleet to electric vehicles. Solar carports can fully power vehicles without a connection to the electric grid. Both technologies can serve as a power back-up for electric vehicles in the event of a power outage.
• Expand the use of other alternative fuels, including renewable diesel, a 99% petroleum-free alternative to traditional diesel fuel. Renewable diesel is made from domestic waste products, achieves a 60% greenhouse gas reduction, and features lower tailpipe emissions than fossil fuel. It also is manufactured to the same specification as regular diesel, enabling seamless use by the City fleet and storage in the City’s fuel storage tanks. Renewable diesel will be used in the truck fleet until electric vehicle units are available.
• Transition all vehicles operated by senior City officials to be exclusively electric by June 30, 2023. DCAS and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will also conduct a review of the suitability of each SUV used in city government to end the unnecessary use of such vehicles.

The Mayor signed Executive Order 89 to codify this transition. The Order also provides DCAS with additional staffing and funding to support and maintain the electric vehicle charging network. Only specialized emergency trucks, like fire engines, will be allowed to maintain the original 2040 target date for electrification if suitable replacement models are not yet available on the market.

The investments announced today are in addition to $75 million in investments in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure announced in September 2021.

City Government Emissions Reductions Executive Order and Plan

Mayor Bill de Blasio today signed Executive Order 90 to support climate change mitigation within city government operations. To meet the requirements in the Executive Order, the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) also released the Local Law 97 (LL97) Implementation Action Plan. The Plan offers a roadmap to meet the targets set in LL97 of 40% emissions reductions from city government operations by 2025 and 50% by 2030 (from a 2006 baseline), and is slated to surpass the targets to achieve a nearly 70% reduction in emissions by 2030.

The City has committed $4.6 billion over the coming decade to achieve these goals. In addition to establishing deep emissions reductions for municipal facilities, Executive Order 90 also creates a Chief Decarbonization Officer at DCAS to ensure compliance and decarbonization officers at agencies to manage reductions. It also requires agency-by-agency emissions reporting and the creation of a “carbon budget” as part of the capital plan. Agencies are required to report the emissions impact of new investments to DCAS and the NYC Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Under the LL97 Implementation Action Plan, the City government will take aggressive climate action, including: 

• Invest in cost-effective emissions reductions opportunities 
• Achieve a 20% reduction in building energy consumption by 2030
• Convert more building heating to electric power
• Expand solar installations on City properties to generate more than 110 million kilowatt-hours of solar energy per year by 2025, enough to power 26,000 New York City homes
• Invest in energy and emissions projects at municipal wastewater and water treatment facilities 
• Enhance critical social infrastructure (e.g., cooling centers, hospitals, schools, and libraries) to support the City’s ongoing recovery from COVID-19
• Reduce the prevalence of pollutants resulting from in-city combustion to improve air quality for the city’s residents
• Further develop the market for investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy to spur private investment and the growth of the energy management workforce

The Action Plan is designed to balance policy compliance, technical and practical feasibility, and cost considerations, and will result in significant emissions reductions from City government infrastructure and energy system upgrades in City buildings. Each City agency has actionable targets and an initial pathway to meeting them under the Action Plan.  

The LL97 Implementation Action Plan builds upon on other recent steps the City has taken on climate action. Through 2019, the City has achieved a 23% reduction in its annual emissions from a 2006 baseline. The Action Plan ensures that New York City continues to lead the way for other cities around the world working to address the climate crisis. 

“The actions and vision we announced today will create a more livable city for all New Yorkers,” said Anthony Fiore, Deputy Commissioner for Energy Management at the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services. “The clean energy contracts are precipitating something that has not been accomplished in the last 50 years – the build out of new transmission lines into the City. This investment is resulting in not just one, but two new transmission lines, providing clean energy at a scale that New Yorkers have never seen before. This clean energy supply will complement the significant energy efficiency work contemplated by the Local Law 97 Implementation Action Plan (IAP). The IAP is the culmination of a year-long effort to outline a path forward for New York City to achieve the ambitious emissions reduction targets mandated by Local Law 97 of 2019. The DCAS Division of Energy Management is grateful to the many stakeholders across the State and City, including all City agencies and the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability, for their partnership and thought leadership in this effort.”

“Today’s announcement is the largest specific investment in electrification yet made by any public fleet,” said Keith Kerman, Deputy Commissioner for Fleet Management at the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services and NYC’s Chief Fleet Officer. “New York City is already an international leader in electrification of municipal vehicle fleets. We now have the resources and support to make an all-electric fleet a reality and soon. We challenge and encourage other public fleets to do the same.”

“Today's announcement will not only help us transform the City of New York's vehicle fleet, but also reaffirms our commitment to minority and women-owned businesses,” said Mersida Ibric, Deputy Commissioner for Procurement at the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services. “We are proud that a M/WBE vendor will supply many of these vehicles and be part of this historic move.”

 

"We applaud the City's efforts to combat the climate crisis by investing in Tier 4 clean energy projects that will ensure New York City government is powered by 100% clean energy by 2025," said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "The investments the city is taking will reduce fossil fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions, targeting the top two sources: buildings and transportation. These are all key initiatives to meet our New York's climate goals, and we thank the Mayor for taking action."

 

The Bronx Tourism Council - Happy Holidays