DEC ADVISES HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA DETECTED IN NEW YORK’S WILD BIRDS

 

CDC Notes No Immediate Public Health Risk, Public Advised to Report Dead Birds to DEC Regional Offices for Tracking

 The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus has been found in multiple wild bird species in several areas of New York State. No known HPAI human infections are documented in the U.S., and according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these recent cases of HPAI do not present an immediate public health concern.

Avian influenza (AI) is caused by an influenza virus carried by free-flying wild birds such as ducks, geese, gulls, and shorebirds. Generally, influenza viruses can infect some wildlife species without causing signs of disease, but new strains can emerge that cause illness with high mortality in both wild birds and domestic poultry. These strains are designated as highly pathogenic, or HPAI. HPAI outbreaks in wild birds are often cyclical and tied to migration when birds are concentrated in large numbers. As birds spread out on the landscape during the nesting season, disease transmission is expected to decrease.

DEC is working cooperatively with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the agencies leading the joint HPAI incident response, as well as the State Department of Health and Cornell University.

This recently detected HPAI strain likely came from Europe, where it has been circulating since 2020. Since late November 2021, the HPAI H5N1 Eurasian strain began being detected across North America. This outbreak expanded rapidly in mid-March 2022 in North America and HPAI has been detected in many other states, including those that share a border with New York. In February 2022, the first case of HPAI in New York was found in Suffolk County in a domestic flock. Since that time, AGM has detected HPAI in domestic poultry flocks, gamebird breeder facilities, and shooting preserves.

To date in New York, HPAI has been found in captive chickens, pheasants, and ducks in Dutchess, Ulster, Monroe, and Fulton counties. HPAI was detected in free-ranging wild birds in Cayuga, Clinton, Montgomery, Monroe, Onondaga, Seneca, Suffolk, Nassau, Livingston, and Wayne counties. Wild birds confirmed as infected include snow geese, Canada geese, tundra swan, mute swan, sanderling, mallard duck, redhead duck, ring-necked duck, wood duck, hooded merganser, great blue heron, bald eagles, great horned owls, snowy owl, cooper’s hawk, red-tailed hawk, fish crow, and turkey vulture. Many species of waterfowl, including shorebirds, gulls, raptors, herons and cranes, are also vulnerable. Small songbirds have not been affected in New York or other states. Confirmed wild bird cases are listed on the USDA website and shown on the U.S. Geological Survey map.

While the risk of a person becoming infected is low, individuals can protect themselves by only harvesting game that appears to be healthy and properly cooking any game meat being eaten to an internal temperature of 165° F, which kills the virus. If handling wild birds, particularly waterfowl, gulls, and raptors, individuals should follow precautions such as using personal protective equipment like masks, gloves, and eye protection, and washing hands thoroughly.

To assist DEC’s efforts to track HPAI in wildlife and provide an early warning to the State Department of Agriculture and Markets and local poultry or gamebird operations, please report any suspicious deaths of species listed above to your local DEC regional office.

More information on HPAI may be found at:

CDC Avian Influenza

New York State Wildlife Health Program Field Biosafety Prototcol

USDA Avian Influenza Updates 2022

USGS HPAI Distribution 2021/2022

USDA Guidance for Captive Wild Birds

MAYOR ADAMS, NYC PARKS, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CELEBRATE $18.2 MILLION REMEDIATION OF RED HOOK BALL FIELDS

 

Joint Effort Marks Milestone in Addressing Legacy Lead Contamination at Red Hook Ball Fields in Brooklyn

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Parks and Recreation Commissioner Sue Donoghue, and United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2 Administrator Lisa F. Garcia were today joined by elected leaders and environmental justice advocates to open four new and remediated fields in the Red Hook Recreation Area in Brooklyn. The updates to ball fields 5-8 were funded by an $18.2 million grant by the city, and are part of a phased-in environmental remediation and reconstruction effort of the fields in the area, receiving nearly $130 million in investments.

 

“We know parks aren’t luxuries, they are necessities that help New Yorkers stay healthy and build community,” said Mayor Adams. “Thanks to this $130 million investment in the Red Hook Ball Fields, New Yorkers will be able to play ball safely for generations to come. I’m grateful to the EPA for their partnership restoring areas that have needed help for too long and I look forward to working together to ensure every New Yorker, regardless of zip code, has access to a clean and safe park.”

 

“Today, we are righting a historic wrong. The cleaner, greener, and more resilient return of Red Hook’s beloved ball fields ends years of environmental injustice,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Everyone deserves clean, safe, and green space to live near, and I am thrilled to reopen the Red Hook ball fields with its new sustainable and accessible amenities for all New Yorkers.”

 

“We are excited to bring these fields back to life and return them to the kids of Red Hook and the community members who followed this project from inception to completion,” said Commissioner Donoghue. “We are proud to have righted some of the environmental wrongs that have plagued this neighborhood for far too long. Today, Red Hook is a cleaner, greener, and healthier place to live and play.”

 

“All New Yorkers have a right to live, work, and play in communities that are safe, healthy, and free of harmful environmental pollutants,” said Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Kizzy Charles-Guzman. “This project demonstrates that cleaning up lead contamination can advance environmental justice in multiple ways: protecting the health of our neighborhoods, increasing access to quality open spaces, and managing storm water all at the same time.”

 

“We are pleased to stand with the city of New York to celebrate this cleanup milestone. The collaborative work at the Red Hook Ball Fields marks a notable achievement in our continuous effort to address legacy contamination from defunct lead smelting facilities, particularly those affecting overburdened communities like here in Red Hook,” said EPA Regional Administrator Garcia. “This is a major win for the community. As always, community engagement was key to this project, and together we listened and worked to address the community’s concerns. EPA, working with our state and local partners, continues to make progress in addressing lead-contaminated soil here in New York, and across the United States.”

 

The revamped ballfields boast new, multi-sports fields with synthetic turf, new dugouts, rain gardens, accessible ramps, and plantings. In 2014, the EPA and New York City Parks and Recreation investigated potential contamination from the former Columbia Smelting Facility that had been located at Red Hook Park. The company’s operations left lead in area soil that eventually became ball fields 5, 6, 7, and 8, and the joint investigation found elevated lead levels in the soil at the ball fields. As a result, EPA ordered the closure of ball fields 5-8 in Spring 2015.

 

All exposed soil on fields 5-8 were covered with a minimum of one foot of clean soil and drainage infrastructure. This resilient barrier system permanently reduces the chance of people encountering contaminated soil on these fields and will be inspected routinely to ensure it remains protective. When remediation was complete, the fields were furnished with new amenities, including new fencing, curbing, and other structures.

 

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNAPOLI: WEAK OVERSIGHT LEADS TO TAX BREAKS FOR INELIGIBLE PROPERTIES

 

Audit Finds Properties in Forest Protection Program That Don't Qualify

 The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) inadequate monitoring and enforcement has resulted in landowners enrolled in two private forest conservation programs receiving property tax exemptions of up to 80% for which they may be ineligible, according to an audit by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“New York state offers a property tax break for landowners who commit to protect their private forest land, but some property owners are not living up to their end of the agreement,” DiNapoli said. “This audit raises questions about whether these incentives are achieving their goal to improve private forest management. The tax benefits received are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and demand greater scrutiny.”

The two programs, Real Property Tax Law 480a and 480, offer tax incentives to qualified private forest landowners who submit and follow a DEC-approved forest management plan for their property to promote healthy forests and increase the likelihood of a more stable forest economy. While local assessors are ultimately responsible for ensuring that only eligible acres receive tax benefits, the success of the programs hinge on the efforts of both the localities and DEC.

DiNapoli’s report found weaknesses in several aspects of DEC’s oversight of the 480a program, starting with poor monitoring and enforcement that undermined the agency’s ability to ensure only eligible properties were enrolled in the program and therefore eligible for tax exemptions, and that forest land continued to be protected and enhanced as an economic resource.

The audit examined a sample of 135 of the 6,858 properties in the program and found 45 (33%) were not in compliance with its requirements and may have improperly received the local tax exemption. The landowners of the 45 properties saved approximately $525,745 in local taxes between 2017 and 2019 because the property values were reduced by over $6.1 million annually for land valued at a total of almost $8.2 million.

The DEC did not have a comprehensive up-to-date data collection and monitoring system for tracking program participants. Auditors found the absence of such a database, along with administrative inefficiencies and insufficient staffing resulted in inadequate oversight. The report also found DEC’s oversight problems led to inadequate enforcement of management plans and submission of annual commitments. Further, local assessors granted exemptions to property owners who were not enrolled in the program and exemptions were given for potentially ineligible land, including those that did not meet the programs’ acreage requirements.

Additionally, there are 795 properties under the older 480 program for which landowners have been benefitting from local tax reductions for over 45 years that have gone largely unmonitored by DEC or the localities. In most cases, the DEC was not aware which properties were enrolled in the program. This program has lesser qualifying standards than the 480a program.

DiNapoli recommended:

• DEC improve communication and partnerships with local assessors to ensure properties are appropriately enrolled, eligible and benefiting from the 480a and 480 programs, and management plans are followed, records are maintained, and enforcements are applied when violations occur.
• Develop and maintain a centralized statewide database to improve oversight and administration of statewide forest tax programs, including compliance with management plans, work scheduled and annual commitments.

DEC agreed with many of the recommendations and acknowledged they should not have issued certificates without approved management plans and stated they are taking steps to prevent a reoccurrence.

Enrollment Requirements

To enroll in the 480a program, landowners must apply to certify their land through the DEC. Forest land is eligible if the tract is at least 50 contiguous acres exclusively devoted to, and sustainable for, forest crop production, and stocked with a stand of trees sufficient to produce a profitable crop within 30 years from DEC certification. The landowner must submit a forest management plan that includes, among other things, a map identifying boundary lines and acreage of eligible and ineligible forest land, and a 15-year work schedule of all work to be done each year, including all planned commercial and non-commercial harvests and road construction. The program requires the submission of an annual commitment form from the property owner recommitting the land for the next succeeding 10 years.

Once all requirements are met, the DEC issues the landowner a certificate of approval. DEC approval is required for any changes to the certificate. Since 2011, enrollment in the 480a program has increased by 30%, and between 2017 and 2019, landowners benefited from an approximate local tax reduction of $62 million.

Audit

Oversight of New York State Forest Tax Programs

Online Tool

Interactive Statewide Map of Tax Breaks

RIKERS ISLAND INMATE INDICTED FOR ASSAULTING NYC DOC OFFICER

 Victim Requires Surgery For Injuries Suffered After She Was Thrown to Floor

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that an inmate has been indicted on Assault charges after attacking a New York City Department of Correction Officer on Rikers Island, leading to injuries requiring surgery and physical therapy.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant became irate after the Officer told him to stop jumping on another inmate’s bed. The defendant allegedly charged the Officer, knocking her to the ground, leading to multiple injuries and ongoing pain.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Pedro Hernandez, 40, of Brooklyn, NY, was arraigned today on two counts of second-degree Assault, third degree Assault and second-degree Obstructing Governmental Administration before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. The People requested $7,500 cash/15,000 bond/15,000 partially secured bond at 10 percent. The court denied the request and Hernandez is continued held on $20,000 cash/ $40,000 bond on his underlying case. The defendant is due back in court on July 14, 2022.

 According to the investigation, on July 28, 2021, the defendant allegedly started to jump on another inmate’s bed and the Officer told the defendant to stop. She called for assistance and removed her pepper spray canister. The defendant then allegedly charged her and threw her to the ground. She suffered substantial pain to her head, knees, and hips. She is currently unable to return to full-duty work and is expected to undergo hip surgery.

 District Attorney Clark also thanked NYC Department of Correction Investigators Walter Holmes, Lakeisha White and Juan Rivera for their assistance in the case.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE CALLS ON NYCHA TO STOP USE OF MARIJUANA OFFENSES AS GROUNDS FOR EVICTION

 

"In 2019 we passed a resolution calling on NYCHA to add marijuana possession to its list of ‘overlooked offenses’ and stop using low level offenses as grounds for eviction. Three years later, even as the state has finally legalized marijuana, NYCHA’s antiquated and illogical prohibition is still in place. 

"This ban is inherently inequitable – people in whiter, wealthier communities are able to openly use recreational marijuana at home, while NYCHA residents – often lower income New Yorkers of more color – could lose their homes for doing the same. While the city, state, and federal government fail to adequately support and protect NYCHA tenants from mold, pests, and other hazards, their focus should be on enforcing basic building codes, rather than harmful, outdated policies."

Governor Hochul Unveils New Round of "Cannabis Conversations" Public Health Education Campaign

 

New Wave of New York's First Cannabis Public Health Campaign Delivers Public Service Advertisements on Television, Radio, Transit, Billboards and Social Media with a Deeper Focus on Youth Use, Preventing Impaired Driving, Safe Storage, and Public Use 

"Cannabis Conversations," Newest Messaging Launched Ahead of April 20, Informing New Yorkers on Staying Safe on Day of International Cannabis Celebration  

 Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled a new round of public service advertisements in the "Cannabis Conversations" campaign, New York State's first public education initiative focused on informing New Yorkers on the state's Cannabis Law. This wave of the campaign goes into more depth on the dangers of impaired driving, the risks of youth cannabis use, how to safely store cannabis in your home, and how to respectfully consume cannabis in public.

"Today's new round of public service advertisements as part of the State's "Cannabis Conversations" campaign is another important step in our journey toward a safe, inclusive, equitable cannabis industry," Governor Hochul said. "Part of us building the strongest cannabis industry in the nation is making sure New Yorkers have relevant facts at their fingertips, and we remind all New Yorkers as they join 4/20 celebrations today that it's never safe to drive high, you shouldn't consume cannabis in disruptive ways, and cannabis can damage growing brains in youth."

April 20, or 4/20, is widely recognized across the world as an informal cannabis holiday during which cannabis is often openly consumed, historically in protest of criminalization and increasingly in recognition of the successful, long-fought effort to end cannabis prohibition and its disproportionate enforcement. Expanding on these health and safety messages now reminds New Yorkers to be safe on 4/20 at a moment when awareness around cannabis is heightened, helping ensure New Yorkers are paying attention. The "Cannabis Conversations" campaign is running on television, radio, billboards, transit, and social media.

The first public service advertisement in the "Cannabis Conversations" public health campaign was announced at an event at City College in New York City on Monday, April 4th and introduced New Yorkers to the concepts of who can consume, where to consume, and how to consume safely. The new wave announced today doubles down on those concepts to provide more information and keep the conversation going. All of the public service advertisements point viewers and listeners to cannabis.ny.gov where they will find researched, fact-based information to inform the conversations they're having with family, friends, and youth in their lives.

Pictures of advertisements here and videos of the advertisements in English and Spanish are available here.

New York's Cannabis Law focuses on public health and is grounded in the principles of public safety, social justice, and equitable economic development designed to help undo the harm caused by cannabis prohibition. As part of this public policy shift, the law requires public health education campaigns that inform New Yorkers of the new law and the impact of cannabis use on public health and safety.

Cannabis Control Board Chairperson Tremaine Wright said, "Before we launched our first ads this month, most New Yorkers hadn't received any cannabis education beyond the 'Just Say No' narratives of the 1980s. We're already shifting hearts and minds around this plant, and with these new spots we're diving deeper into how to safely consume cannabis in the Empire State."

Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander said, "As a parent of a young child I know how important it is to safely store cannabis products and keep it out of their reach. And like all New Yorkers, I want our streets to be safe. Thanks to the new "Cannabis Conversations" ads we'll be running across the state, I'll be able to sleep easier knowing New Yorkers are being educated about the truths and potential risks around cannabis consumption."

Executive Director of the New York State Association of County Health Officials Sarah Ravenhall MHA, CHES, said, "The 'Cannabis Conversations' campaign is already raising awareness among New Yorkers around the health and safety risks of cannabis use and it's encouraging to see the Governor and the Office of Cannabis Management diving more deeply on youth use and other issues. Parents and caregivers need tools to discuss the risks of cannabis with the youth in their lives and 'Cannabis Conversations' is delivering. I encourage New Yorkers to join the conversations and visit cannabis.ny.gov to get the facts."

Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said, "Driving while impaired by cannabis is not only irresponsible, it is against the law and is completely preventable. Our message to cannabis users is simple: make the smart choice to find a ride. Don't drive high."

Israeli Corporate Lawyer Charged In Insider Trading Scheme

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a criminal indictment charging MOSHE STRUGANO, an Israeli lawyer specializing in the creation of offshore companies, with securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud in connection with a scheme to commit insider trading based on material, nonpublic information regarding the upcoming public announcement that Ormat Technologies Inc. (“Ormat”), a renewable energy company, would be acquiring U.S. Geothermal, Inc. (“U.S. Geothermal”). The United States intends to seek the extradition of STRUGANO.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “As alleged, Moshe Strugano, a corporate lawyer, traded on nonpublic information for personal gain. His charged actions show a brazen disregard for laws intended to keep a level playing field for investors.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said:  “Time and again, we see greedy, unscrupulous actors trade securities based upon their access to material non-public information.  As alleged, Mr. Strugano is another in a long series of similar illegal actors.  Today's action is an example of our commitment to insuring our financial markets are fair for all investors.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

Ormat is a publicly traded renewable energy company headquartered in Nevada with offices and facilities in Yavne, Israel.

U.S. Geothermal was a publicly traded renewable energy company that operated geothermal power projects in Oregon, Nevada, and Idaho.  U.S. Geothermal’s common stock traded under the symbol “HTM” on the NYSE American.

Between in or about September 2017 and January 2018, Ormat engaged in merger negotiations with U.S. Geothermal.  A co-conspirator not named in the Indictment (“CC-1”) served as Ormat’s Head of Mergers and Acquisitions and was one of Ormat’s principal negotiators for the deal.  In that role, CC-1 had access to material, nonpublic information about the deal.  CC-1 and STRUGANO, who both lived in the vicinity of Tel Aviv, Israel, maintained a personal relationship and friendship.

On or about December 19, 2017, the Ormat board approved acquiring U.S. Geothermal at a price of up to $5.50 per share, which was U.S. Geothermal’s asking price prior to the Ormat board meeting.  Almost immediately after the Ormat board meeting ended, CC-1 tipped off STRUGANO that the Ormat-U.S. Geothermal deal was going to close through a coded WhatsApp message.  Within minutes of receiving that message, STRUGANO placed a failed WhatsApp call to his broker (the “Broker”) for a bank account he controlled at a Swiss bank (“Bank-1”).  STRUGANO then tried to call the Broker another four times over the next four minutes.  Minutes later, STRUGANO placed a telephonic order with Bank-1 to purchase over $20,000 in U.S. Geothermal shares.  This was the first time STRUGANO had ever asked Bank-1 to purchase U.S. Geothermal stock for his accounts. 

Over the next several weeks, STRUGANO directed the Broker to purchase large blocks of U.S. Geothermal shares.  By January 18, 2018, STRUGANO had purchased over $2.7 million in U.S. Geothermal shares, for an approximately 3.8% equity stake in the company.  For the time period from December 19, 2017 through January 18, 2018, STRUGANO was responsible for approximately one third of the total trading volume in U.S. Geothermal stock.

On January 18, 2018, STRUGANO was informed that his account at Bank-1 was in shortfall.  STRUGANO asked the Broker to buy him time to cover the shortfall, asking for a few days, and then on January 24, 2018, for a few more hours.  Less than an hour later, Ormat and U.S. Geothermal announced their merger.  When the market opened that day, the U.S. Geothermal stock price jumped.  After the deal was announced, STRUGANO sold all of his shares and realized profits of approximately $1.2 million.

STRUGANO, 52, of Caesarea, Israel, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which has a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and two counts of securities fraud, which have maximum sentences of 20 and 25 years in prison, respectively.

The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI.  Mr. Williams further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which today filed a parallel civil action against the defendant, for its assistance and cooperation in this investigation.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES “CLEAN CURBS” WASTE CONTAINERIZATION PILOT EXPANSION TO ALL FIVE BOROUGHS

 

Sealed Containers to Hold Trash Bags Prior to Collection and Keep Plastic Bags Off Sidewalks

 

Mayor and Times Square Alliance Unveil First Containerized Waste Bins

 

New Pilot Part of Mayor’s Push to Celebrate Earth Week

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch today unveiled the city’s first containerized waste bins in a New York City commercial district as part of efforts to clean up city streets and expand the Clean Curbs Pilot to all five boroughs across New York City. The program tests methods for getting garbage bags off the streets — which in turn will reduce the convergence of rodents, improve aesthetics, and take back parts of city streetscape currently overburdened by piles of trash — and will include possible tests in business improvement districts (BID) and for both residential and commercial waste. Today’s pilot began in one of New York City’s busiest corridors: Times Square.

 

“Environmental justice begins at the street level, and it starts now,” said Mayor Adams. “Clean streets are vital to vibrant neighborhoods and to New York City’s economic comeback. We need to stop dodging black garbage bags and instead fund and test container models throughout the city that will make our streets cleaner and more inviting for both New Yorkers and visitors.”

 

“For decades, New Yorkers have normalized the sight of black trash bags on our city’s sidewalks. With the launch of ‘Clean Curbs,’ the Adams administration is transforming what is containing trash across the five boroughs,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “The partnership between city agencies and our neighborhood business districts brings a new vision of how we prioritize sidewalk and curb space for safer, greener, cleaner public spaces throughout the city.”

 

“Clean curbs mean better experiences for workers, small businesses, families, and tourists in our commercial districts,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “The interagency partnership between SBS, DSNY, and DOT to get this initiative done is a great example of how we are working together to improve our city, enliven our business districts, and accelerate our city’s economic recovery.”

“Containerization is something that has been talked about for many years, but now we are actually testing what works and what doesn’t in the real world,” said DSNY Commissioner Tisch. “Today’s announcement is a key step in finding ways to take back our streetscape from the mountains of black bags.”

 

“SBS is excited to work with DSNY and our many nonprofit partners to identify creative solutions to beautify our neighborhoods and accelerate our city’s economic recovery,” said Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “Dynamic BIDs like the Times Square Alliance are essential to the success of our local small businesses. SBS is proud to help fund these pilot programs, which will help push for innovation and help clean up our business corridors.”

 

“Sidewalks are an essential part of our infrastructure, where millions of New Yorkers and visitors cross paths every day,” said New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Waste containerization is critical to making our public space cleaner, neater, and more accessible for all, and we’re happy to partner with DSNY on this program.”

 

“With 300,000 people once again walking through Times Square, our commitment to clean sidewalks is a priority at Times Square Alliance,” said Tom Harris, president, Times Square Alliance. “We are thrilled to work with the city to pilot this program here in Times Square and support Mayor Adams’ initiative to bring this to more streets throughout New York City. We appreciate our partnership on this program with DSNY, DOT, and SBS, in addition to our councilmember, Erik Bottcher, who has advocated for cleaner streets throughout Midtown.”

 

The Times Square bins are the first example of DSNY’s Clean Curbs Pilot Program and will test sealed containers that hold trash collected from sidewalk litter and nearby litter baskets. Currently, many litter baskets in BIDs are cared for by the local association, which monitors litter baskets, and, when full, places bags next to baskets for collection, increasing capacity for the litter baskets but at the same time making trash accessible to rodents. The new containers will act as a centralized site to hold bags in a sealed atmosphere prior to collection.

 

Times Square Alliance installed two containers, which they maintain; one is located at 41^st Street and 7^th Avenue, and the other is located at 43^rd Street and 8^th Avenue.

 

This pilot is just one initiative underway in the Clean Curbs programs. DSNY and SBS recently announced the Neighborhood Challenge grant program for BIDs and community-based development organizations to make public space and cleanliness improvements with a particular focus on BIDs in underserved communities. Applications for the first round of funding are due this Friday, April 22, and a second round of grant applications will open this summer. The new five-borough test includes $1.3 million in new funding in Fiscal Year 2023.