MAYOR ADAMS, CITY PLANNING DIRECTOR GARODNICK CELEBRATE MAJOR STEP FOR PROPOSAL TO GREEN NYC, SUPPORT CITY’S CLIMATE GOALS

 

“City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality” Will Remove Zoning Barriers to Greener Energy, Buildings, Transportation, and Water and Waste Systems

 

Proposal Would More Than Double City’s Solar Energy Capacity, Help Reach Goal of Powering 250,000 Homes With Solar

“City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality” Will Remove Zoning Barriers to Greener Energy, Buildings, Transportation, and Water and Waste Systems

 

Proposal Would More Than Double City’s Solar Energy Capacity, Help Reach Goal of Powering 250,000 Homes With Solar 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) Director and City Planning Commission (CPC) Chair Dan Garodnick today celebrated a major milestone for “City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality,” the first of Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” proposals. City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality is a citywide zoning amendment that, with 17 policy proposals, will modernize the city’s Zoning Resolution to facilitate climate action, clean energy, and resiliency by removing barriers to greener energy, buildings, transportation, and water and waste systems.

 

DCP today officially referred the City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality text amendment, kicking off a public review process in which the text amendment will go before all 59 community boards, all five borough presidents and borough boards, the City Planning Commission, and the City Council. Community engagement materials and high-resolution images are available online.

 

“Today, New York City is saying ‘yes’ to a cleaner, greener, more prosperous future for generations to come,” said Mayor Adams. “This proposal will make it easier to tackle climate change in the places we go, how we get there, and what we do. The climate crisis is urgent, and I look forward to talking to New Yorkers about how we can remove barriers, take action, and ensure a healthy future for our neighborhoods, our city, and our planet.”

 

“Meeting our ambitious climate goals requires a whole-of-government approach, including updating our own regulations,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “I am excited to take this important step forward and encourage New Yorkers to say ‘yes’ to changes that will enable us to be a greener and healthier city.”

 

“New Yorkers want to do the right thing for our city and planet, and City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will make it easier than ever to take climate action,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Removing outdated zoning barriers will give New York City the tools to create a robust electric vehicle charging network, expand the installation of rain gardens and permeable pavement to prevent neighborhood flooding, and support New Yorkers who install solar panels on their homes.”

 

“This is a critical initiative to meet our climate goals,” said DCP Director and CPC Chair Garodnick. “By modernizing our zoning code for climate action, we can reduce our carbon emissions, support our resiliency efforts, and set New York City up for success in the clean-energy revolution. By updating our 20^th-century zoning code to address the 21^st-century climate crisis, we can cut through the red tape that prevents New Yorkers from cutting emissions and electrifying our buildings and transportation. We look forward to a robust public review process as we move toward a cleaner, greener city for all.”

 

 

An illustration of the ways City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will remove zoning barriers to greener energy, buildings, transportation, and waste streams. Credit: New York City Department of City Planning

 

City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality is one of three citywide zoning text amendments that Mayor Adams outlined last year as part of his vision for a City of Yes. The other two text amendments will support small businesses and entrepreneurs (“City of Yes for Economic Opportunity”) and facilitate the creation of more, and different types of, housing (“City of Yes for Housing Opportunity”). Today’s referral follows the completion of another major component of the mayor’s City of Yes vision: the “Get Stuff Built” report put together by the Building and Land Use Approval Streamlining Task Force.

 

The initiative comes as New Yorkers can take advantage of the federal government’s historic investments in clean energy through the Inflation Reduction Act and as the city works to meet ambitious environmental goals such as those in Local Law 97. These opportunities build upon existing programs to assist New Yorkers, including from NYC Accelerator — which has already provided one-on-one building-specific guidance on Local Law 97 obligations to nearly 10,000 buildings — as well as Con Edison, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and state tax credits.

 

City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will update outdated regulations that currently make it harder for New Yorkers to retrofit their homes for energy efficiency or resiliency, install heat pumps or solar panels, switch to electric vehicles, or compost and recycle — all critical steps for New York City to reach its ambitious environmental goals.

 

The zoning text amendment consists of 17 policy proposals, including:

 

Plan for a Renewable Energy Grid: This initiative would remove existing zoning obstacles that severely limit how much space on a rooftop can be covered by solar panels, unnecessarily slowing the city’s shift towards renewable energy sources. It would also make it easier to install energy storage infrastructure needed for solar energy and facilitate standalone, grid-supporting solar and community microgrids — particularly in low-income communities — that are currently banned in residential areas.

 

These changes would open up over 8,500 acres of parking lots across the city for potential use of solar panels. If fully built out, these solar panels could power more than 130,000 homes.

 

Create Cleaner Buildings: The text amendment would alleviate onerous restrictions such as the height and thickness of walls that restrict building electrification and retrofits. This proposal would add flexibility making these modifications possible while maintaining the look and feel of the city’s neighborhoods.

 

These changes would facilitate environmentally friendly retrofits for over 50,000 buildings, including more than 1 million homes, where retrofits are currently infeasible and would violate city zoning.

 

Support Electric Vehicles and Micromobility: This proposal would more than double the commercially zoned land where electric vehicle charging facilities can be located. It would also clarify regulations and facilitate safe bicycle and e-mobility parking.

 

These changes would make electric vehicle charging possible in more than 400 million additional square feet.

 

Modernize Water, Compost, and Recycling Regulations: This initiative would expand the use of permeable paving and rain gardens, cut red tape and eliminate uncertainty for recycling and composting, and encourage rooftop food production.

 

These changes would contribute to the city’s efforts to divert the 34 percent of New York City’s residential waste — and as much as 45 percent of all solid waste — that is organic material from landfills to beneficial use.

 

The text amendment will now be referred to all 59 community boards, all five borough presidents, and all five borough boards for review and recommendation within 60 days. After those 60 days, the City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and vote. If the commission approves the amendment, it will go to the City Council for a hearing and vote.

 

“New Yorkers have been witnesses to the rising sea levels and more intense storms that climate change is bringing to the five boroughs, and the City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will help them do their part to slow this trend,” said Chief Climate Officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “By removing outdated regulations, we will help to expand the use of solar energy, electric vehicles, building electrification, and a circular economy for organic waste, all of which will help to slow climate change.”

 

“This zoning amendment will make New York a ‘City of Yes’ for climate adaptation and decarbonization,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice Executive Director Kizzy Charles-Guzman. “Solar and energy storage will become more economical, and there will be easier pathways for green and grey infrastructure — all of which will reduce emissions and improve air quality and health.”

 

“The electric needs of our city are changing every day, and we know green energy and renewable energy are not just the future, they are initiatives that are here right now,” said Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. “The FDNY is committed to finding safe ways to use these changing technologies, and we are happy to partner with the Mayor’s Office on a plan that will make our city cleaner, greener, and more energy efficient.”

 

“New York City continues to be national leader in sustainable, resilient, and forward-thinking urban planning,” said New York City Department of Buildings Acting Commissioner Kazimir Vilenchik, P.E. “With the proposed zoning changes from the City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality, the Adams administration will remove outdated building regulations, so owners can more easily retrofit their buildings. These energy-efficiency retrofits will be critical as we work towards our ambitious goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.”

 

“It’s time to rethink old rules and develop new solutions to confront the reality of climate change today,” said New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will supercharge our work to decarbonize existing buildings and create more sustainable housing for New Yorkers. Let’s say ‘yes’ to a greener, cleaner future for New York City.”

 

“City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will make it easier for all New Yorkers, including those in landmark properties, to retrofit their buildings for energy efficiency and resiliency,” said Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) Chair Sarah Carroll. “LPC supports efforts to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of New York City’s historic buildings and commends the Adams administration and the Department of City Planning for proposing important zoning changes that will help New York City achieve its ambitious carbon neutrality goals.”

 

“Convenient access to electric vehicle charging is crucial to encourage broader adoption in New York City,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “These proposals would not only help expand charging infrastructure but also improve access to bicycle and e-micromobility parking by better clarifying related zoning regulations. We thank Mayor Adams and DCP Director Garodnick for their support in using zoning regulations to reduce emissions in the transportation sector and support more sustainable transportation options for New Yorkers.”

“For too long, the city’s zoning regulations prohibited buildings from making necessary green investments to fight climate change and cut down on toxic air pollution. That’s why the New York League of Conservation Voters supports New York City’s proposed City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality zoning text amendment,” said Julie Tighe, president, New York League of Conservation Voters. “This measure is a critical opportunity for New York City to modernize its zoning resolution to support the city and state’s climate goals and improve air quality and public health by reducing the use of fossil fuels in our building and transportation sectors.”

 

“This needed initiative will modernize New York City’s zoning rules to accelerate building decarbonization,” said John Mandyck, CEO, Urban Green Council. “The proposals are informed by industry experts with practical solutions to achieve greener, safer, and more resilient solutions to climate change. We applaud Director Garodnick and the dedicated team at City Planning for moving this crucial effort forward.”

 

“Given the threat that climate change poses to our city, there is no time to wait,” said Rob Freudenberg, vice president for energy and environment, Regional Plan Association (RPA). “Whether installing more solar panels or electric vehicle charging stations or retrofitting buildings to better comply with Local Law 97, zoning should not be an obstacle to taking actions that reduce our city’s greenhouse gas emissions and help us meet our climate goals. RPA strongly supports the launch of the City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality by Mayor Adams, Chair Dan Garodnick, and the Department of City Planning and City Planning Commission, and we look forward to working with them in their crucial effort to right-fit our zoning to the climate realities we face today.”

Speaker Adrienne Adams, Mental Health Committee Chair Linda Lee and Majority Leader Keith Powers Outline Council’s Mental Health Roadmap, Initiating Continuous Legislative and Budgetary Efforts to Solve Crisis

 

Roadmap focuses on expanding community-based preventive care, strengthening mental health workforce, confronting intersections with justice system, and improving public awareness and interagency coordination

Today, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction Committee Chair Linda Lee and Majority Leader Keith Powers unveiled the Council’s Mental Health Roadmap, a plan focused on addressing existing challenges in the City’s mental healthcare landscape and strengthening the infrastructure and investments in evidence-based solutions to improve mental health outcomes for New Yorkers. The Council’s roadmap is an ongoing effort of legislative and budgetary actions at the city, state and federal levels to help address New York City’s decades-in-the-making mental health crisis. It recognizes that meeting people’s individual needs earlier and more consistently can prevent them from entering the harmful cycles that exacerbate mental health conditions.

The Council’s Mental Health Roadmap outlines effective community-based models and addresses barriers to improved mental health in New York City, focusing on four key areas:

•   Expanding prevention and supportive services in communities;
•   Investing in the mental health workforce that has diminished because of inadequate support;
•   Confronting the harmful intersections between mental health and the criminal justice system to connect New Yorkers with appropriate care;
•   Bolstering public awareness of care resources and improved interagency coordination.

The complete Mental Health Roadmap is available here. The Council’s proposed legislation is available here and will be the subject of a May 4 hearing by the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction.

“The Council’s Mental Health Roadmap is a community-oriented approach to address the city’s ongoing mental health crisis, and it’s what New Yorkers deserve,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “For too long, the city has underinvested in our community-based mental health prevention and treatment infrastructure, over-relying on emergency responses once an individual has reached emotional crisis. The roadmap is an initial series of steps towards shifting the city to focus more on evidence-based solutions at the community level to improve outcomes and support for our critical mental health workforce. I thank Council Member Linda Lee for her leadership in producing the vision for the Mental Health Roadmap and bringing it to life. We look forward to continuing our work with service providers, advocates, and community and government stakeholders in pursuit of effective solutions that help more New Yorkers access the care they need for well-being.”

“New York has been amid a mental health crisis which was evident even before the pandemic, that greatly exacerbated the hardships experienced by residents all over the city. Today, the City Council is outlining its plan to address years of inequities across our mental health infrastructure to improve the quality of care and create better mental health outcomes for New Yorkers,” said Council Member Linda Lee, Chair of the Committee on Mental Health Disabilities and Addictions. “This roadmap will be a continuous effort to provide evidenced-based solutions that expand preventative and supportive care, invest in our mental health workforce which includes a wide network of New York City nonprofit and community-based organizations, and reduce the interactions between individuals experiencing mental health-related illness and the criminal justice system. New Yorkers must be aware of the resources our city has to offer in times of crisis, and I am confident that these legislative and budgetary efforts outlined in the Mental Health Roadmap will enhance the delivery of services and improve the various insufficiencies we have observed for years throughout our healthcare system. Thank you to Speaker Adrienne Adams, Majority Leader Keith Powers, and the entire Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions for working to lay the foundation to lift our City out of this crisis.”

“The City Council’s Mental Health Roadmap is a focused response to our mental health crisis,” said Majority Leader Keith Powers. “The Roadmap will provide critical preventive and support services to some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers and make a real difference in people’s lives.”

Highlights of legislative and budget actions at the city level from the Council’s Mental Health Roadmap include:

Expansion of Prevention and Supportive Services

•   Legislation, sponsored by Majority Leader Powers, that expands the number of Crisis Respite Centers throughout the five boroughs by at least two per borough, prioritizing areas with high need and open by appointment, walk-in, or referral.
•   Legislation, sponsored by Council Member Kevin Riley, that establishes the City’s commitment to expand “clubhouse”-style community centers for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), like those already successfully operating.
•   Ensure that Local Law 35/2023, sponsored by Council Member Erik Bottcher – which requires mental health professionals to be available in the 30 largest families with children shelters to provide on-site or telehealth mental health service – is fully funded and implemented.
•   Advocating to include adequate funding in the city’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) budget for expanding school-based mental health services, including the additional investment of $28 million to strengthen existing school-based mental health clinics and establish additional sites across all five boroughs.
•   Advocating for the Administration to reevaluate its production goals in the NYC 15/15 supportive housing plan, towards building two-thirds as congregate units and only one-third as scatter-site units, while continuing to advocate for an additional $45 million to meet the funding need for the remaining supportive housing units.
•   Urge the Administration to baseline $5 million in funding for the Mental Health Continuum, a cross-agency partnership between the Department of Education (DOE), NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H), and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to provide mental health support to all students, as outlined in its FY24 Preliminary Budget Response.
•   Advocating to include adequate funding in the city’s FY24 budget through its $1.7 million Children Under Five Initiative that provides mental health services for children five years old and younger.
•   Advocating to include adequate funding in the city’s FY24 budget for the Mental Health Youth Council Initiative to provide flexible mental health services for youth programs run by community-based organizations.
•   Advocating to include adequate funding in the city’s FY24 budget for family support and educational programs that help families learn to navigate relationships with loved ones experiencing a mental health disorder, which would include funding peer-led and family support groups, as well as family therapy and counseling programs.
•   Develop a plan to provide Mental Health First Aid training for Council staff that teaches the skills to provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis.

Investment in Mental Health Workforce

•   Advocating that the City’s FY24 budget includes adequate funding allocations to nonprofit and community-based organizations, with a focus on organizations that provide culturally competent and linguistically diverse mental health supports and services.
•   Funding and helping establish a Social Work Fellows Program at one or more City University of New York (CUNY) schools, which would subsidize the cost of mental health education, degrees, and licensing, particularly for students who commit to working in public interest mental health professions, which historically experience high turnover rates and staffing shortages.
•   Advocate for adequate funding and in contracts to achieve pay parity for workers across the mental health workforce within city government and the non-profit sector providing similar services.

Reduction of Criminal Justice System Interactions

•   Legislation, sponsored by Council Member Lee, to require the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH) to report on implementation of the Mayor’s Involuntary Transport directive, released on November 29, 2022.
•   Advocating for the City’s FY24 budget to include adequate funding for street outreach teams that utilize the Center for the Justice Innovation’s “Community First” model currently operating in Times Square.
•   Advocating for the City’s FY24 budget to include adequate funding for the expansion of Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s (DOHMH) Intensive Mobile Treatment teams, which provide intensive and continuous support and treatment to individuals within their communities where and when they need it.
•   Advocating for the City’s FY24 budget to include $12.8 million more to meet the funding need for 380 units of Justice Involved Supportive Housing targeted at the small group of people with the highest level of need, who cycle between jail, prison, hospitalization and shelter the most.
•   Advocating for the City to create educational and training support programs to increase attorneys and judges’ awareness about available mental health diversion options, facilitating their connections to the City’s mental health providers in support of coordinated care and responses for clients who may end up in the courts and justice system
•   Supporting the expansion of Support and Connection Centers, which offer short-term clinical and non-clinical services to people with mental health and substance use needs, and promotes community-based and person-centered engagement, stabilization and connection to services.
•   Holding an oversight hearing on the B-Heard program to address the significant challenges and concerns with the ways the program is currently being implemented.

Increase Public Awareness & Interagency Communication/Coordination

•   Consider legislation, sponsored by Council Member Bottcher, that requires the Administration to conduct public outreach, as well as educational and enrollment campaigns, on mental health services available through NYC Care.
•   Consider legislation, sponsored by Council Member Lee, that requires the creation of a user-friendly comprehensive data set of the locations of all outpatient mental health services in the city.

Each section of the Roadmap also includes budget investments and policy changes needed at the federal and state levels.

Former Public Official and California Contractor Sentenced for Bid Rigging and Bribery

 

 A former Caltrans contract manager and a former contractor were sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento for their roles in a bid-rigging and bribery scheme involving Caltrans improvement and repair contracts.

Choon Foo “Keith” Yong, the former Caltrans contract manager, was sentenced to 49 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $984,699.53 in restitution. According to a plea agreement filed on April 11, 2022, Yong and his co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy, from early 2015 through late 2019, to thwart the competitive bidding process for Caltrans contracts to ensure that companies controlled by Yong’s co-conspirators submitted the winning bid and would be awarded the contract. Yong also pleaded guilty for accepting bribes while working for Caltrans, a California state agency that receives significant federal funding. Yong received the bribes in the form of cash payments, wine, furniture and remodeling services on his home. The total value of the payments and benefits that Yong received neared $1 million.  

William D. Opp, the former contractor, was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $797,940.23 in restitution. According to a plea agreement filed on Oct. 3, 2022, Opp engaged in the same conspiracy, from early 2015 through at least as late as August 2018. As part of the conspiracy, Opp formed a separate construction company, with his wife as the nominal president, to submit sham bids on Caltrans contracts. During his participation in the conspiracy, Opp and co-conspirators provided nearly $800,000 in cash bribes and other benefits to Yong.

Yong and Opp are the second and third co-conspirators to be sentenced in the case. On April 17, 2023, former construction company owner Bill R. Miller was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay nearly $1 million in restitution.

“These criminals – including a state employee who sought sales commissions for his role in the bid-rigging scheme – put greed and personal gain ahead of the public trust and are being punished accordingly,” said Director Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF). “The Antitrust Division and our PCSF partners are on the lookout for those that try to cheat on government contracts.”

“A former Caltrans employee and a contractor have been sentenced today for a conspiracy that cheated a state agency out of taxpayer funds and that, if left unchecked, could threaten to undermine public confidence in the proper functioning of government institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “The defendants’ abuse of public trust and the length and breadth of the criminal conduct fully warrant today’s sentences. Bribes have no place in government contracting.”

“All government employees are expected to conduct businesses in accordance with both law and policy to ensure the integrity of those transactions and maintain public trust in the agencies they represent,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “No government official should put personal gain ahead of the needs of the communities they represent. The FBI stands ever ready to identify, investigate, and disrupt public corruption to ensure the American public’s trust in the institutions designed to serve and protect them is maintained.”

Today’s sentencing is the result of a joint investigation that was conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, and the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office as part of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF).

In November 2019, the Department of Justice created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant, and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, or to report information on market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to construction or infrastructure, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

Attorney General James and DEC Commissioner Seggos Announce $100,000 for Environmental Programs in Brooklyn

 

Grant from OAG Settlement Will Support Programming at Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, Adds to $5 Million Granted to Create State-of-the-Art Green Library

 In honor of Earth Day, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced a $100,000 grant for educational environmental programs at the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center (Greenpoint Library) in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. On Saturday, Attorney General James, DEC, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, and Council Member Lincoln Restler joined the Greenpoint Library, Friends of McGolrick Park, North Brooklyn Parks Alliance, and other community members to present the grant and celebrate Earth Day. Funds from the grant will support environmental education and community engagement programs at Greenpoint Library, such as the Greenpoint Environmental History Project, gardening clubs for children, teens, and adults, science and sustainability workshops, community environmental justice meetings, and more.

“Earth Day is about celebrating our planet and committing to protect it for future generations,” said Attorney General James. “Every day is Earth Day at the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, where daily programming creates invaluable opportunities for New Yorkers of all ages to learn about and connect with their shared environment. I am proud to join Commissioner Seggos in contributing $100,000 to support the Greenpoint Library’s efforts to continue bringing engaging environmental programs to North Brooklyn.”

“The Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center is one of the many success stories of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund,” said Commissioner Seggos. “The innovative sustainable design of the building, environmental education resources and programing dedicated to community engagement make the Center a flagship destination to inspire and educate a new generation of environmental leaders. DEC is proud to be a part of the continued development and success of the Greenpoint Library and we look forward to our continued relationship with the Attorney General’s Office and the Greenpoint community.”

“It was a joy to spend the morning with Attorney General Letitia James, local elected officials and the Greenpoint community for a very special Earth Day storytime and celebration in McGolrick Park,” said Linda Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library. “We are grateful to Attorney General James for her continued support of Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center and her steadfast commitment to environmental programming and look forward to continuing our work to advance climate justice, sustainability, and education for years to come.”

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and DEC were instrumental in the creation of the new Greenpoint Library, which opened in October 2020, providing over $5 million through the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund (GCEF) to include state-of-the-art green features. These features included a green roof, solar power, rainwater capture and management, and high-efficiency energy and water systems. GCEF also funded books on environmental topics for children, teens, and adults, a community archive on Greenpoint’s environmental history, environmental educational plans for librarians, and equipment for STEM programming.  

GCEF is a $19.5 million competitive grant program created with funds obtained by OAG from a 2010 settlement with ExxonMobil over the Greenpoint Oil Spill. Overseen jointly by OAG and DEC, GCEF funds projects to address the Greenpoint community’s environmental priorities, including but not limited to greening buildings and infrastructure, enhancing open space, restoring the waterfront, and promoting environmental education and stewardship. Since 2011, GCEF has awarded 80 grants totaling over $17 million to 48 locally led projects and leveraged an additional $50.4 million in matching contributions from grantees, bringing GCEF’s total investment in Greenpoint’s environment to almost $68 million. 

Attorney General James thanks Commissioner Seggos and DEC for their continued partnership in overseeing GCEF, and the GCEF Community Advisory Panel and elected leaders in Greenpoint for their collaboration in its implementation. 

Attorney General James is committed to protecting New York’s environment and natural resources. Last month, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against 29 waste haulers and brokers for illegally dumping waste at a site in Saugerties, Ulster County. In October 2022, she filed a lawsuit against Norlite to force the company to stop polluting the air with contaminants from its Cohoes facility. Also in October 2022, Attorney General James stopped a Bronx-based school bus company from allowing excessive, pollution-causing idling at bus yards. In August 2022, Attorney General James shut down Battaglia Demolition, a construction and demolition debris processing facility that created harmful conditions for New Yorkers in South Buffalo. Also in August 2022, Attorney General James won a $2 million lawsuit against James R. Lee and his corporate affiliates for flagrant violations of the state’s oil and gas well regulations. Earlier that month, Attorney General James sued an automobile salvage yard in Queens for releasing dangerous automobile chemicals and oil into the environment. In June 2022, Attorney General James reached an agreement with Verizon to ensure that the company took swift and comprehensive action to prevent the spread of Legionnaires’ disease in New York state. 

“We were thrilled to have our neighborhood join us to celebrate Earth Day in our park, furthering our mission for McGolrick’s beautification and supporting safe and equitable access for the people, plants, and animals of our community,”  said Jodie Love, Friends of McGolrick Park. “Our neighbors joined us for a bird walk with Heather Wolf, storytime with Greenpoint Library and Attorney General Letitia James, a plant swap with Tula House, a kids’ clothing swap, and a litter clean up. We removed 20 buckets of litter from our park! We are so honored to have been visited by Attorney General James, Council Member Lincoln Restler, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, and Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda Johnson. Many thanks to our elected officials and to North Brooklyn Parks Alliance for their constant support and encouragement.”

“Greening’ the new Greenpoint Library is one of GCEF’s most important legacies,” said Christine Holowacz, Greenpoint environmental advocate. “With this five-year funding for its environmental programs, we are now helping the new library serve as the educational and civic hub for our community. I thank Attorney General James and Commissioner Seggos for their continuing support — and for this this wonderful Earth Day gift to the Greenpoint community.” 

“Given the legacy of pollution and ongoing environmental challenges in Greenpoint, we applaud Attorney General James and Commissioner Seggos for this investment in environmental education for the Greenpoint Library,” said Willis Elkins, Executive Director, Newtown Creek Alliance. “We are excited to continue our work with the Library, and other community partners in Greenpoint, to engage stakeholders with the past, present and future of Newtown Creek."

“I am thrilled that some of the final funds of the GCEF are going to support programming at the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center,” said Dewey Thompson, Founder, North Brooklyn Community Boathouse. “The library has already had a tangible impact on quality of life in Greenpoint and, with this funding to sustain its staff and programs, the Environmental Education Center will continue to serve as the essential hub of this vital work in a community that still struggles with its environmental legacy.”

Governor Hochul Announces Start of Severe Weather Awareness Week in New York State

 

Partnership with National Weather Service Aims to Educate New Yorkers on Impacts of Severe Weather and Preparedness Efforts Ahead of Summer Months

How to Respond to Severe Weather Watches and Warnings for Severe Thunderstorms, Flash Flooding and Tornadoes Emphasized During Week of April 23-29, 2023

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of Severe Weather Awareness Week in New York State, highlighting the need for New Yorkers to have a plan and stay informed for when severe weather strikes. The annual campaign is a partnership between New York State, the National Weather Service, local and volunteer agencies and private sector organizations to educate New Yorkers about the hazards of severe weather during the spring and summer months. Severe weather, by definition, includes flash flooding, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes.

“Severe weather is often dangerous and unpredictable, but the steps we collectively take to prepare can minimize the devastating impacts it could have on our daily lives,” Governor Hochul said. “I encourage all New Yorkers to spend time this week learning about the risks we face from severe weather and what we can do to protect ourselves and embolden our efforts to remain disaster-ready.”

Thunderstorms and lightning are unpredictable and can become very dangerous without advance warning. Flooding is the number one weather-related cause of death in the United States with most flood-related deaths occurring from vehicles being swept away by floodwaters. More than 500 tornadoes have been reported in New York State since NOAA began recordkeeping in 1952, with almost each county in the state having experienced at least one tornado in that time.

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “DHSES works year-round with our government partners at the local, state and federal level to enhance severe weather monitoring capabilities, improve training for emergency responders, and educate the public. It’s important for every New Yorker to know the risks and stay informed ahead of potential severe weather this spring and summer.”

Governor Hochul and Commissioner Bray outlined the four steps to emergency preparedness and what New Yorkers can do to keep themselves and their families safe from disaster:

1. Develop a plan for you and your family at home, school, work and outdoors. Identify a safe place to take shelter and know what actions to take when a warning is issued. Consider pets when planning for an emergency.
2. Build a kit of emergency supplies to last at least 10 days. Include flashlights, weather radio, and extra batteries. You should have one kit each for your home and your vehicle. Plan for any medical needs your family may have. Keep emergency supplies for pets.
3. Stay tuned to TV and radio stations that broadcast Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages and follow local emergency orders when issued. Receive emergency information direct to your computer or cell phone by subscribing to NY Alert at alert.ny.gov, a free service that provides you with critical emergency information when you need it most.
4. Consider visiting your local emergency management office to learn more about how to protect you and your family. Consider volunteering with organizations such as the American Red Cross, New York Cares, or the Salvation Army.

Severe Weather Safety Tips

Disaster Supplies

Have disaster supplies on hand, including:

• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Battery-operated radio and extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual
• Emergency food and water
• Non-electric can opener
• Essential medicines
• Checkbook, cash, credit cards, ATM cards

Flash Flooding

• Never attempt to drive on a flooded road. Turn around and go another way.
• If water begins to rise rapidly around you in your car, abandon the vehicle immediately.
• Do not underestimate the power of fast-moving water. Two feet of fast-moving flood water will float your car, and water moving at two miles per hour can sweep cars off a road or bridge.

Lightning

• Follow the 30-30 rule: If the time between when you see a flash of lightning and hear thunder is 30 seconds or less, the lightning is close enough to hit you. Seek shelter immediately. After the last flash of lightning, wait 30 minutes before leaving your shelter.
• Lightning hits the tallest object. If you are above a tree line, quickly get below it and crouch down if you are in an exposed area.
• If you can't get to a shelter, stay away from trees. If there is no shelter, crouch in the open, keeping twice as far away from a tree as it is tall.

Tornado

• If outdoors and a Tornado Warning is issued, seek shelter immediately. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in a ditch or low spot with your hands shielding your head.
• If at home or in a small building, go to the basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of the building. Stay away from windows. Closets, bathrooms, and other interior rooms offer the best protection. Get under something sturdy or cover yourself with a mattress.
• If in a school, hospital, or shopping center, go to a pre-designated shelter area. Stay away from large open areas and windows. Do not go outside to your car.
• If in a high-rise building, go to an interior small room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. Do not use elevators - use stairs instead.

For more information on personal preparedness and how to stay safe during severe weather, visit: www.dhses.gov/safety.