Air Quality Health Advisory Issued for New York City Metro and Long Island Regions

 

In Effect for Wednesday, June 26, 2024

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. James McDonald issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for Wednesday, June 26, 2024, for ozone to include the New York City Metro and Long Island regions.

The pollutant of concern is: Ozone

 

The advisory will be in effect 11 a.m. through 11 p.m. 

 

The Wednesday, June 26, Air Quality Health Advisory regions consists of: New York City Metro, which includes New York City and Rockland and Westchester counties and Long Island, which includes Suffolk and Nassau counties.

 

DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter (PM2.5), are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern. 

 

OZONE

 

Summer heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of photochemical smog. Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary sources of ground-level ozone and the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast. This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere.

 

Ozone is not a direct emission, and is produced indirectly when sunlight chemically reacts with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from automobile exhaust and industrial emissions. High ozone is not as visible as PM2.5 because it is a colorless gas, but will produce hazy skies and reduce visibility in high concentrations.

 

People, especially those with cardiovascular disease and those who have respiratory disease (such as asthma), young children, those who exercise outdoors, and those involved in vigorous outdoor work should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest (generally afternoon to early evening). When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or coughing should consider consulting their personal physician.

 

Ozone levels generally decrease at night and can be minimized during daylight hours by curtailment of automobile travel and the use of public transportation where available.

 

New Yorkers also are urged to take the following energy-saving and pollution-reducing steps:

• use mass transit or carpool instead of driving, as automobile emissions account for about 60 percent of pollution in our cities;
• conserve fuel and reduce exhaust emissions by combining necessary motor vehicle trips;
• turn off all lights and electrical appliances in unoccupied areas;
• use fans to circulate air. If air conditioning is necessary, set thermostats at 78 degrees;
• close the blinds and shades to limit heat build-up and to preserve cooled air;
• limit use of household appliances. If necessary, run the appliances at off-peak (after 7 p.m.) hours. These would include dishwashers, dryers, pool pumps and water heaters;
• set refrigerators and freezers at more efficient temperatures;
• purchase and install energy efficient lighting and appliances with the Energy Star label; and
• reduce or eliminate outdoor burning and attempt to minimize indoor sources of PM 2.5 such as smoking. 
  

Additional information on ozone and PM 2.5 is available on DEC's website and on DOH's website (PM 2.5) / DOH's website (ozone). A new DEC fact sheet about the Air Quality Index is also available on DEC’s website or by PDF download https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/aqiweb.pdf. 

 

To stay up-to-date with announcements from DEC, sign up to receive Air Quality Alerts through DEC Delivers: DEC's Premier Email Service. A toll-free Air Quality Hotline (1-800-535-1345) was also established by DEC to keep New Yorkers informed of the latest air quality situation.

Permits Filed For 533 Concord Avenue In Mott Haven, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for an eight-story mixed-use building at 533 Concord Avenue in Mott Haven, The Bronx. Located between East 147th Street and East 149th Street, the lot is near the East 149th Street subway station, serviced by the 6 train. Meilech Friedman of Lincoln Residence NY LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 74-foot-tall development will yield 33,930 square feet, with 23,930 square feet designated for residential space and 10,000 square feet for commercial space. The building will have 49 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 488 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar, a 33-foot-long rear yard, and 25 open parking spaces.

Nikolai Katz Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits were filed. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Statement from Speaker Adams on Charter Revision Commission’s Preliminary Staff Report

 

“A Charter Revision Commission is a serious process that should provide legitimate ways for the public to raise issues and improve the City Charter. The undertaking by this Commission, as evidenced by this product, is wholly unserious. Via the Preliminary Staff Report, the Commission has shown a lack of understanding of the legislative process, the charter, and the law, or is intentionally failing to provide the public with total clarity. New Yorkers deserve better. This is a poorly constructed attempt to attack the City Council and its oversight of the executive branch, seeking to undermine representative democracy at a time when the Council is fighting to protect New Yorkers from the mayor’s excessive budget cuts. The lack of independence of this showing has been disappointing and has made a mockery of a very serious process. I once again urge the Commission to avert the unnecessary, obvious rush, produce a sensible process for proposals to be considered for the 2025 General Election, and let voters decide on the advice-and-consent proposal this year.” 

MAYOR ADAMS KICKS OFF “SUMMER OF POSSIBILITY” BY ANNOUNCING LARGEST-EVER SUMMER STREETS

 

VIDEO: Adams Administration Kicks off “Summer of Possibility” 

Summer Streets Will Extend Two Extra Hours, Lengthening Operating Time for First Time Since Program Launched in 2008 

New Yorkers Will Again Enjoy Nearly 20 Miles of Car-Free Streets and Programming in All Five Boroughs Over Five Saturdays in July and August

New York City Mayor Eric Adams kicked off the city’s “a celebration of New York City’s unrivaled summer offerings at a time when crime is down, jobs are up, and the city is more livable than when the Adams administration came into office. The Adams administration launched the starting with an event hosted by New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez to announce the city’s largest-ever Summer Streets program with expanded operating hours in all five boroughs for the first time since the program’s launch in 2008. This year, nearly 20 miles of Summer Streets corridors will be open to pedestrians and cyclists for eight hours (from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM) — a 33 percent expansion from previous years. The extended time represents the Adams administration’s continued commitment to the beloved summer program, building on the 2023 expansion that, for the first time, brought Summer Streets to all five boroughs after operating exclusively in Manhattan.

From the largest-ever summer streets and open restaurants programs to expanded Summer Rising hours, new cooling centers, and investments in pools across the city, the Adams administration is continuing to ensure that there has never been a better time to enjoy summer in New York City. New Yorkers can visit the for more information on free cultural and parks events, open beaches and pools, as well as hiring halls, apprenticeships, volunteer opportunities, and more.

“New York City is back — and with our Summer of Possibility — there has never been a better time to enjoy the five boroughs,” said Mayor Adams. “Whether you want to find a new job, enjoy a summer concert, enjoy our largest-ever summer streets program, or take part in so much more our city has to offer, our administration is working every day to ensure our city is working to give you the summer you want and deserve. This city is full of possibilities!”

“New York City summers sizzle,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Enjoy the hottest block party in the nation, with nearly 20 miles of car-free ‘Summer Streets.’ Afterwards, cool off in one of our dozens of pools, miles of beaches, or sprinkler playgrounds. There is non-stop fun on our boardwalks, and picnics and concerts to be enjoyed in every New Yorker’s backyard — the 30,000 acres of our city’s park system and green spaces. Stop by the city’s public plazas for meetings and markets, breezy miles made easy in the nation’s largest bike lane network, and public bathrooms so you can go when you are on the go. And check out how we get it all done in our ‘Realm of Possibility’ report!”

“Summer Streets shows New Yorkers how joyful and pleasant our streets become when we reallocate just a portion of our roads for people to stroll, bike, and play. Under the Adams administration, we've been working to make Summer Streets better and better with expansions year after year,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “We thank our sister agencies, program, partners, elected officials, and advocates for their support behind these historic expansions.”

“Nothing beats summertime in New York City. From outdoor dining to open streets and countless free outdoor events, it’s the best time to celebrate the city’s collective energy, which is best felt and enjoyed in our public spaces,” said New York City Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu. “We hope to see you all outside enjoying a New York City summer!”

More than 500,000 people walked, ran, cycled, or played on Summer Streets last year, in the program’s first year operating in all five boroughs. This year’s program will represent the most ambitious version of Summer Streets since its launch in 2008 and brings a continued focus on spreading programming out equitably throughout the city. Summer Streets will return for five Saturdays from July 27 through August 24. Car-free routes remain the same for the five boroughs — with the exception of a new route launching on Staten Island. This year, DOT released an open call to select up to two pieces of dynamic and engaging artwork along the Summer Streets route to be installed as one-day activations throughout all five event dates. More details on each route can be found below and online.

Images from 2023’s Summer Streets program. Credit: NYC DOT.

Saturday, July 27: Queens and Staten Island

Queens: Summer Streets will run along Vernon Boulevard, from 44^th Drive to 30^th Drive. The program will allow users to enjoy the entire Queens waterfront in Long Island City and Astoria.

Staten Island: Summer Streets will run along Broadway from Richmond Terrace to Clove Road. This new location will run through West Brighton, connecting attendees from Clove Lakes Park to Corporal Thompson Park.

Saturday, August 3, 10, and 17: Manhattan

Manhattan: Summer Streets will run from the Brooklyn Bridge all the way into Harlem, traveling along Lafayette Street and Park Avenue up to 109^th Street; on Central Park North from Fifth Avenue to Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard; and along Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard from 110^th Street to 125^th Street.

Saturday, August 24: Bronx and Brooklyn

Bronx: Summer Streets will run along Grand Concourse from East Tremont Avenue to Mosholu Parkway. This program will open a major car-free corridor to people from the west Bronx to the north Bronx.

Brooklyn: Summer Streets will run along Eastern Parkway, from Grand Army Plaza to Buffalo Avenue. It will connect Prospect Heights and Brownsville along the same route as the Labor Day Caribbean Day Parade — one of the city’s most popular annual events.

Organizations interested in hosting activities, performances, or other programming during Summer Streets should complete DOT’s Summer Streets 2024 Partner Application.

WABC-TV will serve as the official media sponsor of Summer Streets, along with sponsors I Love New York, Pumpspotting, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Siggis, Stonyfield, and C4 Energy.

DEC Announces $15 Million Water Quality Grants Now Available to Support Best Management Practices for Road Salt Use and Storage

 

$15 Million in Grants Available Until July 31 for Projects Statewide

Helps Implement Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force Recommendations

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar highlighted $15 million to help protect water quality by promoting proper salt storage and application. The funding is part of up to $215 million in grant funding currently available through the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program, a competitive, statewide reimbursement grant program that supports implementation projects that directly improve water quality or habitat, promote flood risk reduction, restoration, enhanced flood and climate resiliency, or protect a drinking water source. A total of $15 million focuses on road salt application best management practices and proper salt storage statewide and helps fulfill a recommendation by the Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force.

 

“The Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force identified the need to advance and incentivize best management practices for adoption by local governments and other public organizations involved in winter road maintenance,” Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said. “Working with our partners at the State Department of Transportation, the new eligible project types in WQIP directly implement Task Force recommendations and provide resources for communities statewide to reduce road salt impacts.”

 

DEC and the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) collaborated to update DEC’s WQIP grant and Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning Grant (NPG) to include new eligible project types focused on various activities that reduce road salt applications and help protect public health and the environment. The funding is part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent announcement of nearly $300 million in new grant opportunities to build upon New York’s sustained investments to protect communities from the devastating impacts of climate change, particularly those communities most vulnerable to pollution, flooding, extreme heat, and other effects of a warming climate. The specific funding related to salt comes from the State’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act.

 

“It is inherent in the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to protect the environment and we take very seriously the need to balance public safety on the roads with the important work of protecting water quality,” Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. “The funding available from our partners at the Department of Environmental Conservation will allow us to continue the momentum established by the Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force and help local governments develop their own best practices for salt use and storage, which will advance public safety while protecting the environment.”

Released last month as part of the New York State Consolidated Funding Application, the expanded WQIP road salt eligible projects focus on implementation of road salt reduction best management practices (BMPs) recommended by the Task Force, while the new NPG road salt eligible project focuses on planning for implementation by creating community-led winter road maintenance plans.

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, July 31, at 4 p.m. Below are direct links to the Request for Applications (RFAs):

• WQIP - WQIP 2024 Program Overview (ny.gov)
• NPG - Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and MS4 Mapping Grant (NPG) Program Overview 2024 (ny.gov)

DEC recently issued a fact sheet to help communities understand the State’s recommendations on how to best construct salt storage facilities. The new winter road maintenance plan project type in the NPG helps encourage communities to begin thinking about more environmentally friendly methods of winter road maintenance and plan for their implementation. This new project type within NPG also directly implements the Task Force recommendation to provide “funding to support a winter road maintenance planning report category in NPG.”

New York's Continued Commitment to Implementing Recommendations of the Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force

In addition to the funding opportunities announced today, New York remains committed to implementing recommendations from the Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force. This includes a commitment to review water quality standards that may help reduce the impacts from road salt on the environment and public health such as that for chloride. DEC is reviewing existing water quality standards regulations as part of its required Triennial Water Quality Standards Review under the Clean Water Act. As part of the Triennial Review, DEC recently released an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) to solicit public feedback on priority updates to water quality standards. The ANPRM is providing a 180-day public input period as an opportunity to provide input on the need for new chloride standards, among others, building on the recommendations from the Task Force. More information is available in the New York State Register and DEC’s website.

New York's Commitment to Water Quality

 

New York State continues to increase its nation-leading investments in water infrastructure, including $325 million in Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA), up to $215 million in WQIP, and other water quality in grant opportunities currently available.  

 

With $500 million allocated for clean water infrastructure in the 2024-2025 enacted State Budget announced by Governor Hochul, New York will have invested a total of $5.5 billion in water infrastructure between 2017 and this year. Governor Hochul’s State of the State initiative increased water infrastructure grants from 25 to 50 percent of net eligible project costs for wastewater projects to help support smaller communities. To leverage these investments and ensure ongoing coordination with local governments, the Governor expanded EFC’s Community Assistance Teams to help small, rural, and disadvantaged communities leverage this funding and address their clean water infrastructure needs. Any community that needs help with their water infrastructure needs is encouraged to contact EFC at https://www.efc.ny.gov/CAT.

 

The funding is in addition to other substantial water quality investments, including the voter-approved $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022, which is advancing historic levels of funding to update aging water infrastructure and protect water quality, strengthen communities' ability to withstand severe storms and flooding, reduce air pollution and lower climate-altering emissions, restore habitats, and preserve outdoor spaces and local farms. The first round of funding under the Environmental Bond Act was awarded through the WIIA/IMG programs in December 2023, when Governor Hochul announced $479 million in grants to 156 projects across New York State. Disadvantaged communities will receive at least 35 percent of the benefits of Bond Act funding, with a goal of 40 percent. Governor Hochul also sustained record funding for the Environmental Protection Fund at $400 million in the State Budget.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE RESPONDS TO THE SURGEON GENERAL'S GUN VIOLENCE ADVISORY

 

"Gun violence is and has been a public health emergency. I commend Surgeon General Murthy for recognizing the urgency and scope of this crisis, an American epidemic that spreads to our streets, supermarkets, homes, houses of worship, and more. This declaration also prescribes a pathway to addressing a plague which is now the leading cause of death among children in America.

"Like tobacco before it, America’s obsession with guns is pervasive, but not inevitable. By highlighting the need for enhanced research, improved safety measures, expanded mental health services, and stronger community engagement, this announcement promotes common sense, actionable measures that I and others have long advocated as part of a holistic approach to combating gun violence. New York knows the pain of each shooting, the tragedy and trauma on families and communities, and the Surgeon General’s call aligns with our ongoing efforts to create safer neighborhoods.

"As we approach the end of June’s Gun Violence Awareness Month, all levels of government must implement and expand on these life-saving measures. I am eager to work with local, state, and national leaders to implement effective strategies that turn these recommendations into reality."

New York Man Charged in Connection with Transnational “Grandparent Scam” Operated from Dominican Republic

 

A federal grand jury charged a New York man for having acted as a courier for a Dominican Republic-based “grandparent scam” that targeted elderly Americans.

Victor Anthony Valdez, 39, of the Bronx, was charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy for his role in the scam. According to the indictment, unsealed today in Newark, New Jersey, the scam operated from call centers in the Dominican Republic, making phone calls to elderly American victims purporting to be the victim’s grandchild, an attorney representing the grandchild in criminal proceedings, court personnel or other persons associated with the legal system. Coconspirators told the victims that their grandchildren had been arrested and needed cash for bail or other expenses. Once victims were convinced through lies and falsehoods, coconspirators instructed the victims to provide cash to couriers, including Valdez, who went to victims’ homes to pick up the money.

While acting as a courier for the scam between August 2020 and August 2021, Valdez is alleged to have retrieved, or attempted to retrieve, tens of thousands of dollars from defrauded victims at their homes in New York and New Jersey.

“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through fraudulent schemes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable consumers, whether located in the United States or abroad.”

“The alleged perpetrators in these scams — including this defendant — target our vulnerable senior population,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “They count on the grandparents’ love and devotion to their families in order to convince them to put up money. As alleged in this indictment, the defendant today worked as a courier, traveling to the homes of the scam victims to pick up the money. My office will protect the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target the vulnerable to cheat them out of their savings.”

“Mr. Valdez knowingly preyed upon the elderly for his own gain,” said Inspector General Gail S. Ennis for the Social Security Administration (SSA). “We appreciate our law enforcement partners joining us in investigating and prosecuting these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding elderly Americans, many of whom rely on SSA benefits to make ends meet.”

If convicted, Valdez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Joshua Ferrentino of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey are prosecuting the case.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through OVC, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WikiLeaks Founder Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Conspiring to Obtain and Disclose Classified National Defense Information

 

Julian P. Assange, 52, the founder of WikiLeaks, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Chelsea Manning, at that time a U.S. Army intelligence analyst, to unlawfully obtain and disclose classified documents relating to the national defense. After obtaining classified national defense information from Manning, and aware of the harm that dissemination of such national defense information would cause, Assange disclosed this information on WikiLeaks.

The guilty plea concludes a criminal matter that dates back to March 2018, when Assange was first indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia. There, and in superseding indictments, Assange was charged with conspiring with Manning, then a “Top Secret” U.S. security clearance holder, to further Manning’s unlawful acquisition and transmission of bulk classified information, including Manning’s use of a government computer to illegally download hundreds of thousands of classified documents and transmit them without authorization to WikiLeaks.

Assange was detained in the United Kingdom based on the U.S. charges for the last 62 months, while he contested extradition. As part of the plea agreement, Assange was transported to the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to enter his felony guilty plea and be sentenced on the morning of June 26 (Saipan local time) in a U.S. courtroom, with the venue reflecting Assange’s opposition to traveling to the continental United States to enter his guilty plea and the proximity of this federal U.S. District Court to Assange’s country of citizenship, Australia, to which he will return. At today’s proceeding, Assange admitted to his role in the conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act and received a court-imposed 62-month time-served sentence, reflecting the time he served in U.K. prison as a result of the U.S. charges. Following the imposition of sentence, he will depart the United States for his native Australia. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from returning to the United States without permission.

Beginning in late 2009, Assange and WikiLeaks actively solicited United States classified information, including by publishing a list of “Most Wanted Leaks” that sought, among other things, bulk classified documents. As set forth in the public charging documents, Assange actively solicited and recruited people who had access, authorized or otherwise, to classified information and were willing to provide that information to him and WikiLeaks—and also solicited hackers who could obtain unauthorized access to classified information through computer network intrusions. Assange publicly encouraged his prospective recruits to obtain the information he desired by any means necessary, including hacking and theft, and to send that information to Assange at WikiLeaks.

Between January 2010 and May 2010, in the course of the conspiracy with Assange, Manning used U.S. government computer systems to download hundreds of thousands of documents and reports, many of them classified at the SECRET level and relating to the national defense, which signified that unauthorized disclosure could cause serious damage to United States national security. In total, Manning downloaded four nearly complete U.S. government databases that contained, among other things, approximately 90,000 Afghanistan war-related significant activity reports, 400,000 Iraq war-related significant activity reports, 800 Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTF GTMO) detainee assessment briefs, and 250,000 U.S. Department of State cables. Manning also downloaded files regarding rules of engagement in the Iraq war, most of which were classified at the SECRET level and which delineated the circumstances and limitations under which United States forces would initiate or conduct combat engagement with other forces. 

After downloading digital reams of classified documents and files, Manning electronically sent them to Assange to be publicly posted on WikiLeaks’s website. During Manning’s bulk exfiltration and passage of classified materials to WikiLeaks, Manning and Assange communicated regularly via online platforms about Manning’s progress and what classified information Assange wanted. For example, after sending the classified JTF GTMO detainee assessment briefs to Assange, Manning told Assange “thats [sic] all I really have got left.” To encourage Manning to continue to take classified documents from the United States and provide them to Assange and WikiLeaks without authorization, Assange replied, “curious eyes never run dry in my experience.”    

In or about 2010 and 2011, Assange publicly disclosed via the WikiLeaks website hundreds of thousands of documents that Manning had taken without authorization and given to him, including approximately 75,000 Afghanistan war-related significant activity reports, classified up to the Secret level; 400,000 Iraq war-related significant activity reports, classified up to the Secret level; 800 JTF GTMO detainee assessment briefs, classified up to the Secret level; and over 100,000 State Department cables, some of which were classified up to the Secret level.

Unlike news organizations that published redacted versions of some of the classified documents that Assange obtained from Manning and then shared with those organizations, Assange and WikiLeaks disclosed many of the raw classified documents without removing any personally identifying information. Specifically, in many instances, the classified documents Manning unlawfully provided to Assange were later released publicly by Assange and WikiLeaks in a raw or unredacted form that placed individuals who had assisted the U.S. government at great personal risk. Assange’s decision to reveal the names of human sources illegally shared with him by Manning created a grave and imminent risk to human life. For example, the State Department cables that WikiLeaks disseminated included information from journalists, religious leaders, human rights advocates, and political dissidents who had chosen to provide information to the United States in confidence at significant risk to their own safety. By publicly releasing these documents without redacting the names of human sources or other identifying information, Assange subjected these individuals to serious harm and arbitrary detention. Assange even acknowledged in public statements that he knew that publicly disclosing unredacted classified documents containing the names and other identifying information of people who had shared information with the U.S. government in confidence could put those people at risk of harm. 

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Assange’s arrest and in litigating Assange’s extradition. The United Kingdom’s Crown Prosecution Service, National Extradition Unit (and its predecessor in the Metropolitan Police Service), and Central Authority also provided significant assistance to the extradition proceedings over the past five years. Logistical support was also provided by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency’s Joint International Crime Centre, U.K. law enforcement agencies, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES), U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia handled the case. U.S. Attorney Shawn N. Anderson for the District of Guam and NMI, CES Deputy Chief Matthew McKenzie, and National Security Cyber Section Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery represented the United States in the NMI proceedings. CES Trial Attorneys Nicholas Hunter and Adam Small, and Trial Attorney Rachel Yasser and Legal Advisor/International Affairs Coordinator Amanda June Chadwick of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance.