Attorney General James and DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar Announce Completion of $68.6 Million Environmental Investment Program in Greenpoint

 

Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund Invested More Than $68 Million in Green Infrastructure and Environmental Programming

In celebration of Climate Week, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar announced the completion of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund (GCEF), an innovative, community-led grant program that invested more than $68.6 million in environmental initiatives for Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The GCEF was established with funds from New York state’s 2010 settlement with ExxonMobil that addressed the company’s responsibility for allowing millions of gallons of oil to contaminate the land and groundwater in Greenpoint for more than five decades. The Greenpoint oil spill was one of the largest spills recorded in the United States. Throughout its 13 years, GCEF created a wide range of public space enhancements, infrastructure improvements, and environmental education programs, including a new, state-of-the-art public library and environmental education center, a tree planting program, and major park upgrades. In total, GCEF awarded 77 grants, ranging from $5,000 to more than $5 million, to initiatives selected with the input from the Greenpoint community.

“After we held ExxonMobil accountable for its careless destruction of the Greenpoint environment, the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has invested millions of dollars in restoring the neighborhood and bringing residents together,” said Attorney General James. “From a new public library to vibrant green space improvements, this community-led effort directly supported the initiatives that residents wanted. It has been an honor to work so closely with this community and our partners at DEC to deliver a cleaner, healthier, and greener Greenpoint for generations to come.”

“The successful implementation of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund is an excellent example of state government working with New Yorkers to hold responsible parties accountable for legacy industrial pollution to benefit both community residents and the environment,” said DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar. “In Greenpoint, nearly $68 million is being invested to improve green infrastructure, renew and restore the waterfront, and advance environmental stewardship programs that will leave a lasting impact on this community and the environment.”

Greenpoint residents played a direct role in the GCEF and its investments. Residents prioritized four specific areas of investment for the program: 1) funding education and environmental stewardship; 2) greening the community; 3) revitalizing neighborhood parks and open spaces; and 4) restoring the waterfront and its infrastructure. An advisory panel, comprised of members of the Greenpoint community, guided every stage of the program’s development and implementation.

As a result of GCEF’s investments, residents were able to attend environmental lectures and events at the library, participate in a birdwatching tour at the park, spend recess learning to care for the trees and plants on the playground, learn about the neighborhood’s history on a canoe tour, and watch the sunset with friends from a rooftop garden. Projects funded by GCEF include:

• Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, a $5 million brand new, state-of-the-art, sustainable public library with dedicated community green space, and $100,000 to provide ongoing environmental programming for Greenpoint families. 
• Greenpoint Eco-Schools, a project that developed and implemented more than 40 environmental education programs at eight schools in Greenpoint, providing hands-on environmental education and enrichment to more than 4,700 students by transforming the way they learn about and care for nature and their community. 
• Greening Greenpoint, a multi-year initiative that engaged nearly 3,000 community volunteers in planting more than 1,000 new trees and over 27,000 flowers and other plants throughout the neighborhood. 
• Monsignor McGolrick Park Restoration and Upgrades, an ongoing investment of approximately $840,000 to support planting and beautification efforts and introduce community engagement programming, including nature walks and birdwatching groups, at a beloved park in the heart of Greenpoint. 
• Various other community-led initiatives that included but were not limited to the creation of 25,000 square feet of community rooftop gardens for gardening, education, and enjoyment; upgrades to 19 parks, community gardens, and other shared greenspaces; and the creation of nearly eight acres of new natural areas.

The GCEF was established by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and DEC in 2011 after New York state obtained a settlement with ExxonMobil over its massive oil spill in Greenpoint. The spill released at least 17 million gallons of oil, contaminating more than 50 acres of soil and groundwater in Greenpoint. DEC required ExxonMobil to contain and cleanup the massive underground plume of oil for more than a decade, and it will continue to require ExxonMobil to take actions to protect Newtown Creek.

With matching contributions from grantees, the GCEF program was able to more than triple the funds won in the ExxonMobil settlement into a total investment of more than $68.6 million. The GCEF convened nearly 70 community meetings, attended by more than 2,600 people, to educate Greenpoint residents about the program, identify their funding priorities, and assist them in developing projects for funding. The GCEF’s biggest investments were determined by community vote—more than 1,000 Greenpoint residents cast votes for their preferred projects.

The short film “Greening Greenpoint” highlights the program’s innovations and years of success in the community. A full report detailing GCEF’s history, design, implementation, and a description of each project funded is available online and in print at the Greenpoint Library. 

The OAG and DEC have received support from GCEF’s general administrators, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the North Brooklyn Development Corporation, Community Outreach Consultants Laura Truettner and Laura Treciokas, Graphics and Design Consultant SooYoung VanDeMark, the GCEF Community Advisory Panel, and former State Assemblymember Joseph Lentol.

GREENNY COUNCIL ISSUES ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT HIGHLIGHTING ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND PROGRESS TOWARD CLIMATE OBJECTIVES

 

The GreenNY Council released the 12^th annual Greening New York State report documenting progress toward meeting the requirements in?Executive Order 22, "Leading by Example: Directing State Agencies to Adopt a Sustainability and Decarbonization Program," signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in September 2022. The Executive Order directs New York State agencies and authorities to lead by example in achieving the State’s sustainability goals.  

The report highlights actions New York State entities are taking to reduce energy use and improve energy efficiency, decrease waste generation, increase the purchasing of green products and services, and other related initiatives.  

Sustainability highlights during fiscal year 2022-23 in the report include:

• 6.88 trillion BTUs of energy savings logged through the BuildSmart 2025 program;

• 93 percent overall recycling rate, with approximately 1.9 million tons of waste recycled or composted, including 1.8 million tons of clean construction and demolition debris;

• 17 new or updated GreenNY purchasing specifications approved; and

• $227 million spent on green products and services that decrease energy use, decrease the use of toxic substances, and accelerate the market shift towards more sustainable products. 

Through the Executive Order, the GreenNY Council supports New York State sustainability efforts. The Council, co-chaired by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), New York Power Authority (NYPA), Office of General Services (OGS), Division of Budget (DOB), and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), led the creation of the report and collected data from the 75 agencies and authorities covered under the Executive Order. 

DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “Directed by Governor Hochul and in coordination with our agency partners, New York State government continues to lead by example to accelerate the transition to a greener, more sustainable future. I commend the Green NY Council for the significant progress achieved on implementing the Governor’s Executive Order this year as the Council remains focused on continuing to leverage the economic power of sustainability and climate actions to improve the lives of all New Yorkers.”

Two Russian Nationals Charged in Connection with Operating Billion Dollar Money Laundering Services

 

Justice Department Seizes Web Domains for Multiple Illicit Crypto Exchanges

The Justice Department announced actions coordinated with the Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and other federal and international law enforcement partners to combat Russian money laundering operations. The actions involved the unsealing of an indictment charging a Russian national with his involvement in operating multiple money laundering services that catered to cybercriminals, as well as the seizure of websites associated with three illicit cryptocurrency exchanges.

“This action highlight the Department’s continued disruption of malicious cyber actors and their criminal ecosystem,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “The two Russian nationals charged today allegedly pocketed millions of dollars from prolific money laundering and fueled a network of cyber criminals around the world, with Ivanov allegedly facilitating darknet drug traffickers and ransomware operators. Working with our Dutch partners, we shut down Cryptex, an illicit crypto exchange and recovered millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.”

“Every step cybercriminals take in their pursuit of money leaves another track that leads us to their doorstep,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “And if you follow them on their path of greed, they will lead us to you. We will not stop, because while domains can always be seized, justice is unyielding.”

“The Secret Service is relentless in pursuing those engaged in criminal activity,” said Assistant Director Brian Lambert of the U.S. Secret Service. “I thank our domestic and foreign partners for their efforts on this case, as we continue our work bringing to justice those engaged in transnational criminal activity.”

According to court documents unsealed in the Eastern District of Virginia, Russian national Sergey Ivanov, known online as “Taleon,” among other aliases, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit and aid and abet bank fraud for providing payment processing support to the carding website Rescator, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for laundering proceeds from the carding website Joker’s Stash. “Carding” is the unlawful acquisition of and trade in stolen credit and debit card information for fraudulent purposes. Ivanov allegedly operated for nearly two decades as a professional cyber money launderer, advertising his services to other cybercriminals on exclusive Russian-speaking criminal forums. Over the years, Ivanov’s laundering services and payment systems have catered to cybercrime marketplaces, ransomware groups, and hackers responsible for significant data breaches of major U.S. companies.

Ivanov allegedly created and/or operated Russian payment and exchange services UAPS, PinPays, and PM2BTC, which provided money transfer and laundering services directly to criminals. Cryptocurrency blockchain analysis revealed that between July 12, 2013, and Aug. 10, cryptocurrency addresses associated with Ivanov’s alleged money laundering services conducted transactions totaling approximately $1.15 billion in value. Approximately 32% of all traced bitcoin sent to these addresses originated from other cryptocurrency addresses associated with criminal activity. For example, more than $158 million of bitcoin flowing into Ivanov’s addresses allegedly represented fraud proceeds, more than $8.8 million allegedly represented proceeds from known ransomware payments, and approximately $4.7 million allegedly originated from darknet drug markets. The U.S. Secret Service has obtained court authorization to seize domains associated with the UAPS and PM2BTC websites.

The Rescator carding website allegedly sold stolen payment card data from U.S. financial institutions and personally identifiable information (PII) of U.S. citizens. For example, the website allegedly advertised the sale of data from up to 40 million payment cards and the PII of approximately 70 million people that had been stolen from a major U.S. retail victim in 2013. The breach cost the U.S. retail victim at least $202 million in expenses and caused damage to the U.S. retail victim’s customers, who became targets of identity theft by other cybercriminals. Ivanov allegedly provided payment processing support for the Rescator carding site through the UAPS and PinPays services for purchases made on the site using bitcoin.

Additionally, Russian national Timur Shakhmametov, known online as “JokerStash” and “Vega,” among other aliases, is charged in the same indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit and aid and abet bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering related to his work in operating the carding website Joker’s Stash and laundering the proceeds. Joker’s Stash offered for sale data from approximately 40 million payment cards annually, totaling hundreds of millions of payment cards overall, and was one of the largest known carding markets in history. Estimates of its profits range from $280 million to more than $1 billion. Shakhmametov and others allegedly promoted Joker’s Stash and its products by advertising the Joker’s Stash website and its stolen payment card data on numerous online cybercrime forums.

Separately, the U.S. Secret Service executed a seizure order from the District of Maryland against two website domain names used to support the cryptocurrency money laundering exchange “Cryptex.net.” According to court records unsealed today, Cryptex.net and Cryptex.one were associated with the administration and operation of Cryptex, which offers complete anonymity to Cryptex users by allowing them to register for accounts without providing know-your-customer compliance requirements. Like UAPS and PM2BTC, Cryptex advertised itself directly to cybercriminals.

According to a company that provides blockchain analytics services to law enforcement, there have been more than 37,500 transactions involving bitcoin addresses associated with Cryptex, amounting to a total value of approximately 62,586 bitcoin, or $1.4 billion at the time the transactions were made. Of that amount, about 31% of the bitcoin sent, or $441 million, originated from cryptocurrency addresses associated with criminal conduct, including $297 million of fraud proceeds and more than $115 million of proceeds from ransomware payments. Nine percent of all bitcoin sent to Cryptex, or $162 million, originated from cryptocurrency addresses associated with services often used by cybercriminals. Further, 28% of all bitcoin sent from Cryptex was sent to companies or darknet markets sanctioned by the United States.

The seizure of these domains by the government will prevent the owners and third parties from using the sites for money laundering. Individuals visiting those sites now will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by the federal government.

As part of the coordinated actions taken today, our Dutch partners seized the servers hosting PM2BTC and Cryptex. Those servers have been taken offline at various locations around the world, and the Dutch have seized cryptocurrency from those servers worth over $7 million.

In coordination with the department’s actions, other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement partners are also taking related actions. The U.S. Department of State issued reward offers up to $11 million, through its Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ivanov and others involved in the operation of his money laundering services, and for Shakhmametov and others involved in the operation of Joker’s Stash. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an order that identifies PM2BTC as being of “primary money laundering concern” in connection with Russian illicit finance. Concurrently, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Cryptex and Ivanov.

The U.S. Secret Service Cyber Investigative Section is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia is prosecuting the case against Ivanov and Shakhmametov. Trial Attorney Jeff Pearlman and Senior Counsel Jessica Peck of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sullivan of the District of Maryland are handling the investigation into Cryptex. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance in these matters.

The Netherlands Police, Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service, the International Cooperation Department of the Central Criminal Police of the State Police of Latvia, Europol, the National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance, the German Federal Criminal Police Office, and the UK National Crime Agency provided invaluable assistance.

Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul Re: Mayor Adams Indictment

“This is an extraordinarily difficult day for New York City.

“I have carefully reviewed the indictment released by the United States Department of Justice. This indictment is the latest in a disturbing pattern of events that has, understandably, contributed to a sense of unease among many New Yorkers.

“Our judicial system is based on the foundational principle that all of us are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. Yet those of us who have chosen a career in elected office know that we're held to a higher standard. Given the responsibilities we hold as public servants, that's entirely appropriate.

“New Yorkers deserve to know that their municipal government is working effectively, ethically and in the best interests of the people – driving down crime, educating our kids and ensuring basic city services continue unabated. It's now up to Mayor Adams to show the City that he is able to lead in that manner.

“My focus is on protecting the people of New York and ensuring stability in the City. While I review my options and obligations as the Governor of New York, I expect the Mayor to take the next few days to review the situation and find an appropriate path forward to ensure the people of New York City are being well-served by their leaders. We must give New Yorkers confidence that there is steady, responsible leadership at every level of government.”

Statement by Comptroller Brad Lander on Indictment of Mayor Eric Adams

 

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released the following statement in response to reports that Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted:

“First and foremost, this is a sad day for New Yorkers. Trust in public institutions — especially City Hall — is essential for our local democracy to function and for our city to flourish. The hardworking people of New York City deserve a city government and leadership they can trust. Right now, they don’t have it.

“Mayor Adams, like all New Yorkers, deserves due process, the presumption of innocence, and his day in court. However, it is clear that defending himself against serious federal charges will require a significant amount of the time and attention needed to govern this great city.

“The most appropriate path forward is for him to step down so that New York City can get the full focus its leadership demands.

“At this urgent moment, the City’s leaders must focus on how we can best enable steady governance so that New York City can move forward and thrive. As the comptroller of the city, I will do everything I can to help ensure this happens.”

Long Island Man Convicted At Trial Of Participating In Multimillion-Dollar Cryptocurrency-Related Crimes

 

Defendant’s Son Previously Pled Guilty and Received 4-Year Sentence for His Role in the Crimes

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that EUGENE WILLIAM AUSTIN, JR., a/k/a “Hugh Austin” (“AUSTIN”) was convicted Tuesday, September 24, 2024, of three criminal counts stemming from his participation in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and the interstate transportation of stolen property.  The defendant and his son, BRANDON AUSTIN (“BRANDON”), were responsible for defrauding numerous victims across the country of millions of dollars.  AUSTIN was convicted after a jury trial before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.  The defendant’s son, BRANDON, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced principally to 4 years in prison.  

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “A unanimous jury has found that Hugh Austin engaged in a yearslong fraud and money laundering scheme. Austin’s scheming caused millions of dollars of losses.  Austin even conspired with his own son to rip off his victims.  Thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, Austin’s crime spree has come to an end, and he will be held accountable for his conduct.”    

As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:

AUSTIN participated in a scheme with his son BRANDON and others to steal money from entrepreneurs, investors, and other victims by fraudulently offering to, among other things: serve as a broker for sales of large quantities of cryptocurrency; provide short-term investments in cryptocurrency for purportedly high returns; and secure investors for startups and other small businesses from their purported network of high-net-worth individuals.  AUSTIN also frequently sought personal loans from friends and acquaintances in connection with AUSTIN’s purported cryptocurrency and investment businesses, falsely promising to pay lenders back with interest.  In each instance, investors and lenders lost their money, and AUSTIN and BRANDON frequently spent investors’ funds on personal expenses, including airline travel, luxury hotels, restaurants, shopping, transfers of money to relatives, as well as nominal payments to victims to prolong the scheme.  Over the course of the scheme, AUSTIN and BRANDON have caused millions of dollars in losses to numerous victims all over the country.  Below are several examples of victims defrauded by AUSTIN and BRANDON.

• In or about August 2018, AUSTIN and BRANDON fraudulently induced a California-based investment firm to send an interstate wire transfer of approximately $5 million to a Manhattan-based attorney for the purported purchase of cryptocurrency, which was never provided to the victim.
• In or about September 2018, AUSTIN and BRANDON fraudulently induced a cryptocurrency start-up company to send an interstate wire transfer of approximately $100,000 as a short-term loan for a purported cryptocurrency transaction; instead of using the funds as promised, AUSTIN and BRANDON used the money to fund their lifestyle.
• In or about June 2020, AUSTIN and BRANDON laundered approximately $767,000 that had been sent via an interstate wire transfer to the trust account of a New York-based real estate attorney for a purported cryptocurrency transaction.
• In or about October 2021, AUSTIN and BRANDON stole approximately $528,000 that had been sent via an interstate wire transfer to the bank account of a Manhattan-based company for the purported purchase of Bitcoin.

AUSTIN, 62, of Port Jefferson, New York, was convicted by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 year in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  AUSTIN will be sentenced before Judge Castel on February 20, 2025.

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

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations.

MAYOR ADAMS LAUNCHES NEW PROGRAM TO HELP AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS GO GREEN, SAVE GREEN

 

Innovative Program Reinvests Proceeds from Carbon Offset Purchases to Help Affordable Housing Developments Afford Resiliency, Decarbonization Projects

 Administration Calls on City Council to Enable J-51 Tax Incentive to Help Co-Op and Condo Owners Afford Emission Reduction Projects

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today created a new fund, the GreenHOUSE Fund, to help building owners comply with Local Law 97 while directing critical resources to help rent-regulated apartment buildings and low-income co-ops afford emissions reduction projects. The law — passed by the New York City Council in 2019 — sets increasingly stringent emissions limits for large buildings in New York City but allows those buildings to purchase offset certificates for 10 percent of those limits (effectively, paying for decarbonization efforts in other buildings). This fund — created through a rule set to be proposed shortly by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) — will take the proceeds from those offset purchases and direct them towards decarbonizing and electrifying affordable housing developments that wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford them. This will also improve air quality in disadvantaged communities with disproportionately high asthma rates and will move the city and state closer to achieving their respective emissions reduction and equity goals.

Additionally, Mayor Adams has called on the New York City Council to enact the J-51 housing quality tax incentive program — passed this year by the New York state Legislature, with Mayor Adams’ support, and signed into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul — and to allow buildings to use it to cover Local Law 97 compliance costs. This creative approach would devote significant city resources to help low- and moderate-income multifamily buildings, including many moderate-income co-ops and condos outside of Manhattan, afford the emissions reduction projects that they’d need to implement to meet their Local Law 97 targets.

“Our buildings produce 70 percent of New York City’s emissions, which is why we’re laser-focused on helping buildings electrify, decarbonize, and move forward into the future,” said Mayor Adams. “But we can’t leave anyone behind — particularly our affordable housing developments, which often are located in disadvantaged neighborhoods with high asthma rates. That’s why we’re launching our new GreenHOUSE Fund, to make it more affordable to go green and save green. We’re making sure that we don’t leave anyone behind as we build a greener, cleaner city for working-class New Yorkers.”

“Responding to the climate crisis requires all of us; participation must be within everyone’s financial reach,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “With the GreenHOUSE program, we are making real inroads on the affordability challenge of emissions reduction mandates — not with federal underwriting or an expensive, taxpayer-funded program, but simply by helping one another, an idea as clever as it is simple. The true renewable resources in New York are our collaboration and innovation, and I look forward to this scaling to make New York City the greenest big city in America.” 

“Our administration is committed to housing that's affordable and sustainable,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “The GreenHOUSE Fund is an innovative approach to advancing our decarbonization goals while supporting affordable housing projects. I want to thank our partners across the administration for their commitment to building a greener and more affordable city.” 

“Most building stakeholders will be able to comply in this first compliance period, but for those who are just slightly over their limits, the offsets will provide a significant benefit to help them avoid penalties, support carbon reduction in affordable housing, and allow them to continue planning for deeper reductions for 2030 and beyond,” said New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner and New York City Chief Climate Officer Rohit T. Aggarwala. “This fund is another resource the Adams administration is providing to help buildings achieve Local Law 97 mobilization under the city’s world-leading Climate Mobilization Act.”

“The creation of the GreenHOUSE Fund in our latest proposed rule provides needed support for building owners as they work towards compliance with their emissions limits,” said DOB Commissioner Jimmy Oddo. “By working across agencies, this innovative program will help reduce carbon emissions from our city, while simultaneously upgrading building systems in our affordable housing stock.”

“From the Green Fast Track to today's announcement of the GreenHOUSE Fund, our administration continues its momentum in addressing the housing and climate crises,” said New York City Executive Director for Housing Leila Bozorg. “New Yorkers deserve safe, quality, affordable housing in environments where they don't have to worry about air quality and asthma. I look forward to City Council passing J-51 so that we can get the full force of our decarbonization tools and improve the lives of New Yorkers in need of affordable and sustainable housing.”

“A just transition brings everyone along in the crucial work of decarbonizing buildings and these offsets will provide affordable housing a critical new resource,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson. “This will improve air quality, create jobs, and create a greener and more equitable future for the New Yorkers of today and tomorrow. The new affordable housing resource should be amplified by other resources and tools — specifically, the City Council must pass the J-51 property tax abatement, which will bring funding to improve buildings that house low- and middle-income New Yorkers, work that also can reduce pollution and lower energy bills.”

Under DOB’s pending rule — and as directed by Local Law 97 — offset certificates will be available for property owners to purchase in advance of the compliance reporting deadline in May 2025. They will cost $268 per ton of carbon emissions, the same cost as the penalty imposed for not meeting emissions limits, and through the GreenHOUSE Fund are earmarked for efficiency improvements at affordable housing developments across New York City. The fund will flow through the Resilient & Equitable Decarbonization Initiative, a joint HPD-New York state Energy Research and Development Authority initiative which already has a significant pipeline of affordable housing locations that are ready and willing to start building retrofits.

The proposed rule was informed by a Local Law 97 advisory board, convened by the city and staffed with volunteer stakeholders, including architects, engineers, property owners, business leaders, public utilities, environmental justice advocates, and tenant advocates. Since the law was first passed in 2019, the city has conducted extensive outreach to property owners, including holding hundreds of information sessions online and in-person across the five boroughs, provided free wrap-around technical support, and developed PACE financing to fund decarbonization work.

Under the Adams administration, rulemaking at DOB has continued with an eye towards helping building owners reduce emissions. Last September, Mayor Adams launched “Getting 97 Done,” a comprehensive plan to mobilize the city’s large buildings to reduce their emissions. The plan includes four key elements: identifying and targeting city, state, federal, and utility-based financing and funding for upgrades; providing buildings with needed technical advice, implementing key enforcement mechanisms via a DOB rule package; and decarbonizing central systems in partnership with New York state. 

Building owners who need guidance on how to comply with the new regulations should reach out to the “NYC Accelerator,” a MOCEJ program which provides technical one-on-one assistance to property owners, helps them apply for available financing and incentive programs, and connects them with sustainability professionals to start retrofit projects. Since the beginning of the Adams administration, NYC Accelerator has assisted 22,000 buildings and helped start 25,000 retrofit projects, reducing carbon emissions by 19,400 tons and saving building owners more than $5 million in avoided penalties.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE’S STATEMENT ON THE INDICTMENT OF MAYOR ADAMS

 

“I feel the same disbelief and indignation that I know many New Yorkers feel, upset that this is where our city is in this moment. This is a painful time, and the looming unknowns and uncertainties only add to the confusion and chaos at City Hall in an untenable situation. Justice presumes innocence until proven guilty, at the same time, these charges are even more sweeping and severe than imagined. In the face of this evidence, it is not enough to deflect blame and deny responsibility.

“It is federal officials’ obligation to prove their case, and it is the mayor’s obligation to prove to New Yorkers that there is a real plan and path to govern the city effectively and regain trust, and his time to show that plan is rapidly running out.

“As the Public Advocate, my role is to fight for the transparency, accountability, and governance that New Yorkers deserve. In a moment of intense turmoil, I am committed to working with my fellow elected officials and the many thousands of incredibly dedicated public servants to ensure our city continues to operate in any eventuality.”