STATEN ISLAND COUPLE CHARGED WITH HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF FRAUD

Defendants Obtained $750,000 from Relief Programs Intended for Residents Displaced by the Superstorm

  A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Nagwa Elsilimy and Ahmed Arafa with fraud by making false statements to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in connection with their obtaining more than $750,000 in disaster relief from New York City’s Build It Back program (BIB) and FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The defendants allegedly misrepresented that a home in Staten Island, which they had abandoned months before the storm, was their primary residence at the time the superstorm devastated New York and New Jersey. The defendants unlawfully obtained over $750,000 in aid intended for people displaced by the storm. Elsilimy was arrested this morning, and her initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Roanne L. Mann. 

  The charges were announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christina Scaringi, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG), Mark Tasky, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG), Washington Field Office, and Mark G. Peters, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI). 

  “Taking advantage of funds intended for disaster relief misappropriates taxpayer dollars, reduces monies available to true victims and erodes public confidence in relief programs,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “This Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out such alleged illegal behavior.”

  “The Defendants’ alleged conduct is disturbing, especially during this time when the public is reminded of the devastation that historic storms leave with thousands of victims,” stated HUD OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Scaringi. “The taxpayer has no tolerance for those who would steal from Federal public aid – the sole goal of which is to help victims rebuild and move forward with their lives. We, along with our federal and state law enforcement and prosecution partners, will continue to aggressively pursue fraudsters who engage in such unacceptable behavior to both the public and their neighbor.”

  “DHS OIG will continue to target fraudsters who seek to turn the tragedy of a natural disaster into an opportunity of personal gain at the expense of taxpayers,” stated DHS OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Tasky. “Today’s arrest is a tangible step of our commitment with our law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to identify, investigate, and pursue prosecution of fraudulent activities that undermine federal programs.”

  “Hurricane Sandy ravaged shoreside communities and displaced hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers from homes made uninhabitable by the storm,” stated DOI Commissioner Peters. “While homeowners applied for aid to rehabilitate and rebuild, these defendants were capitalizing on the destruction, collecting benefits to which they were not entitled and exploiting federal funds to restore property they didn’t live in, according to the charges. DOI has monitored the City’s rebuilding effort since its inception, and will continue to investigate the programs and those dishonest homeowners who take advantage of finite disaster relief funds.”

  According to the complaint, in the days and months following Hurricane Sandy, which struck New York and New Jersey on October 29, 2012, the defendants obtained and attempted to obtain federal funds appropriated for Sandy disaster relief by submitting material misrepresentations in their applications for disaster relief. Specifically, the defendants falsely represented that a home they had abandoned before the storm was their primary residence at the time Sandy hit the Eastern District of New York. The defendants had been residing at a different address since at least March 2012, and, at the time Sandy struck Staten Island, the defendants’ alleged primary residence was vacant, and had been vacant for at least seven months. Evidence obtained in the investigation suggests that the defendants fraudulently obtained federal aid totaling more than $750,000 based upon their misrepresentations in applications to FEMA, HUD and BIB, the New York City program established with federal funds to aid residents in rebuilding private homes damaged or destroyed due to Hurricane Sandy.

  The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face a statutory maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment for major disaster relief fraud and five years’ imprisonment for making false statements to a federal agency,

  The Defendants: NAGWA ELSILIMY Age: 59 Staten Island, NY AHMED ARAFA Age: 59 Staten Island, NY E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-MJ-805

Comptroller Stringer Report: High Number of Middle and High School Students Aren’t Taught “Sex Ed”

Just 57 percent of eighth grade students completed the New York State-mandated requirement of one semester of health

Comptroller calls on DOE to implement new Chancellor’s Regulation guaranteeing sexual education for all middle and high school students

  A new report released by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer shows that the New York City Department of Education (DOE) is not providing comprehensive health education — as required by state law — to all middle and high school students, and is not prioritizing “sex ed” as part of a larger health curriculum. The Comptroller’s report, Healthy Relationships: A Plan for Improving Health and Sexual Education in New York City Schools, highlights the deficiencies in the City’s ability to provide sex ed, with just over half of all middle school students receiving their mandated semester of health education and only 7.6 percent of all health instructors receiving any professional development related to sexual health education over the last two years. The new report comes as several indicators regarding sexually transmitted infections (STI) rates and sexual risk behaviors are ticking up among teenagers.

“Our goal is to paint a broad picture for everyone with a stake in City schools, and to create a roadmap that ensures our kids are getting the comprehensive education they deserve. Most parents expect their schools to be teaching sex ed, and as our report shows, it isn’t happening. We know there are many competing demands for City schools, and many critical areas of growth on which to focus. We did this report to elevate the conversation about a topic that is serious and, I believe, crucial for our students – and we hope to see the needle move in the right direction in the future,” Comptroller Stringer said. “We, as a city, are defined by how we treat our children. Yet, when just a fraction of eighth grade students are getting mandated instruction, I’m alarmed. That’s why I’m calling on the DOE to implement a Chancellor’s Regulation that guarantees sexual health education for all middle and high school students. It’s commonsense, it should be codified in the rules, and it should be considered part of a standard classroom education for all – not a luxury for a few.”

Specifically, Comptroller Stringer’s report found:

• Only 57 percent of eighth grade students completed the New York State-mandated requirement of one semester of health taught during the middle school years;
• Only 7.6 percent of all health instructors participated in any professional development related to sexual health education within the last two years;
• Of all 6-8 middle schools specifically, 28 percent do not have a teacher assigned to teach health;
• 88 percent of schools that teach students in grades 6-12 (844 schools) have no teacher who is licensed by New York City for health education. This includes:
  • 92 percent of middle schools (398 middle schools)
  • 53 percent of high schools (446 high schools)
• Across all grades in New York City, 568 out of 1043 – or 45 percent – of health teachers are not state certified;
• Just 144 of the 4,560 teachers in middle and high schools who were assigned to teach health are actually licensed by the City to do so;

At the same time, public health data shows that:

• 4 percent of New York City teenagers reported experiencing sexual dating violence during the past 12 months, according to a 2015 survey of public high school students in grades 9-12. On average, New York City teenagers place over 1,400 calls to the City’s Domestic Violence hotline each month;
• While pregnancy rates among New York City teens have dropped overall in recent years, they remain elevated in some parts of the city. Teen pregnancy rates in the Bronx, for instance, remain the highest in the state – in 2014, there were 69 pregnancies per 1,000 females age 15-19 years, compared with the citywide rate of 48.1 per 1,000;
• In New York City among youth ages 13-19, incidents of chlamydia and gonorrhea both were on the decline after reaching peaks in 2011. However, both began to inch up again in 2015, the most recent year for which there is city data, for the first time since 2010; and
• According to the 2015 National School Climate Survey, 85 percent of LGBTQ students reported verbal harassment, while 13 percent reported being physically assaulted. Public health data show that LGBTQ youth are more likely to engage in risk behaviors that contribute to attempted suicide and substance abuse, and are at increased risk for homelessness – making the need for comprehensive sexual education all the more important.

The report comes as sexual health education is under attack in Washington. In July, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that all grant funding through the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program would be terminated two years early, and the Republican Congress has already moved to strip its funding along with the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), opting instead to support abstinence-only sexual education. These funding streams support many Community Based Organizations that are providing sex ed instruction in both schools and communities, making it even more critical that schools are consistently delivering quality comprehensive sexual health education to students.

New York State law requires that all students receive health instruction, and that students in grades 6-12 be taught health by a certified health instructor. While New York State law does not explicitly require that sexual health be included in mandated health instruction, the NYC DOE has advised principals since 2011 to include sexual health as part of health instruction for grades 6-12. As the most recent data shows, very few schools are in compliance with either the state requirement or the City’s policy. What is needed is deepened accountability and greater communication prioritizing the importance of sexual health education. As a result, the Comptroller called on the DOE to implement a Chancellor’s regulation that guarantees sex ed for all middle and high school systems as part of a comprehensive – and common-sense – middle and high school education.

The Comptroller’s report puts forward a series of findings and recommends a set of reforms based on best practices from other cities aimed at helping students develop healthy, informed outlooks on their own sexual health and identity.

DOE Should Issue a Chancellor’s Regulation Regarding Sex Ed

The DOE should mandate sexual health and wellness instruction in the health curriculum taught in 6th to 12thgrades through a Chancellor’s Regulation, and expand the mandate to include K-5th grades following National Sexuality Education Standards.

DOE must comply with State law by ensuring all secondary school health instructors are certified to teach health

Schools that do not have certified health instructors in grades 6-12 should provide a pathway for certification for at least one health instructor. This may include covering or subsidizing the cost of certification or other incentives.

Improve methods of evaluation and public reporting

A review of sexual health education should be included as part of every school’s quality review, conducted by the Department of Education.

Expand School Wellness Councils to all schools

School Wellness Councils are existing volunteer bodies that can provide oversight and emphasize the importance of sexual health education but they are not in place in every school.

Coordinate sexual health and wellness efforts

The Department of Education needs to better synchronize efforts and resources specific to comprehensive sexual health offered by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence (OCDV).

Friends of Van Cortlandt Park - Hike-toberfest is One Week From Today!

Hike, Eat, Drink & Celebrate with Friends during our new fun fundraiser for the hiking trails of Van Cortlandt Park. Come see why VCP is Where NYC Hikes.

Hikes start at 2pm: Hikers will have the option of going on a 4-5 mile hike throughout the park OR a 2 mile leisurely nature hike or Loving the Bronx history tour. All hikes will be led by guides and take about 2 hours. All registered participants will receive a VCP Where NYC Hikes giveaway. 

Oktoberfest is from 4-7pm: Attendees will receive a Hike-toberfest Souvenir Mug, eat German food by Loreley Restaurant & Biergarten, enjoy local beers served by The Bronx Beer Hall and listen to a performance by The Third Wheel Band. Special thank you to all the breweries for donating! Yard games will be set up to challenge your friends as you hang out on the Van Cortlandt House Museum Lawn. 

Tickets Purchased in Advance Are Discounted

Tickets at the door are more expensive and cannot be guaranteed.

Sponsorship Opportunities Available.

Friends of Van Cortlandt Park

vancortlandt.org

718-601-1553

info@vancortlandt.org

80 Van Cortlandt Park South Ste. E1

Bronx, NY 10463, US

Former Mobile Phone Industry Employee Sentenced In Manhattan Federal Court To 33 Months In Prison For Role In Multimillion-Dollar Consumer Fraud Scheme

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that FRANCIS ASSIFUAH, a/k/a “Francis Assif,” was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for participating in a massive scheme to defraud consumers by placing unauthorized charges for text messaging services on their cell phone bills, through a practice known as “auto-subscribing.” Through their fraudulent scheme, ASSIFUAH and his co-conspirators charged millions of mobile phone customers $9.99 a month for unsolicited, recurring text messages about topics such as horoscopes, celebrity gossip, and trivia facts, without the customers’ knowledge or consent. The fraud resulted in the theft of over $100 million from consumers throughout the United States. ASSIFUAH pled guilty to his role in the fraud on February 7, 2017, and was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court by the Honorable Katherine B. Forrest.

To date, four additional defendants, Andrew Bachman, Lin Miao, Michael Pajackowski, and Erdolo Eromo, have pled guilty in connection with their participation in the fraud, and one additional defendant, Fraser Thompson, was convicted by a jury on September 5, 2017, following a three-week trial.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Francis Assifuah and his co-conspirators charged millions of cell phone customers for text message services they never signed up for, ultimately reaping more than $100 million from their scheme. Together with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to uncovering and prosecuting schemes that defraud consumers.”

According to the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, other court documents, and statements made in connection with ASSIFUAH’S guilty plea and sentencing:

ASSIFUAH is a former employee of Mobile Messenger, a mobile “aggregator” that compiled, or “aggregated,” charges for premium services – such as monthly horoscopes, celebrity gossip, and trivia facts – on consumers’ mobile phone bills. In the auto-subscribing scheme, Mobile Messenger worked with multiple different “content provider” companies, which sent consumers the unwanted text messages that ultimately resulted in the consumers being charged for services they had not authorized. Those content providers included a company called Tatto Media, which was operated by Miao; companies called CF Enterprises and DigiMobi, which were operated by Eugeni Tsvetnenko, a/k/a “Zhenya”; and a company called Bleam Technology, which was operated by ASSIFUAH.

While he was working at Mobile Messenger, ASSIFUAH worked with and befriended Eromo. In early 2012, Eromo approached Pajackowski, a fellow Mobile Messenger employee, and asked to participate more actively in the auto-subscribing activities that Pajackowski and others were engaging in with Tatto Media. After Pajackowski told Eromo there was no room for him in the Tatto Media auto-subscription, Pajackowski suggested that they recruit another content provider with technical expertise to help them expand the scheme. Eromo then met with ASSIFUAH at a trade show in Las Vegas and presented him with the plan to auto-subscribe, using Bleam Technology as the content provider. By the time Eromo returned from the Las Vegas trade show, ASSIFUAH had agreed to become involved in auto-subscribing. Shortly thereafter, Eromo, Pajackowski, and ASSIFUAH began to auto-subscribe consumers through Bleam Technology, using Mobile Messenger as the mobile aggregator.

The auto-subscription scheme, through all of the content providers that it involved, affected millions of consumers and generated over $100 million in criminal proceeds. 

In addition to the prison sentence, ASSIFUAH, 44, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced to two years of supervised release.

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and expressed his sincere gratitude to the Federal Trade Commission for their support and assistance with the investigation.

If you believe you were a victim of this crime, including a victim entitled to restitution, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement and/or receive notice of future developments in the case or additional information, please contact the Victim/Witness Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at (866) 874-8900. For additional information, go to http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nys/victimwitness.html.

Businessman Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Forge A Federal Judge’s Signature

The Defendant Used Counterfeit Court Orders to Get Websites Containing Unfavorable Postings About His Company De-Indexed From Google Search Results

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Michael Greco, the United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York (“USMS”), announced that MICHAEL ARNSTEIN pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter Jr. to one count of conspiracy to forge a federal judge’s signature.  ARNSTEIN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Carter on January 16, 2018. 

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As he admitted today, Michael Arnstein exploited the authority of the federal judiciary in a blatantly criminal scheme. By forging court orders and the signature of a U.S. District Judge, Arnstein was able to effectively erase websites critical of Arnstein’s business from its search results. Now Arnstein awaits sentencing in the same court he impersonated.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “Arnstein’s attempts to remove any trace of unfavorable information about his business posted online sent him down a slippery slope.  Not only did he commit a federal crime by forging a judge’s signature in furtherance of his scheme, but he now finds himself back on the Internet.  This time, however, it’s a story no search engine can erase.”

U.S. Marshal Michael Greco said:  “The outstanding combination of investigative efforts by the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service enabled deputies and special agents to expose an egregious attempt at forgery and deception by Michael Arnstein.  The Deputy U.S. Marshals assigned to the Southern District of New York’s Protective Intelligence Unit work tirelessly to investigate any and all forms of inappropriate communications in order to thwart such schemes.  As always, the U.S. Marshals Service is committed to protecting the safety, security and integrity of our federal judiciary and court family.”     

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, the felony Information to which ARNSTEIN pled guilty, and statements made during the plea proceeding and other court proceedings:

Between February 2014 and February 2017, ARNSTEIN engaged in a brazen scheme to submit counterfeit federal court orders to Google, Inc. (“Google”) in an effort to get websites containing unfavorable postings about ARNSTEIN’s business de-indexed from Google’s internet search results. In furtherance of this scheme, ARNSTEIN and others forged the signature of a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York on over ten counterfeit court orders.  These counterfeit orders listed the websites containing purportedly defamatory information about ARNSTEIN’s business and ordered the removal of such information from the websites.  ARNSTEIN then submitted the counterfeit orders, which appeared to be valid on their face, to Google and requested that Google de-index the websites containing the purportedly defamatory information.  ARNSTEIN often succeeded in getting the websites de-indexed using the counterfeit court orders.   

ARNSTEIN, 40, of Kailua, Hawaii, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to forge a judicial signature, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. 

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Marshals Service.  Mr. Kim also thanked Google for its helpful assistance in this investigation. 

A.G. Schneiderman Announces Guilty Plea Of Bronx County Man For His Role In Heroin Trafficking Ring

Jeremey Collazo Sold Over 2,000 Glassines Of Heroin To An Undercover Detective, Will Be Sentenced  To 3 Years In Prison

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the guilty plea of Jeremey Collazo for his role in a drug trafficking ring that distributed heroin throughout New York and Bronx counties. On four separate dates, Collazo was captured selling plastic bags filled with heroin to an undercover detective.  In one instance, Collazo smuggled the heroin inside audio speakers into a storage unit that was utilized by law enforcement and outfitted with undercover cameras.  Once inside of the storage unit, Collazo opened the speakers and removed the hidden heroin bags to give it to the undercover detective. In total, Collazo sold more than 2,000 glassines of heroin during the course of this investigation.

The narcotics dealing was part of “Operation Steal Horses” a long-term investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force and the New York Police Department’s Auto Crime Division, which resulted in the arrest of a ten individuals in Bronx County for participating in organized motorcycle-theft and narcotics rings.

“We’ll continue to act to take dangerous drugs – and those who deal them – off our streets,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Too many New York families are plagued by the opioid epidemic and the violence that often come with it. We’re committed to continuing to work tirelessly with our partners in local law enforcement to stop the flow of illegal and dangerous drugs.”

As part of the long-term investigation, law enforcement also employed street-side covert cameras, confidential informants, and undercover officers. 

Collazo, 30, of Bronx County, pled guilty on September 13, 2017 to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a B level felony conviction.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by Bronx County Supreme Court Justice Steven L. Barrett, on October 4, 2017, to 3 years in prison, with 5 years of post-release supervision. The Bronx County motorcycle and heroin indictments against the remaining defendants are still pending.

The Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) has now taken down 25 large drug trafficking gangs, made more than 580 felony narcotics arrests, and seized more than $1.5 million and more than 2,000 pounds of illegal drugs since 2011. In the past several months alone, Attorney General Schneiderman’s new Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (“S.U.R.G.E.”) Initiative—a crackdown on New York’s growing heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks—has resulted in 260 alleged traffickers and dealers taken off the streets across New York, through Operation Bricktown, Operation Un-Wise, Operation Gravy Train, Operation Bloodsport, Operation Pipeline, and Operation Wrecking Ball.

The charges against the remaining defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

A.G. Schneiderman Announces First-Of-Its-Kind Partnership With Four NYC Non-Profits To Demonstrate Benefits Of All-Electric Trucks

Project "E3” (E-Cubed) Will Equip Wildlife Conservation Society, NY Botanical Garden, Habitat For Humanity NYC, & Big Reuse With Electric Delivery Trucks For Two Years

E3 Funded Through Attorney General’s $9.5 Million Clean Air Settlement With American Electric Power 

In NYC, Trucks Produce Over 70% Of Traffic-Related Soot Pollution – Pollution That Causes 320 Premature Deaths And 870 Emergency Room Visits And Hospitalizations In The City Every Single Year

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, along with four prominent New York City-based non-profits, today announced a first-of-it-kind partnership, coined "E3” (E-Cubed), to highlight the economic, efficiency and environmental benefits that all-electric delivery trucks could have for New Yorkers. The innovative project will give the Wildlife Conservation Society, New York Botanical Garden, Habitat for Humanity New York City, and Big Reuse the opportunity to lease battery-powered electric delivery trucks for two years, while documenting the benefits of the trucks’ use in New York City. The initiative furthers the Attorney General’s commitment to protecting New Yorkers from dangerous pollution and its public health impacts, as the project is funded by a $9.5 million settlement the Attorney General’s Office reached with American Electric Power, the largest U.S. power company, over the company’s violations of the federal Clean Air Act. 

"New Yorkers deserve access to clean, safe and healthy environments,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Electric trucks offer an alternative to the gas and diesel powered delivery trucks that pump noise, greenhouse gases, and other pollution into our neighborhoods – and have a dire impact on our public health and environment. This innovative partnership will showcase how zero-emission vehicles can offer a cleaner, greener, healthier, and more affordable solution for New Yorkers.” 

The participating non-profit organizations, chosen through a competitive application process, will each receive funding from the Attorney General to lease two all-electric Mitsubishi Fuso “eCanter” medium-duty delivery trucks to support core operations and services for two years.  

During this period, the Attorney General and M.J. Bradley & Associates—a firm with an established practice in the implementation of advanced vehicle technologies—will study the performance of the electric trucks deployed in the project, and document their utility and benefits in New York City. The Attorney General’s Office will then prepare a report on the study’s findings with the goal of addressing common concerns of private truck fleet operators about adopting electric trucks by validating the reliability and business case for these vehicles.

John Calvelli, Executive Vice President for Public Affairs of the Wildlife Conservation Society, said, “As a global conservation organization working in 60 countries and all the world’s oceans, as well as managing the world’s largest network of urban zoos, we have seen firsthand the impacts of climate change and other air pollution on wildlife and wild places. Attorney General Schneiderman has shown real leadership in tackling this issue head on, and we are grateful and honored to be part of the solution by participating in this project to use electric trucks at our zoos in New York City.”

Gregory Long, Chief Executive Officer and The William C. Steere Sr. President of The New York Botanical Garden, said, “We are very grateful to Attorney General Schneiderman for this opportunity to add two all-electric trucks to our fleet of vehicles. As an institution, we are committed to being on the cutting edge of energy efficiency and to reducing our carbon emissions to the greatest possible extent. We are extremely proud to have been chosen by the Attorney General to demonstrate these electric trucks, and we intend to use them both at the Botanical Garden and on the streets of New York City so people will see the important role that these innovative vehicles can play in protecting our environment.”

Because they deliver more than 91 percent of all goods in New York City, trucks have a substantial impact on the city’s air quality. According to the American Lung Association, New York City is one of the worst cities in the nation for soot pollution, which contributes to heart disease, respiratory illness, and death. This is underscored by the fact that soot pollution from traffic in the New York City has been found to cause 320 premature deaths and 870 emergency room visits and hospitalizations annually, according to the New York Health Department. Trucks are responsible for over 70 percent of traffic-related soot – more than twice as much to this soot pollution as passenger cars and ten times than buses. Notably, the impacts of soot pollution are most acutely felt by the city’s low-income communities, with the poorest neighborhoods experiencing 1.7 times higher soot exposures and 9.3 times the rate of emergency department visits for asthma due to emissions from trucks and buses.  

Experts argue that delivery trucks operating in urban centers are ideally suited for "electrification." This is because urban delivery trucks typically work out of a central depot, and travel relatively short, well-defined routes. In this way, two major obstacles to all-electric vehicles – limits on vehicle range and the availability of charging stations – are largely irrelevant to operating electric delivery trucks in cities.  In addition, electric trucks are less polluting, more fuel efficient, and cost less to maintain than conventional gas and diesel-fueled trucks.  

Today’s announcement follows a number of other steps Attorney General Schneiderman has taken to protect New Yorkers’ air and health, including filing suit against the Environmental Protection Agency for its illegal delay of smog regulations; within days, the EPA reversed course.

City Hall in Your Borough: City Resource Fair - Wednesday, September 27, 2017 - TO BE HELD IN HARLEM

  On Wednesday, September 27, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer will host a City Resource Fair during City Hall in Your Borough week. Top representatives from City Hall, the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs, the Department of Transportation, Department of Finance, NYPD, Economic Development Corporation, Department of Education, Department of Health, Small Business Services, Department of Parks and Recreation, among others, will be available to answer Manhattan residents’ questions. 

Manhattanites can sign up to attend via at nyc.gov/Manhattan or call (212) 748-0281.

WHAT:           City Hall in Your Borough: City Resource Fair

WHEN:           Wednesday, September 27, 2017

                                10:30 A.M. – 2:30 P.M.

WHERE:         Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center

3940 Broadway

New York, NY 10032