Environmental law package passed
Constantinides’ landmark legislation approved by council to defend against climate change
BY BILL PARRY
New York City has laid
the foundation for its own
Green New Deal after the
City Council passed the
Climate Mobilization Act by
a 42-2 vote Thursday.
The nine-piece legislative
package, introduced by
City Councilman Costa
Constantinides, will fight
the growing effects of
climate change on the city’s
future. Together, the bills
aim to significantly reduce
carbon emissions from large
buildings, better optimize
their roofs for green
planting and renewable
energy, and take the first
steps to fostering clean
power throughout the five
boroughs.
“The Climate
Mobilization Act is a down
payment on the future of New
York City, one that ensures
we lead the way in the evergrowing
fight against climate
change,” Constantinides, the
Chairman of the Committee
on Environmental
Protection, said. “Today,
we sent that message to
the world by enacting the
boldest mandate to reduce
carbon emissions, tackling
one of the biggest drivers of
climate change.”
The Clean Tower Plan
anchors the Climate
Mobilization Act and
mandates large buildings
collectively reduce their
carbon footprint a collective
40% by 2030. Though
buildings 25,000 square feet
or larger account for 2% of
the one million structures
in New York City, they emit
30% of our greenhouse gases
annually.
Different building classes
are assigned a specific
carbon emission reduction
number in the bill, which
owners will have flexibility
on how best to hit that target.
An Office of Building Energy
and Emissions Performance
will be established within
the Department of Buildings
to work with owners on how
best to hit their emissions
number. When signed into
law, this will be the largest
carbon emissions reduction
mandate every enacted by
City Councilman Costa Constantinides receives a standling ovation from his colleagues after they passed his Climate Mobilization Act on
April 18. Courtesy of NYC Council
any city, anywhere.
Other approved measures
include a low-cost program
to finance upgrades required
under the clean tower
plan, one to clear red tape
currently making it difficult
to build large wind turbines
in the city, and another
that requires the city to
determine by 2021 which of
the 21 gas-powered power
plants could be feasibly
closed in favor of renewable
energy sources and batteries
to store power.
“This represents over two
years of engagement with
the various communities,
industries and everyday New
Yorkers impacted by climate
change,” Constantinides
said. “We are answering the
call for bold action we’ve
heard from the IPCC, Donald
Trump’s own National
Climate Assessment, and the
city’s own panel on climate
change,” Constantinides
said.
Other approved measures
include a low-cost program
to finance upgrades required
under the clean tower
plan, one to clear red tape
currently making it difficult
to build large wind turbines
in the city, and another
that requires the city to
determine by 2021 which of
the 21 gas-powered power
plants could be feasibly
closed in favor of renewable
energy sources and batteries
to store power.
That bill is of special
interest to an area of Queens
known as “Asthma Alley”
where residents suffer a high
rate of respiratory ailments
due to power plants in Long
Island City and Astoria that
produce over 50 percent of
the entire city’s electricity.
Pollutants caused by these
power plants contribute to
the risk of asthma.
Multiple reports last
year, published at the
international, federal,
and local level warn of
catastrophic circumstances
as soon as 2030 without
government taking real
action now. The National
Climate Assessment,
published in November,
warned the New York region
could see up to 100,000
climate refugees by 2100
due to intense flooding
and other effects from this
phenomenon.
“We have a historic
opportunity to protect our
planet and mitigate the
devastating effects of global
warming,,” Speaker Corey
Johnson, who co-sponsored
the legislation, said. “There
is no time to waste. We have
an obligation to act now, not
for us, burt for our children
and grandchildren. This
is why the City Council
passed some of the most
aggressive and innovative
climate change legislation
on the planet to combat
climate change. This is a
Green New Deal for New
York City. It is our hope that
other municipalities, big
and small, will follow in our
footsteps.”
City Councilman
Donovan Richards’ bill
to promote green roofs —
natural planting, solar panel
and small wind turbine
installation, on buildings
five stories or smaller,
passed as part of the Climate
Mobilization
TIMESLEDGER is published weekly by Queens CNG LLC, 41-02 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY. 11361, (718) 229-0300. The entire contents of this publication are copyright 2018. All rights reserved. The newspaper will not be
liable for errors appearing in any advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Periodicals postage paid at Flushing, N.Y.. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the TimesLedger C/O News Queens
CNG LLC. 41-02 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, N.Y. 11361.
TIMESLEDGER, A 2 PR. 26-MAY 2, 2019 QNS.COM
/QNS.COM
