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At a hearing held by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 28, a key bill on greenways was discussed. Intro 291, a bill sponsored by Carlina Rivera and Chair Brooks-Powers, would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to create a master plan for New York City’s greenways and to regularly engage with communities regarding proposed changes, updates, or repair work to greenway sections.

Last week, on June 27th, there was a joint Oversight Hearing with the Committee on Civil Service and Labor, Committee on Environmental Protection, and Committee on Housing and Buildings. This hearing was regarding Local Law 97 and the Green Workforce Pipeline. Not only did the Council Member Chairs of each of these Committees speak, but so did various environmental, labor, and, and housing organizations. 

After the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, city-dwellers everywhere realized the importance of outdoor spaces. In New York City, the most densely populated city in the US with over 27,000 people per square mile, people realized the need for more space for outdoor activities. Thus, New York unveiled the Open Streets program during the pandemic in the spring of 2020 where the need for outdoor space was at its peak

New York City’s parks serve as a peaceful respite from the bustle of urban life. They’re home to sporting events, concerts, and community gardens. But these park safe havens may contain a hidden danger  — a recent study found high levels of lead in the soil of several NYC parks, surpassing the EPA’s soil cleanup value of 400 milligrams of lead per kilogram of soil. Soil samples from Long Island City in Queens and Greenpoint in Brooklyn averaged 540 mg/kg and 450 mg/kg, respectively. 

It’s rare to see borough presidents working together, but there is one initiative that all five can get behind– trees. In February, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine introduced a new project alongside Vanessa Gibson of the Bronx, Antonio Reynoso of Brooklyn, Donovan Richards of Queens, and Vito Fossella of Staten Island. They are calling on Mayor Adams to plant one million new trees by 2030. 

New York voters turned out on Election Day to deliver a resounding victory for the environment! Voters approved Proposition 1, the $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act, and elected environmental champions up and down the ballot.

We are seeking a dynamic individual to join our staff as Director of Communications. This position will take the lead in planning and carrying out the organization’s internal and external communications to market NYLCV’s brand and message through multiple communications channels and strategies, including both earned and social media.

The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), passed in 2019, established emission goals for New York to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses it puts by 85% by 2050. Now, elected officials are considering three bills that would allow New York to take the first steps towards these goals.  The All-Electric Building Act would switch the on-site heating and cooking in new buildings away from natural gas, propane, and oil heaters to zero on-site emission sources like heat pumps and induction stoves. Sponsored by  Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, this bill would put New York on a pathway to zero on-site emissions in new construction.