June has been a devastating month, with one awful decision after another from a reactionary Supreme Court, hellbent on dragging the United States back to a time before civil, reproductive and environmental rights. While progressive policies and human rights are under assault from SCOTUS, NYC-EJA, our members and allies are even more determined to fight for environmental and climate justice at the state and local levels. Read on, to see how some of that struggle played out this past month. |
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Statement on SCOTUS EPA Decision |
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We are outraged at last week's ruling by the Supreme Court to limit the authority of the EPA, and potentially of other agencies as well, to enforce regulations that would protect the environment and public health.
Read NYC-EJA's complete statement here. |
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ElectrifyNY Responds to EPA |
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On Monday, June 13, 2022, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it was considering delaying the state of California rules for heavy-duty truck pollution. The agency announced it would host a virtual hearing so the public may weigh in on California’s waiver requests and that the public comment period will remain open until August 2, 2022. If the waiver is denied, states across the country, like New York, could see policy implementation delayed, such as the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule adopted by New York in December 2021, and climate targets missed. ElectrifyNY coalition members, including NYC-EJA's Transportation Planner, Kevin Garcia, testified at the hearing on the importance of the EPA granting California these waivers in order to reduce emissions, jumpstart our state’s electrification transition, and meet our climate targets.
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Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Gathering of EJ/CJ East Coast Groups |
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On June 29, NYC-EJA and other Northeast regional Climate Justice Alliance members hosted a gathering with grassroots environmental and climate justice organizations throughout East Coast states that are currently members of, or are joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade program for fossil fuel power plants. Although NYC-EJA and many organizations participating in the program have fundamental problems with cap-and-trade, we nevertheless strategized around ways to reduce harm and build equity as the program undergoes a program review process. |
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GRASP Business Resiliency Toolkit Launch |
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After years of collaborative efforts, UPROSE, in partnership with NYC-EJA, RAND Corporation, and the Lifeline Group, have created an app that acts as a toolkit for auto shop owners to use to help make their businesses more resilient. With a range of resilience best practices, this resource will provide the tools for local businesses in the mixed-use industrial waterfront of Sunset Park (and beyond) with preparing for and adapting to climate-related emergencies such as flooding and storms, and by so doing, protect their community from fugitive chemicals.
UPROSE, joined by other members of the GRASP (Grassroots Research to Action in Sunset Park) initiative, honored local Sunset Park auto shops as climate resilience heroes for their work developing best practices to prevent toxic chemicals from endangering workers and the community during flooding and other climate change related scenarios.
Learn more about the initiative here.
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LL97 Oversight Hearing on Green Workforce |
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On June 27th, the NYC Council's Committee on Civil Service and Labor jointly with the Committee on Environmental Protection and the Committee on Housing and Buildings held an oversight hearing on the green workforce development aspects of Local Law 97, the landmark law that passed in 2019 as part of the Climate Mobilization Act. Local Law 97 requires large buildings, which contribute to nearly 70% of the city's total emissions, to meet ambitious emissions reduction targets through retrofits. NYC-EJA's Resiliency Planner Shravanthi Kanekal testified in support of the complete and equitable implementation of the law, which has the capacity to produce thousands of good green jobs for New Yorkers from traditionally underrepresented groups such as immigrants, women and Black and brown New Yorkers. Read our full testimony here. |
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NYC-EJA's former Research Director Appointed to NYC Planning Commission |
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NYC-EJA is proud that our former Research Director Juan Camilo Osorio has been appointed to the NYC Planning Commission by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. Juan Camilo is a long time ally and environmental justice warrior!
NYC-EJA's Executive Director Eddie Bautista said “Juan Camilo Osorio is an inspired appointment by Borough President Reynoso. Professor Osorio is the epitome of a progressive planner: a seasoned, effective expert who understands that development must be in service of the people. Juan Camilo’s long, impressive track record of academic and public policy achievement, coupled with his unwavering commitment to environmental and social justice, makes him a standout and much-needed addition to the City Planning Commission. In this era of worsening climate change, Brooklynites – indeed, all New Yorkers – are lucky to have Juan Camilo Osorio’s talents, integrity and vision applied to the urgent development questions facing our great city. Pa’lante!”
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In June, our Transportation Planner, Kevin Garcia, was invited by Global Philanthropy Partnership and Further Strategies to spend a rigorous week in Europe to study the interconnected strategy of vehicle electrification, trip reduction, and transit necessary to meet 2030 climate and equity goals. The study group explored Amsterdam and London while they learned from experts about how their cities are pushing to reduce GHG emissions from transportation rapidly.
In both locations, the group listened to city officials and transit agencies on efforts on bus and freight electrification, including establishing ambitious and realistic timelines, and creating local medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle manufacturers. In Amsterdam, the study group toured the city on bikes to understand how locals travel and gain firsthand knowledge of a non-auto centric planned city and learn about the city’s bike-train integrated network. Community-based organizations shared efforts to center equity to improve and expand biking to surrounding neighborhoods by teaching residents how to bike, expanding bike maintenance services, and working with city agencies to build out quality bike infrastructure outside of the city center.
In London, agency leaders discussed the evolving pricing schemes and low emission zones that have shifted trips and catalyzed electrification. The group also heard from local advocates on their push to keep transit affordable and reliable. The group concluded their journey in London with a walking tour of a low-traffic neighborhood, or “mini-Holland,” by local advocates pushing to create walkable communities as the advocates call for more biking infrastructure, more pedestrian safety, and greater tree canopy.
We would like to extend a thank you to the coordinators listed above along with The Funders Network, the Summit Foundation, and the Energy Foundation.
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Members of the PEAK Coalition, including our Energy Planner Daniel Chu, spoke on Energy Innovations’ podcast Electrify This on the environmental justice impacts of the hydrogen economy and debunking the hype around this false solution.
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Sincerely,
Eddie Bautista
Executive Director
New York City Environmental Justice Alliance
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