President-Elect, Joseph Biden, wants to spend $2 Trillion on Green Infrastructure Projects across the Country. What should New York City do with its share?
Officials could subsidize 150,000 Jobs Handling Energy Retrofits for Buildings, whose Owners could face Stiff Fines by 2024 if they don’t Reduce their Footprint, according to Pat Sapinsley, Managing Director of Cleantech Initiatives at NYU’s Urban Future Lab.
Adam Freed, Principal of Bloomberg Associates, suggested the City Tear Down Expressways such as the Gowanus, “replacing them with tree-lined boulevards, making the neighborhoods greener, safer and more resilient.”
Biden wouldn’t Ban Fracking, but his Clean Grid would Phase Out Natural Gas.
Those Recommendations are among 40 from Academics, Environmental Advocates, and Business Consultants, collected in a New Report from the Center for an Urban Future.
“It is hard to think of any city in the U.S. that could benefit more from a public works program,” said Jonathan Bowles, Executive Director of the Nonprofit Think Tank. “There are 540,000 fewer New Yorkers working today than in February, and at the same time the city has an urgent need to prepare for climate change.”
Republicans might still hold the Senate as Biden (D), takes Office, however. That likely could Limit the Scope of his Ambitions. But Bowles noted there are many Republicans who have Expressed Support for Infrastructure Spending.
Under the Climate Mobilization Act the New York City Council Approved in the Spring, New York City must Cut its Emissions 40% from 2005 Levels within 10 years. Despite that Goal, a recent City Hall Report showed that Carbon Emissions were Down only 15% last year compared with 2005, after Decreasing by 18.2% between 2005 and 2017, as found in an Analysis this week by The City.
“New York is proactive on the issue, but they are limited in their resources. That is why federal help could open such an opportunity,” Bowles said. “The city should be getting ready and lining up projects.”
The Report offers a Vision of Solar Farms and Battery Storage on Rikers Island, an idea backed by Queens Councilman Costa Constantinides, and Flood Barriers on the West Side of Lower and Midtown Manhattan to Match those Approved for the East Side.
Another idea calls for Raising Hunts Point Market, which is on a Low-Lying Peninsula, “cut off from the nearby residential community and vulnerable to flooding,” according to Amy Chester, Managing Director of Rebuild by Design.
Empty Retail Storefronts, a consequence of the Covid-19 Pandemic, could be Repurposed to grow Vegetables using Hydroponics and other Technologies.
The City might even want to Rethink the Color of its Streets, according to the Report.
“Los Angeles is mitigating the heat-island effect by painting roads in a white-colored, highly reflective sealant,” noted Laurie Schoeman, a Senior Director with the Nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners. “New York City needs to follow L.A.’s example of lightening street surfaces, starting with walkways, bikeways and sidewalks and expanding the program through procurement, engineering and innovation.”
CLICK HERE to read the 40 suggestions.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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