Environment & Sustainability

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sting And The Police Announce Contribution To MillionTreesNYC And Reveal That Their Last Ever Concert Will Take Place In New York City To Benefit Local Public Television Stations

Tue, 6 May 2008 14:53:22 -0500

$2 Million Contribution to MillionTreesNYC – $1 Million Pledged by The Police, an Amount Matched by the City – Will Plant 10,000 New Trees and Help Reforest 2,000 Acres

Final Concert Will Raise Funds for Thirteen / WNET and WLIW New York

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg joined Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland of The Police to announce that the band’s final concert will be in New York City and their commitment to MillionTreesNYC, the City’s initiative to plant one million trees by the year 2017. MillionTreesNYC is a component of PlaNYC, the Mayor’s plan to make the City more sustainable and reduce its carbon footprint 30 percent by 2030. The Police pledged $1 million to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City in support of MillionTreesNYC. This donation, matched by the City, will provide $2 million which will plant 10,000 trees and help launch the reforestation component of MillionTreesNYC, which will reforest 2,000 acres of parkland across the five boroughs. Reforestation efforts improve air and water quality, reduce greenhouse gases and lower energy costs.

“The Police are now part of one of the most exciting elements of PlaNYC – MillionTreesNYC – our initiative to plant one million new trees over the next 10 years,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Sting’s human right’s advocacy is well known, as is his support for the environment, especially the rainforests. Today The Police have demonstrated their commitment to greening our City.”

“We are pleased to contribute to this powerful and historic initiative that will undoubtedly improve the quality of life for future generations,” said The Police. “We applaud Mayor Bloomberg and the City of New York for boldly confronting the City’s environmental issues and are excited to support their goal of creating a healthier, more sustainable City.”

The Police also announced that their final concert ever will be a fundraiser with proceeds benefiting the production of arts programming for Thirteen/WNET and WLIW New York. Tickets will be available nationally online via Thirteen/WNET and WLIW. More details about the benefit show, including venue and ticket information, will be released at a later date.

“We kicked off our very first American tour at CBGB’s in 1978 and this summer, thirty years later, our journey will come full circle as we play our final show here in New York City,” said The Police. “We are honored to partner with public television and have a deep respect for their commitment to arts and culture.”

“All of us at Thirteen/WNET and WLIW New York are incredibly honored to host the final concert of The Police and to be a part of this amazing event that will do so much to improve our City,” said Neal Shapiro, President and CEO of the Educational Broadcasting Corporation, the licensee of Thirteen/WNET and WLIW New York. “We are even more grateful that The Police have decided that proceeds from their landmark concert will directly benefit public television. On behalf of our millions of viewers, I personally want to thank Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland for their extraordinary generosity.”

Last year, the Mayor committed $400 million of City funds towards the ten-year MillionTreesNYC campaign, a partnership of the City Department of Parks & Recreation and the New York Restoration Project. The donation from The Police and the matching donation from the City will go towards the planting of 10,000 trees to create new urban forests, part of the Parks Department’s Natural Resources Group reforestation plan. Other parts of the plan are the total restocking of street trees and an increase of tree plantings on public and private lots.

Through MillionTreesNYC, the City will be able to increase its urban forest by 20 percent, while achieving the many environmental benefits that come with planting trees. Trees are particularly effective at cleansing the air by absorbing pollutants—sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon dioxide – through their leaves and intercept¬ing airborne particulate matter on leaf sur¬faces. New York City trees remove an estimated 2,200 tons of criteria pollutants from the air each year. By increasing canopy cover, MillionTreesNYC will help reduce the pollutants that trigger respiratory disorders, including asthma. Just four trees planted around a home can save up to 30% on summer cooling costs. All of the trees in New York City remove over 42,000 tons of carbon each year. The one million additional trees planted through MillionTreesNYC will remove an additional 151,658 tons of carbon from the atmosphere.

MillionTreesNYC planting efforts are focused on neighborhoods with low canopy cover and high rates of asthma hospitalization among children. These neighborhoods include Hunts Point and Morrisania in the Bronx, East New York in Brooklyn, East Harlem in Manhattan, the Rockaways in Queens and Stapleton in Staten Island. This public-private initiative is also dependent on the private support of individuals, foundations, and corporations to help plant trees.

In 1977, The Police stormed the music scene by innovatively blending reggae, punk, jazz and rock. The Police dominated the top of the charts and radio airwaves worldwide with five number one albums and a succession of top ten hit singles. The band has earned five Grammy Awards and sold over fifty million albums worldwide. In 2003, The Police were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2007 they reformed and embarked on a world tour. To date, this much heralded tour has played to over 2.5 million people on five continents and has garnered numerous accolades including ‘Major Tour of the Year’ (Pollstar), ‘Top Selling’ and ‘Top Tour of the Year’ (Billboard) as well as the People’s Choice award for ‘Favorite Reunion Tour of 2007.’

Mayor Michael Bloomberg Celebrates Completion Of Largest 'Green' Affordable Housing In Harlem

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:15:22 -0500

120 New Affordable Apartments in LEED Certified Building on 116th Street

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the completion of the Kalahari, a 249-unit mixed-income development on 116th Street in Harlem designed and built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Certification standards, the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance ‘green’ buildings. Twenty-five percent of the building’s energy comes from renewable sources such as solar and wind. The Kalahari offers 120 homes affordable to moderate- and middle-income households. The Kalahari was developed by Full Spectrum of NY and L&M Development Partners through the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s (HPD) Cornerstone program which builds multifamily, mixed-income housing on City-owned land. The Mayor was joined by HPD Commissioner Shaun Donovan, New York State Affordable Housing Corporation President and CEO Priscilla Almodovar, Goldman Sachs Group CEO Lloyd C. Blankfein, Housing Partnership Development Corporation President and CEO Dan Martin, Full Spectrum of NY Principal Carlton Brown, L&M Development Partners Principal Ron Moelis and JPMorgan Chase Senior Vice President Charles Gatewood.

“The Kalahari shows that affordable housing can also be sustainable housing,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “As we work to build housing for the million new people expected to come to New York by 2030, we need to ensure that we are building homes that people can afford and that allow the city to grow in an environmentally responsible way. These new homes are part of our 165,000-unit affordable housing plan, the largest municipal affordable housing plan in the nation’s history. Over 70,000 housing units have already been financed, keeping us on track to complete the plan on schedule.”

As part of PlaNYC, HPD is working with other agencies to create homes for almost a million more New Yorkers by 2030 while making housing more affordable and environmentally sustainable. The plan recommends that future housing developments be located less than half a mile from public transportation. The Kalahari is located in Central Harlem within walking distance of two major subway lines. As an eco-friendly residence, the Kalahari includes green features such as a fresh-filtered air delivery system that purifies air quality at a constant rate, Energy Star appliances that will help to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent below the New York State Energy Code, green roofs, and landscaped public courtyards featuring native plants. Today, nearly 80 percent of New York City’s carbon emissions come from buildings. During the construction of the Kalahari, the builders used recycled materials in everything from the structural steel and concrete to the gypsum board and carpets. Half of the apartments in the Kalahari will be affordable to households earning middle- and moderate-incomes, ranging between $63,810 to $131,165 for a family of four and $44,640 to $91,760 for a single person.

“Like the vibrant mix of colors on the Kalahari’s façade, here is proof that creative design, affordability and sustainability can be woven together to create a new Harlem landmark,” said HPD Commissioner Donovan. “This type of integration is crucial to creating more affordable housing for almost a million people by 2030. Sustainable design is no longer an exclusive luxury but a resource for improving the quality of life for all of New York City’s residents. Full Spectrum of NY and L&M Development Partners have created a building that successfully showcases the potential of smart building practices for residential use. In addition to Full Spectrum and L&M, I want to thank the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation, the Housing Partnership Development Corporation, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase for making this building possible.”

Using traditional African art work for design inspiration, the Kalahari’s architectural team, comprised of GF55 Partners, LLP and Frederic Schwarz Architects, incorporated bold colors, textures and patterns throughout the building’s façade along 115th and 116th streets, creating a contemporary Harlem landmark. A Harlem-based urban youth enrichment program, called StreetSquash, will occupy ground-floor space along 115th street, and ground-floor retail and a movie theater will occupy the commercial space along 116th Street.

“This multifaceted, mixed-use project was a winning endeavor from the beginning. Kalahari’s development team of L&M Development Partners and Full Spectrum of NY was thoroughly supported in its efforts through construction financing from JP Morgan Chase and an investment from Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, and we have them to thank for this incredible product,” said Ron Moelis of L&M Development Partners. “Kalahari represents a new generation of institutional dollars funding affordable housing projects within inner cities, and an example of a public-private partnership that creates a win-win situation. For this reason, we believe Kalahari is groundbreaking and a sign of good things to come in Harlem, New York City and beyond.”

“It is a great honor to be part of Earth Week, and we are excited to unveil Kalahari as part of New York City’s ongoing green revolution. Kalahari utilizes innovative designs to reduce energy and water demand, lowering the homes’ long term costs,” said Carlton Brown of Full Spectrum of NY. “Some of our sustainable features include a fresh-filtered air purification system, Energy-Star appliances, bamboo floors and much more. Our team believes that the future of affordable housing lies in environmentally-sensitive homes that are economically sustainable.”

For the financing of the development, the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation funded a grant of about $2.7 million. The Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group provided $8.2 million in mezzanine financing and JPMorgan Chase, with a bank group syndicate including Washington Mutual, Deutsche Bank, Capital One Bank, Carver Bank, and Commerce Bank, provided $95 million in construction financing. The development was built on city-owned property.

“Combining affordability and sustainability is an important priority for New York State,” said New York State Affordable Housing Corporation President and CEO Priscilla Almodovar. “We’re proud we are part of this innovative and environmentally progressive development that will provide affordable homes to several hundred New Yorkers. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the City of New York and the Housing Partnership Development Corporation to bring energy efficient affordable homes to working class families.”

“The Kalahari is a landmark development for Harlem, both in its design and leadership in building affordable units with green, sustainable features,” said Housing Partnership Development Corporation President and CEO Dan Martin. “We are proud to have worked with the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation in providing subsidies for the affordable units in this unique development. We also commend the state legislature for their recent historic increase in funding for the Affordable Housing Corporation, so that many more affordable housing opportunities can be available for New York City’s workforce.”

“The Kalahari is an important example of our firm’s commitment to investing in high quality, affordable and sustainable housing in America’s underserved neighborhoods,” said Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein. “Our Urban Investment Group's real estate strategy is to partner with local developers to spur construction with the potential to produce both solid financial returns and real benefits for the local community.”

“Chase is delighted to be the lead construction lender for such an exciting green project. Chase is also particularly proud of the many projects it has financed as part of the City redevelopment initiatives in the Harlem area surrounding the Kalahari,” said Charles A. Gatewood, Senior Vice President, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg And David Rockefeller Announce $10 Million Commitment Towards MillionTreesNYC

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:11:10 -0500

Donation Will Help Plant Over 18,000 Trees on Public Properties Including
Housing Authority Developments and Public Schools

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and David Rockefeller today announced their joint pledge of $10 million to the MillionTreesNYC initiative to plant trees in public spaces including New York Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments and at City schools. This donation of private funds made to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City by Mr. Rockefeller and Bloomberg Philanthropies will allow over 18,000 trees to be planted throughout the five boroughs. Thanks to this donation, all nine of NYCHA’s housing developments in East Harlem will be fully planted ahead of schedule and by the close of this year’s tree planting season. The donation will also help to launch a MillionTreesNYC Apprenticeship program to provide jobs to youth and support the long-term maintenance and stewardship of the newly planted trees. MillionTreesNYC is a public-private campaign to plant and care for one million trees over a decade and an important component of Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC initiative to make New York City more sustainable. At the announcement, held at NYCHA’s Jefferson Houses, Mayor Bloomberg and Mr. Rockefeller planted a rosebud tree with children from the City’s Thomas Jefferson Recreation Center.

“Today is Earth Day, and millions of people around the globe are making an extra effort to protect our planet. But here in New York, we’re working to observe Earth Day every day of the year. I am honored to stand with a great New Yorker, and a great American, David Rockefeller to make this donation,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “His generosity has inspired my matching donation, and I hope it inspires more residents, corporations and foundations to get involved, whether by purchasing a tree in someone’s honor, participating in one of the many volunteer planting days, or by adding a tree in your own front yard. We can all dig in and help make New York a greener, greater city.”

“I have admired Mike Bloomberg for a long time. He has been a great Mayor,” said Mr. Rockefeller. “I called him a few months ago and asked him if there was a project we might work on together that would benefit the city we both love. We decided the MillionTreesNYC initiative would be a wonderful collaboration given my family’s interest in the environment and the Mayor’s efforts to ensure a better quality of life for all New Yorkers.”

As a result of this generous donation, more than 10,700 trees are slated to be planted on NYCHA property and more than 5,600 trees are planned to be planted at playgrounds and on school properties. The donation will also help plant nearly 2,000 trees in other public locations including libraries, health centers, senior centers and cultural institutions citywide. Plantings will focus initially on sites in specially designated “Trees for Public Health” neighborhoods that have fewer than average street trees and higher than average rates of asthma among young people. These neighborhoods include Hunts Point, Morrisania, East New York, East Harlem, Stapleton, and the Rockaways. Funding will also be allocated for education and outreach efforts in these neighborhoods.

In addition this gift will be used to help fund a new job training effort, the MillionTreesNYC Apprenticeship program, which will connect City youth to the numerous “green collar” jobs that PlaNYC is creating. Jobs related to tree planting and care are currently in high demand as a result of MillionTreesNYC, and the Apprenticeship Program aims to provide the skills that youth need to capitalize on well-paying career opportunities. The target population for the program, disconnected youth aged 18-24, has been identified by the Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) as particularly in need of marketable employment skills. The program will include NYCHA residents within the target population for training in jobs that involve the planting, pruning and stewardship of the trees. The MillionTreesNYC Apprenticeship will be administered by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, in conjunction with other City agencies and nonprofit and community partners.

MillionTreesNYC was launched in October 2007 in partnership with New York Restoration Project (NYRP) as one of PlaNYC’s 127 initiatives to help meet the challenges faced by New York City as its population grows by one million more by 2030. Mayor Bloomberg allocated $400 million to the City’s Parks Department budget to plant 600,000 of the one million trees through reforesting 2,000 acres of parkland, planting street trees at all available locations, and creating 800 new greenstreets. The remaining 400,000 trees will be planted by homeowners in their own yards and by the business community in existing and new developments. In addition, NYRP and non-profit community partners, with the financial and in-kind support of individuals, corporations and foundations, will plant trees on public lands such as schoolyards, public housing land and outside libraries, community health centers, and senior centers with donations like the one announced today. The private campaign to raise these funds, which totals over $35 million, is being led by NYRP and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.

MillionTreesNYC relies on the volunteer support of New Yorkers to plant and care for trees. MillionTreesNYC Month this April provides many opportunities for New Yorkers to help to plant trees in every neighborhood. For more information, please go to www.nyc.gov to visit the MillionTreesNYC official website, or call 311.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg Delivers Keynote Address At Newsweek's Second Annual Global Environment Leadership Conference

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 09:22:33 -0500

“Thank you, Lally – and also Ann, and Professor Beach. Good morning, everyone. I want to thank Newsweek for inviting me to keynote their second annual ‘Global Environment Leadership Conference.’

“One of the absolute highlights for me last year was appearing on the cover of Newsweek. I don’t know if I helped sell any extra copies – but it made my mother very happy. Now, the keynote speaker at last year’s conference was terrific – and measuring up is going to be a very tall order – in more ways than one. Governor Schwarzenegger has a couple of inches on me.

“Still, Arnold calls me his ‘soul mate’ – and that’s not just because we’re both fearless, internationally famous action heroes. It’s also because we share a common outlook about government. And we’re both basically optimists. We see what people can accomplish when they work together, and that convinces us that real progress is possible. And that includes progress on the environmental issues that this conference will be addressing.

“Now, for far too long, environmentalism has gotten pitted against economic development. But that’s a myth that ought to be laid to rest. Arnold talked about that at last year’s conference. He spoke about how we can protect the environment and also protect the economy.

“Today, I’m not only going to second that idea, but take it one step further. Because the fact is that we can actually improve our environment while growing our economy. Certainly, growing our economy is a major concern in Washington, and throughout the nation, too. It’s not going to be easy or simple. It’s going to require leadership in the public and private sectors and change in our public and private lives.

“One thing that I’ve learned in government is that there’s always a good reason to do nothing. But business – and government, too – both increasingly recognize that going green is the best – indeed the only – pro-growth strategy, not just for the long term, but in the short run as well.

“The other participants in today’s conference can vouch for that, too. Let’s start with the private sector, where today green business is clearly good business. Just ask the representatives here today from Starbucks, Saatchi & Saatchi, Stoneyfield Farms, and Fetzer Vineyards, who will be on a panel entitled ‘Profitability through Sustainability.’

“They’ll tell you that going green helps the bottom line by reducing energy consumption and lowering energy costs. It’s also a plus in recruiting and retaining top employees – men and women who are often very environmentally conscious and active. And in today’s highly competitive economy – where the best people can and will go where they feel most comfortable – that’s an increasingly, and even overridingly, important factor.

“Cities are intensely competitive with one another, too. Increasingly, quality of life provides the winning edge in that competition. It’s often what separates the front runners from the also-rans in the global economy. Believe me, I know where I want New York City to be in that race. And I know that – as big as the benefits of environmentalism are, and as big as the risks of climate change if we don’t act – a lot of people would still rather do nothing.

“It takes courage to ask people to change – even if it won’t really cost them much. Political leaders today are afraid of their constituents. As Evan Thomas notes in this week’s Newsweek, ‘it takes a very great leader to extract sacrifice from the voters, but if we wait until the water starts lapping over Manhattan to really do something to affect climate change, it will be too late.’

“So we need a basic spirit of optimism – to believe that we can overcome the challenges we face. And we need the honesty to look at our problems. And we need the honesty to tell the voters what it will take to solve them. Optimism, honesty, and courage – this is what I think defines our environmental plan for New York City, ‘PlaNYC,’ which we unveiled on Earth Day last year.

“In fact, PlaNYC began as an effort to address the problems caused by success. It started from the assumption that New York City’s population will grow to more than nine million people by the year 2030. We’re very positive about that outlook, because population growth means economic growth.

“The growth we’re forecasting will produce three-quarters of a million new jobs and billions of dollars worth of new economic activity. It will keep New York in the forefront of the world’s cities – a place where people want to live and where businesses believe they must be. So PlaNYC is about managing and sustaining growth.

“We saw that in order to stay ahead of the curve, we’d have to rebuild an aging infrastructure for delivering the water and energy our growing city needs. We’d need to substantially broaden what was already the most ambitious affordable housing program ever undertaken by an American city. We’d have to enlarge the nation’s largest and best municipal park system, and also plant one million new trees throughout our city.

“We’d also have to dramatically expand our city and regional mass transit system. New York built more than 700 miles of subway lines in the first half of the 20th century; since then, expansion of our subway system has essentially stopped. And during the 1960s and 1970s, so did maintenance of the system. The subways went to seed – and the rest of the city nearly followed.

“Since then, we’ve brought our subways back. But in order to sustain our economic growth, we have to invest in new subway lines and new mass transit service. That’s why in December, we broke ground on a project – funded with City dollars – that will extend subway service from Times Square to a district of warehouses and rail yards on Manhattan’s Far West Side. We’re doing that because the time-honored lesson of New York transit history is ‘build it and they will come;’ Build new subway lines to undeveloped areas, and new businesses, housing, jobs, and tax revenue for the City will follow.

“That investment is good as far as it goes; it just doesn’t go nearly far enough. We’ve identified $50 billion worth of other essential transit projects for our growing city and region. But we need a way to finance them. So we decided to try a bold new approach – one that’s been in the news quite a bit recently: Congestion pricing – charging a fee for driving into the busiest part of the city during peak hours and dedicating those revenues to mass transit improvements.

“I began my remarks by describing an approach to government that reaches across political divisions and builds consensus. And our effort to enact congestion pricing was a prime example.

“When we first proposed it as part of PlaNYC a year ago, it had very few public proponents. I’m glad to see one of them, the incomparable Peggy Shepherd of West Harlem Environment Action, here today. But then more people looked at the facts, and they found what she, and we, found: That congestion pricing is a market-based solution to unsnarling the traffic tie-ups that sap $13 billion a year from our regional economy and foul the air we breathe. And in the bargain, it also could create a dedicated fund for mass transit improvements.

“A coalition of liberals and conservatives; environmentalists and business leaders; developers and preservationists: People who in the past haven’t been able to agree on the time of day agreed that it was time to give congestion pricing a try.

“Our City Council approved congestion pricing last week. And it had the support of four of the five top leaders in our state: Governor Paterson, who submitted a congestion pricing bill, the majority and minority leaders of the State Senate, and the minority leader of the lower house of the State Legislature, the Assembly.

“But unfortunately, as most of you know, yesterday the majority caucus in the Assembly chose not to bring the governor’s congestion pricing bill to a vote – effectively killing it. They complained about the inconvenience – even though most New Yorkers don’t drive. They said it hadn’t been studied enough – despite an entire years’ worth of analysis, following a process they had established. And ultimately, they didn’t even have the courage to vote on it – they just killed it in a back room.

“That’s not leadership. New York’s need to unsnarl congestion and create new mass transit are problems that aren’t going away. And the coalition that was developed around congestion pricing won’t melt away. The time for action can’t be postponed indefinitely.

“We’re also not waiting for that time – or for any future time – to continue moving forward on the rest of PlaNYC. Congestion pricing was important; it was new; and it was controversial, because we would have been the first city in the nation to implement it.

“But let me make something crystal clear this morning. It was one of only 127 items in the PlaNYC agenda. The other 126 initiatives are important too. Many of which can be achieved administratively. They require no approval by any other level or branch of government.

“And we’re moving aggressively on all of them – Including initiatives that address the most serious problem that we all face: Global warming.

“The facts are in and the science is clear: Global warming is a reality. We may not know now precisely how much our human activity is contributing to climate change, but we can’t afford to wait to find out. On this issue, I agree with New York Times columnist Tom Friedman: ‘It’s too late for later.’ So the time to act is now.

“That’s exactly what we’re doing in New York City. As I’ve said, our population is going to grow to more than nine million people by 2030. And we’ve set another goal for 2030, too: Decreasing our greenhouse gas production by 30%.

“We’re attacking that problem systematically and comprehensively. We know that cars and trucks account for roughly 20% of greenhouse gas production in our city. And we’ve already taken a major step in reducing those greenhouse gases. We’re turning the nation’s largest fleet of yellow cabs green by 2012, by requiring that they be hybrids or hybrid-equivalents.

“At the same time, we’re intensifying our efforts to curb the other 80% of greenhouse gases New Yorkers produce. That includes an on-going major public-private partnership to make the 900,000 buildings in our city more energy-efficient. It will involve stepped-up efforts to replace old, heavily polluting power plants with new and more efficient ones. And it will mean making greater use of clean, renewable power.

“In line with that, let me announce that today we’re launching a process that will, by roughly this time next year, more than double the production and use of solar power in New York City. It involves our designating a private developer who will purchase and install two megawatts of solar power capacity to on the roofs of City-owned buildings. That’s the equivalent of what it would take to power some 2,000 homes – although our plan is to use that solar power to help operate a number of major City facilities, including as many as five high schools, where our goal is to incorporate the solar installations into the curriculum.

“I’m going to go into more detail about this exciting new initiative when I speak to reporters later – but now, I want to acknowledge the U.S. Department of Energy in helping us develop this plan – and let me especially thank Assistant Secretary of Energy Alexander Karsner, who is with us today.

“In addition to that partnership, we’re also working with cities across the nation and around the world, learning from their experiences, sharing our best practices. And we’re urging, in no uncertain terms, stronger clearer national leadership on global warming, too. Because America is a great nation – and a great nation leads by example.

“That means that on climate change, we ought to be leading the way. Not waiting for others to act first, not bowing to special interests, not making policy by polling or political calculus, not hoping that technology will rescue us down the road, and not forcing our children to foot the bill.

“Leadership is about facing facts, making hard decisions.., and having the independence and courage to do the right thing, even when it’s not easy or immediately popular. Global warming is a test of America’s leadership – and not just on the environment. Climate change is a foreign policy issue, because our dependence on foreign oil entangles our interests with tyrants, and increases our exposure to terrorism.

“It’s also an economic imperative, because clean energy is going to be the oil gusher of the 21st century. Jobs are on the line here – good jobs of every kind: Farm jobs. Factory jobs. Engineering jobs. Sales jobs. Management jobs. We should be capturing those clean energy jobs for our nation - now.

“To do that, and to put the brakes on greenhouse gas pollution, I think we need to face facts and address four basic problems.

“First, we need to dramatically step up energy research and development.

“Second, we need to stop subsidizing corn-based ethanol, a giveaway to agribusiness that’s ruinous both environmentally and economically – contributing to the ‘sticker shock’ Americans are experiencing at supermarket checkout counters.

“Third, we need to get truly serious about requiring Detroit to build energy-efficient cars and trucks. If they don’t, they’ll just fall farther behind their foreign competitors.

“And fourth, we need to treat carbon emissions as a real cost of doing business.

“I believe the American people are prepared to accept our responsibility to lead by example. Our President and Congress must begin to show that leadership in a bi-partisan fashion.

“Taking that path won’t be an easy choice. It will demand courage from our elected officials. It will require changes in personal behavior from all of us. But once we begin walking that path, the rest of the world will recognize that Americans are once again fulfilling our historic mission of leadership. It will show that America’s leaders actually have the courage to lead and that Americans have the courage to do the right thing.

“And it will, like today’s conference, send a powerful message of hope to people everywhere who are working to save our good Earth for the children who will inherit it from us.

“Best wishes for a very successful day here at Georgetown. Thank you all very much, and God bless you all.”

Mayor Michael Bloomberg Declares April 2008 MillionTreesNYC Month

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 14:48:57 -0500

New Yorkers Get Involved in PlaNYC Initiative to Plant and Care for One Million New Trees in New York City by 2017

Mayor Bloomberg today issued a proclamation naming April 2008 as MillionTreesNYC Month in New York City. Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe presented the proclamation in Seward Park in Lower Manhattan. MillionTreesNYC Month, presented by BNP Paribas, coincides with the arrival of spring and seeks to raise public awareness for MillionTreesNYC, a public-private partnership between the Department of Parks & Recreation and Bette Midler’s New York Restoration Project (NYRP) through which one million new trees will be planted and cared for throughout the five boroughs by 2017. Commissioner Benepe was joined by New York Restoration Project Executive Director Drew Becher, Head of Corporate Communications of BNP Paribas North America Michele Sicard, and third grade students from P.S. 134 and M.S. 131, all of whom assisted in the ceremonial planting of a crabapple tree to mark the start of MillionTreesNYC Month.

“I am happy to proclaim April as MillionTreesNYC month,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “There are planting events throughout the month all over the City; each one will bring us closer to our million tree goal. Spring is a time of growth and renewal, I encourage New Yorkers to participate in a planting or discover other ways to get involved in MillionTreesNYC month.”

“The Mayor’s proclamation is part of the City’s tree-mendous long-term commitment to ‘greening’ New York City,” said Commissioner Benepe. “Spring has arrived, and we hope that all New Yorkers will dig in and help plant, protect, and preserve our City’s trees. Whether it’s by planting trees in your own backyard, watering the street tree outside your apartment, participating in a free tree education workshop, or donating online, there are a myriad of ways individual New Yorkers – from novices to expert arborists – can participate in this exciting Citywide initiative and help move us towards our goal of creating a more healthy and sustainable City.”

During MillionTreesNYC Month in April 2008, all New Yorkers are encouraged to “think globally and plant locally” by joining the City’s historic undertaking to expand New York City’s urban forest by 20 percent. Throughout the month, Parks, NYRP, and MillionTreesNYC partners will host free Citywide events for the public, including Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 25) celebrations, tree education seminars, tree stewardship workshops, tree pruning instructional courses, and Urban Park Ranger tree identification hikes throughout the City. There will also be large-scale volunteer tree-planting events, including the planting of 20,000 trees in parks Citywide on Saturday, April 12 through New York Cares’ Hands on New York Day and Jet Blue and NYRP’s One Thing That’s Green Day. In addition, the MillionTreesNYC website has launched an interactive feature webpage called “My Tree” through which New Yorkers can join an online tree stewardship community by sharing personal anecdotes and photos of their favorite New York City trees. New Yorkers can also register the trees they plant on private property so those trees can be counted towards the one million tree goal. To access the “My Tree” webpage and a full calendar of events on the MillionTreesNYC official website, visit www.nyc.gov or call 311.

“MillionTreesNYC Month provides us an incredible opportunity to educate New Yorkers about the importance of taking action and planting trees,” said Drew Becher, Executive Director of New York Restoration Project. “During the last year we have seen the power of participation and want to invite our City’s homeowners, youth, business leaders and community organizations to dig in and help us reach our million tree goal.”

Through a mix of public and private plantings, MillionTreesNYC partners and citizen volunteers are planting in places such as schoolyards, public housing campuses, health care facilities, business districts, commercial and residential developments, front yards and other private lands. All New Yorkers will share in the many benefits that come from planting trees – more beautiful neighborhoods and parks; cleaner air and water; higher property values; energy savings; cooler summer streets, yards, and public open spaces; and a healthier, more environmentally sustainable City.

MillionTreesNYC Month is sponsored by BNP Paribas, a European leader in global banking and financial services with a long-standing commitment to the environment and social responsibility. Through its sponsorship, BNP Paribas will donate 1,200 trees to home owners and families in designated “Trees for Public Health Neighborhoods” in early May. More than 200 BNP Paribas employees along with 200 students will also participate in a volunteer planting day on April 25 to commemorate Arbor Day, and will be raising funds internally through an employee fundraiser to adopt a school – for the purpose of making it more environmentally friendly – this fall. BNP Paribas is also creating a temporary greenhouse in Union Square as a venue to help encourage all New Yorkers to get involved in local sustainability initiatives and raise funds to support MillionTreesNYC. The Union Square Greenhouse will be present from April 26-29 and will be staffed with BNP Paribas volunteers.

“BNP Paribas is very excited to partner with MillionTreesNYC to help New York City change for the better,” said Everett Schenk, CEO of BNP Paribas North America. “This is an important initiative and aligned with BNP Paribas’ long term commitment to the environment and social responsibility.”

“As supporters of Mayor Bloomberg’s efforts to make New York City this country’s greenest large City, we were pleased to create a strategic partnership between BNP Paribas and MillionTreesNYC to develop MillionTrees Month and further promote the PlaNYC campaign,” said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta.

There are many ways to get involved in MillionTreesNYC:

• plant a tree in your yard;
• join a volunteer group planting trees in parks and on public land;
• request that the City plant street trees on your block;
• learn how to water, mulch, and prune trees;
• educate other New Yorkers on the importance of our urban forest; and
• become an advocate for trees.

To learn more about MillionTreesNYC, visit www.nyc.gov or call 311.

Mayor Bloomberg Praises Historic Passage Of Congestion Pricing Legislation In City Council

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 09:28:27 -0500

“Madam Speaker, thank you. You left one person off the list that deserves thanks and that is you because I think what is clear here is that Speaker Quinn’s principled leadership throughout the Council’s deliberations on congestion pricing shows this time, as it has in previous times, that she cares about the city and the interests of the city come first with her. It is not easy to corral a lot of people; it’s not easy to tackle some of the controversial issues. But Christine Quinn really did stand up and, with the power of persuasion and the arguments that we all know make a lot of sense here, she managed to get 30 votes when I think most people did not expect this to pass.

“Earlier today, as you know, we were up at Yankee Stadium. She was there expecting to have a wonderful day. And people said, ‘Oh, it’s raining,’ but I think it’s fair to say that the sun is shining on New York City’s future today. The Council has now approved the congestion pricing plan that is embodied in the amended bill that Governor David Paterson is submitting to the Legislature. And as she said, it is now completely clear that congestion pricing has the strong backing of the people of New York City.

“It has the support of both sides of City Hall, of borough presidents, and of Assembly members, State Senators, and members of Congress representing us in Albany and in Washington. It has the support of New York City’s organized labor leaders, who today strongly urged quick action on congestion pricing. It has the endorsement of business groups and newspaper editorial pages across the state who have urged Albany to enact this piece of legislation which will give us $354 million in federal money and a recurring, dependable source of funds to work on mass transit improvements which we sorely need in this city. And also to improve the quality of air that we and our children are breathing and to help unclog a city that is really getting stifled by the inability to get across town in the business day from one side to the other.

“Environmental and transportation advocates have long supported congestion pricing, as you know, and the amendments that have been added to this bill significantly strengthen it. They resolve several major concerns that have been expressed about making congestion pricing fair and effective. And now I am increasingly confident that State leaders will do what’s right for New York City’s future and promptly enact Governor David Paterson’s bill.

“If they do, commuters in our city will be able to benefit immediately from mass transit improvements that you will see literally within months. And we’ve also created then the ability to go ahead and work on some of the long-term projects like the Second Avenue Subway.

“And so this evening’s historic vote by the Council really is something that they all deserve congratulations, all of those who voted for it. I think everybody in this city either believes today or will come to believe that this is the right thing to do for New York City and I just wanted to personally applaud those who had the courage to stand up and do what was right, starting with the Speaker and all of her members. So thank you very much.”

Statement By Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg On Governor Paterson's Support Of Congestion Pricing

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:11:42 -0500

“Today, Governor Paterson has demonstrated true leadership by submitting a congestion pricing bill to the Legislature that will meet all of the objectives we’ve set – cutting traffic and reducing pollution to improve our economy and public health, and raising revenue to fund much needed projects included in the MTA Capital Plan. The bill is a giant step forward, and its timely passage will ensure that New York gets $354 million in federal money that we’ve been promised. Those funds will allow us to make immediate transit improvements. We will work with the Governor and our partners in the State Legislature and the City Council to address outstanding issues - including reducing the impact on lower income drivers, and concerns about commuters who use Port Authority crossings contributing to the MTA Capital plan. Together, I’m certain we can pass a bill that will improve the lives of New Yorkers.”

Mayor Michael Bloomberg Calls On Albany And City Council To Approve Congestion Pricing Plan In Speech At Crain's Breakfast Forum

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:54:40 -0500

“Thank you, Kathy and good morning everyone. Secretary Peters: It’s always a pleasure to welcome you to New York. Thanks for joining us.

“I hope everyone had a smooth trip here today. If you ran into some traffic – well, just keep in mind that there are about two million other people trying to get into Manhattan’s Central Business District today, most during what, for some mysterious reason, we call ‘rush hour.’ It’s hard to see why we use that term. We should call it the ‘slow hour’ – or some days, the ‘no hour.’

“Today people who travel to jobs in Manhattan from the other four boroughs endure the nation’s longest commutes. Their co-workers from the suburbs don’t do much better. Our Administration is working to relieve congestion by reducing on-street parking placards, discussing enhanced ferry service with the City Council, and through other measures. But we need to do even more, or congestion will only get far worse.

“Well, we’ve got a great opportunity to do something about that. We can begin reducing the traffic congestion that saps $13 billion a year from our regional economy, that heavily pollutes the air that our children breathe, and that dumps tons of climate-altering greenhouse gases into our atmosphere every day.

“Crain’s readers, of all people, appreciate that to alter behavior, nothing makes more sense than dollars and cents. And we’re proposing a capitalistic incentive to commuters to leave their cars at home, and travel more quickly and less expensively by enhanced mass transit.

“I’m speaking, of course, about congestion pricing for driving into the busiest parts of Manhattan during the busiest hours of the work week. If the City Council and State Legislature don’t act on the recommendations of the independent Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission by the deadline, we’ll forfeit $354 million in Federal funds, a revenue stream dedicated to immediate transit improvements – a point that Secretary Peters will return to in her remarks. Refusing those funds is basically saying that there will be next to no MTA capital projects in our immediate future.

“Congestion pricing has been a success in London, Stockholm, and Singapore. The city of Milan, Italy also recently enacted congestion pricing. I believe strongly that congestion pricing is right for us, too. And last week the Quinnipiac Poll found that, by a 59%-38% majority, New Yorkers support a congestion pricing plan that funds mass transit improvements – as our plan does.

“Now, congestion pricing is a new idea, and so naturally people have had questions about it. At first, I had some reservations myself. But they were overcome as my questions about congestion pricing were answered.

“In the same fashion, the Commission addressed a number of reasonable concerns expressed about the original congestion pricing plan. They modified the pricing zone’s boundaries and eliminated charges for driving within the zone. They addressed privacy concerns by scaling back the plan’s projected use of cameras. They created a mechanism for reviewing the plan’s environmental impact before it is instituted, and for monitoring that impact over time.

“The result is a plan substantially different, and substantially better, than the one unveiled nearly a year ago. That process of modifying and strengthening the plan has continued to the point that today there remain only four significant issues about congestion pricing. Let me briefly describe how each can be addressed.

“First, New Yorkers want to know with certainty that the revenues raised by congestion pricing will go to transit and only to transit. The MTA’S new five-year capital plan spells it all out. It’s by far the most ambitious and farsighted MTA capital plan in recent memory. If the Legislature approves the plan, the projected $500 million a year in congestion pricing revenues – which would bond out to at least $4.5 billion – would be dedicated exclusively to it.

“We must face the facts: Even with that funding in place, and even with the hope that the Federal government will provide another $8 billion, there’s still a gap of more than $9 billion in the capital plan. And why will we get any Federal funds if we walk away from $354 million? State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli warned last week that, with debt service already pressing hard on the MTA’s operating budget, more borrowing by the MTA isn’t a feasible option for filling this gap – unless there’s a steep increase in fares. If we want to avoid such a fare increase, we need the congestion pricing revenues embedded in the MTA capital plan.

“Second, New Yorkers have raised misgivings that the neighborhoods bordering the congestion pricing zone might be turned into free ‘park and ride’ lots by commuters who are trying to dodge congestion pricing fees. We’re not going to let that happen. That’s why we’ve proposed as part of our congestion pricing plan a system for creating residential parking zones that would protect neighborhood residents and local businesses – if and only if communities want them.

“Third, some worry that congestion pricing would penalize low-income New Yorkers who regularly commute to Manhattan by car. Even given the fact that the average car commuter has a substantially higher income than most subway commuters, there are certainly ways to address this concern, too.

“We could, for example, create a refund for such commuters that offsets what they’d pay in congestion pricing fees that are over and above the comparable cost of commuting by subway. And we’re currently exploring such ideas with members of the Legislature. But the fact remains: Congestion pricing charges the approximately 5% who drive and pay $3.30 per gallon for fuel and $30-$50 per day for parking – and uses the money to build mass transit for the 95% who can’t afford the luxury of their own polluting autos.

“Fourth, objections have been raised that congestion pricing unfairly exempts New Jersey drivers. Well, the fact is that no one drives in to Manhattan from New Jersey for free. The Port Authority charges a toll at all its bridges and tunnels. They recently raised it to $8 during peak periods, in anticipation of congestion pricing. So in a very real sense, there’s already a congestion pricing fee for New Jersey drivers. And although it’s only been in effect a few weeks, initial estimates suggest that it is reducing Manhattan-bound traffic during peak hours.

“New York and New Jersey share the revenues from these tolls 50-50. Nevertheless, concerns remain about where and how those revenues are spent and how much Port Authority commuters should pay in auto tolls. Bearing in mind the federal Constitutional issues that have to be dealt with, we can and will find ways to address these concerns.

“In short, congestion pricing can be made to work for everyone. That makes it the single most effective way to both relieve congestion and raise the mass transit revenues we need.

“Before turning the floor over to Secretary Peters, let me make one final point. Last December, I was in Shanghai and I saw with my own eyes the tremendous progress that that city is making in upgrading its transit system. As Lee Sander pointed out in his ‘State of the MTA’ earlier this month, during the coming year, the MTA will use four tunnel-boring machines to expand its subway and commuter rail network.

“That certainly sounds impressive. But then consider that 90 of those machines are at work on rail and other projects in Shanghai. Cities that are our competitors in the global economy are making the investments that will ensure their future. So must we.

“When times get tough, it’s ‘business as usual’ for government to let both basic infrastructure maintenance and long-term infrastructure investments go by the boards. The result: Future generations get stuck with the massive bills that inevitably come due.

“Our children deserve far better from us than an inheritance of excuses bequeathed by business as usual. This isn’t just a test of our policies; it’s a test of our character. Let’s meet that test.”

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Addresses World Bank Employees On "Building Better Cities: New York's Experience In Urban Transformation" At World Bank Urban Sector Day

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:45:27 -0600

“I’m deeply honored by this invitation to address the World Bank Group’s Urban Sector. Your work you do in so many rapidly growing cities puts you center stage in the world’s most important drama.

“And you should be proud of the difference you’re making to so many that need society’s help. You are truly at the center of our rapidly changing world. This year, for the first time in human history, city dwellers will begin to make up the majority of the Earth’s population. This global urbanization represents a seismic shift in world affairs – and it’s happening at a breathtaking pace. Fifty years ago, fewer than 100 of the world’s cities had populations of one million or more people. Within ten years, nearly 500 will.

“For example, 50 years ago, China was still a largely agrarian nation. But by the middle of our current century, it’s expected that as much as three-fourths of the Chinese population will live in cities. I was there two months ago, and two things are true: They’ve made enormous progress – and they have staggering problems ahead.

“Such astonishing growth has thrust major new responsibilities onto the shoulders of those of us working in the world’s large cities. All of us, in every country, today face – daily and directly – the economic, social, and environmental consequences of explosive urban growth. In addition, we now have to deal with the forces of globalization and climate change. And we also must confront the challenge of providing all our people with the health and social services they need to create better lives for their families.

“As citizens of the world, our duties are great – but so are the opportunities for building a more secure and prosperous world for everyone: a world where anything that can be imagined, can be achieved – whether that’s ending illiteracy or hunger, or stopping the AIDS epidemic, or cleaning the air, or deterring corruption. The World Bank has a critically important role to play in these and other areas. So does the UN. So do the developed countries. And so do all of us who are lucky enough to have shared what I describe as the Great American Dream – a dream that also embodies the aspirations of people around the globe.

“Some people doubt that the world’s cities are up to the tasks before us. I don’t. Time after time, cities have shown an ability to overcome even the most daunting obstacles, and to mobilize and maximize the talents of our people. Today, I’d like to use the transformation of New York as a small example of what can be done – although God knows you help those with infinitely more serious problems in just staying alive.

“In the days immediately following 9/11, many thoughtful people believed that New York’s days of greatness were numbered. There were serious predictions that businesses and residents would flee the city wholesale, that our economy would never recover, that crime would once again take root in our city, and that New York was headed into an irreversible downward spiral of decline.

“Sound familiar? I would bet that all of you here have heard the naysayers and cynics tell you why your efforts at the World Bank won’t succeed – why you can’t succeed. We’ve heard the same in my city. But over the past six years, New York City has proved the naysayers wrong – and you will too!

“How? There’s no one answer, of course, no royal road to success. But I believe that four values which have helped transform New York provide lessons that are universal and transferable. They are: harnessing the forces of immigration and globalization; tapping the power of innovation; instituting rigorous and accountable governance; and having the independence to take on entrenched interests when they stand in the way of progress.

“Let me expand on each of those values, beginning with the long-term and continuing embrace of immigration and globalization. If you want to know the biggest difference between New York and the cities that never recovered from the job losses of the 1970s, I have one word for you: immigrants.

“Over the past 30 years, our immigrant population has more than doubled in size. Today 37% of New Yorkers – more than three million people – are foreign-born, and more than 70% of them have come to New York since 1980. Their ambition, hard work, and entrepreneurial drive continue to bring dynamic new life to our economy and a fresh new spirit to our city. New Yorkers understand that. Even after 9/11, when it would have been understandable for us to become fearful about the rest of the world, we have continued to welcome immigrants at a history-making pace. And they have more than repaid us.

“Just as important as this global movement of people is the increasingly crucial role that global capital plays in New York’s economy. We finance development around the world – and you see today other countries investing in New York. International – and multi-directional.

“The power of globalization played a big part in reviving New York’s fortunes over the past 30 years, and preventing us from going into a downward spiral after 9/11. And our success story is far from being a ‘one-off’ anomaly in today’s world. Just look at what India and China have achieved as they have become more urbanized and more fully re-integrated into the global economy. What this tells us is that the world’s cities emphatically do not need the restrictive new barriers to immigration or trade that many political leaders want to erect, especially here in the U.S.

“The cities that hope to succeed in the 21st century cannot close their doors to the world’s workers anymore than they can close their doors to the world’s capital or the world’s ideas. In New York, the free, global movement of labor, capital, and ideas defines our character, underlies our prosperity, and explains our comeback.

“Sadly, some of our national leaders are turning their backs on this formula for success. And if they insist on turning away the best and the brightest, and protecting jobs instead of promoting them, then the hard economic times that we are beginning to experience here in the U.S. will be with us for a long time.

“The choice is ours – and every country faces the same choice: Do we reap the benefits of globalization and address its difficulties honestly or do we scapegoat globalization and turn away its benefits? I believe we should be working to bring the benefits of globalization not only to the U.S., but to cities around the world where too many people remain isolated and impoverished – something that the World Bank’s lending policies can help achieve.

“One of the benefits of globalization is the ever freer movement of ideas – a trend that reinforces the second value I want to stress: the power of innovation. There are so many educated, creative, brilliant minds in our world today, capable of creating innovative solutions to many, if not all of the problems that plague us. We must foster this spirit of innovation and reinforce it at every turn.

“New York – and other cities, too – understand this. We are increasingly adopting one another’s innovative approaches to our shared challenges. This is especially true in two areas: reducing poverty and global climate change.

“In the U.S., we’ve been fighting poverty with pretty much the same arsenal of weapons for the past 40 years. And guess what? Not much has changed. That’s why innovation that promises to break this cycle of futility is so crucial. So far, there’s been precious little talk of innovation at the national level – in our government, or in our current political campaigns.

“But the world’s cities – including New York – aren’t waiting for others to act first. Countries around the world, especially in the developing world, are experimenting with anti-poverty programs that smash taboos and turn orthodoxies on their head – and some of them have had very promising results.

“That’s why New York has recently become the first U.S. city to adopt – on a trial basis – the kind of ‘conditional cash transfers’ that have been a success in Mexico, Turkey, Brazil, and other developing nations. And I’m pleased to see that Prime Minister Brown of Great Britain is now proposing a similar program for the United Kingdom. By offering conditional cash payments that can amount to up to one-third of household income, we hope to encourage low-income New Yorkers to stay in school, stay in their jobs, and stay on track to rise out of poverty.

“Nearly 5,000 families are now enrolled in ‘Opportunity NYC.’ This program is currently funded privately; if it becomes the success we hope it will be, we’ll invest public dollars in it. The World Bank has long been a leader in supporting conditional cash transfers, and I want to thank its staff for working with us as we designed and set up Opportunity NYC. That includes, in particular, Laura Rawlings of the Bank’s Caribbean and Latin American regional office.

“New York and other cities are also sharing innovative ideas about addressing an equally critical issue: climate change. Indeed, in many instances, cities are well out in front of their national governments in this area, too. For example, even though our national government has not ratified the Kyoto Accord, more than 700 American cities, including New York, have pledged to meet its standards.

“In the past year, I’ve met and talked with mayors of the world’s great cities, from London, to Mexico City, to Beijing. We recognize that, as New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has written, when it comes to climate change, ‘It’s too late for later.’ So we’re not waiting for others to act first. Increasingly, we’re working in concert with one another, and adopting one another’s best practices in areas ranging from ‘greening’ our streets to cleaning our air.

“New York’s sustainability agenda – called PlaNYC – draws on the policies of cities around the world, from Berlin to Singapore. New York City will extend and encourage that exchange of ideas when we host a major two-day international conference on climate change and urban air quality in June.

“The World Bank Group has shown its own leadership on climate change, starting with the example you’ve set by becoming a ‘carbon neutral’ organization. Now your lending practices can support the world’s cities as we find innovative ways to shrink our carbon footprints, too.

“But to be effective, innovation has to be coupled with the third value that I want to stress: Rigorous and publicly accountable governance – governance that is transparent, efficient, and that makes decisions based on data. There’s a saying: ‘In God we trust. Everyone else bring data.’ I’ve found that in business and government, those are good words to live by.

“In New York City, we’ve not only used data to drive decisions, we’ve made it transparent – so that the public will be able to see where the problems lie. That’s why, for example, we’ve begun grading all 1,500 of our public schools – the schools, not just the kids – so that parents will know how their child’s school compares to other schools. If their children go to a school that’s failing, will they yell and scream until things get better? They should! And that’s exactly the point.

“Accurate, transparent, and continually collected data is also crucial to deciding when and how to most efficiently use scarce resources. Public safety is a prime example. During 2007, New York City had fewer homicides than we have had in any year since 1963 – cementing our hold on the title of ‘America’s safest big city.’

“We’ve done that by relentlessly mapping crime trends and deploying officers accordingly. And we’ve done that even as our police force has shrunk by some 5,000 officers over the past six years, and even as the police department has assumed extensive new intelligence and anti-terrorism responsibilities in the wake of 9/11.

“In American cities, just as in the global development community, some people will tell you that the solution to any problem is easy: More money. But in New York, we’ve learned that while more money is always nice, it also really is possible to do more with less.

“We can attack problems most effectively by rigorous analysis and a high-accountability approach: identifying the communities in greatest need.., driving resources to them, and holding front-line workers responsible for success. Such rigorous, accountable governance also allows us to direct funds that might otherwise be wasted to investments in the infrastructure that our growing city needs.

“To cite just one example: We are now on course to complete a third water tunnel that is vital to New York’s future. It’s a project that had stopped and stalled for more than 30 years – in large part because every time the economy slowed, the easy out politically was to cut infrastructure spending while maintaining spending on popular programs. This kind of approach will not solve the problems that we must solve. Through accountable governance, we’ve shown that it’s possible to sustain, and even improve, basic services, while also investing in the City’s future.

“Finally, let me turn to the fourth value I want to stress: political independence. In reforming our schools, in reinventing our social services, in area after area, we’ve been willing to touch the so-called ‘third rail’ issues that others have avoided. The reason, quite simply, is that the political independence of our Administration has allowed us to take on vested interests, and let the chips fall where they may.

“I’ve found that when you do this, the voters – even if they don’t agree with you on everything – will respect you, because they know that you’re making decisions based on the merits, not based on polls or partisanship or political calculus.

“A good example of how we’ve been independent – and one with global implications – concerns the largest single cause of preventable death worldwide: Tobacco. Over the past six years, New York City has been very pro-active against smoking – often in the face of stiff and vocal opposition.

“We’ve raised cigarette taxes, mounted aggressive public information campaigns, increased smoking cessation programs, and outlawed smoking in all public places, including restaurants and bars. And if you want a character-building experience, I suggest doing that, and then marching in a St. Patrick’s Day parade that goes past the city’s pubs. You’d be surprised how many one-fingered waves you get!

“But let me tell you, this is an area where political independence – a willingness to fight the vested interests – has really paid off. We’ve cut smoking among adult New Yorkers by 20% during the past six years and reduced teen smoking by 52%. That translates into a quarter-million fewer smokers, untold millions, short- and long-term, in saved dollars in health care costs, and even more importantly, saved lives.

“Now we need to write the same kind of success story worldwide. And to do that, your help is needed in supporting the city and national leaders who are willing to show political independence in the face of the powerful vested interests promoting tobacco use. As you may know, developing countries already account for 70% of cigarette consumption. And tobacco companies are stepping up their marketing in the developing world.

“As The Economist put it recently, ‘The tobacco industry is getting the world’s poor hooked before governments can respond.’ Unless we do respond, the result will be a public health calamity: One billion pre-mature deaths – from cancer, stroke, and heart disease – in this century, many of them in the cities where you work.

“In response, my foundation supported a recent World Health Organization study of tobacco habits and policies in 179 different countries. If we want countries to change their policies, we first had to know scope of the problem. That’s just the first step in what is going to be a long struggle, fought on many fronts. But as New York City has shown: This is a winnable fight – one that the world’s other cities and nations now must also join. Again, I ask you to join me in this effort.

“Globalization, innovation, accountable governance, independent leadership: Each of you in your work in cities around the world has the opportunity to foster these values. The 21st century will see an increasingly urban world – on every continent on our globe. Now it’s up to all of us to ensure that the residents of the world’s cities enjoy a safer, healthier, and more secure future.

“Every generation, in its own way, faces the challenge of enlarging the realm of human happiness and opening up new vistas of human possibility.

“When we talk about ‘building better cities’ in our world, that’s truly what’s at stake. We have the knowledge, we have the resources, and I believe we all have the will!

“I want to thank each of you in the World Bank Group for working to meet that challenge. Good luck to you all – may your efforts here, and in cities everywhere, be crowned with success.”

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Addresses Delegates At United Nations Framework Convention For Climate Change Conference

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:11:54 -0600

“Thank you, Mister Minister. Mr. Executive Secretary; Excellencies; distinguished guests: It is my privilege to speak, not merely for the eight and one-quarter million people of New York City, but also for the nearly 3.3 billion men, women, and children—fully half the population of the Earth—who live in cities.

“Today, two powerful and historic forces converge: The urbanization of the world’s people and our alteration of the world’s climate. Both trends are accelerating. Fifty years ago, fewer than 100 of the world’s cities had populations of one million or more people. Within 10 years, nearly 500 cities will.

“The evidence of escalating climate change is also indisputable and the world’s cities, which account for 80% of humanity’s production of greenhouse gases, recognize that inaction is not an option.

“Mayors are at the level of government closest to the people, and we don’t have the luxury of talking about changes but not delivering them. It is, after all, our children who must breathe the pollution from power plants that also contribute to climate change, and our economies that are strangled by the ever-mounting automobile congestion that both fouls and warms our atmosphere. The Mayors of the world’s cities are the great pragmatists on the world’s stage. Results, not ideology, are what matter to us.

“Little wonder, then, that cities and localities around the globe, acting individually and in concert, have moved boldly and imaginatively to shrink our carbon footprints.

“More than 700 cities, towns, and counties worldwide maintain an active network promoting international environmental action through ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability, at whose request I am speaking to you today. The world’s 40 largest cities have come together in the C-40 organization, whose meeting my city hosted earlier this year, with great assistance from former President Clinton and the Climate Initiative of the Clinton Foundation. And although our national government has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, some 700 US cities, representing 80 million Americans, have voluntarily agreed to meet Kyoto targets.

“That includes my own City of New York. We’re committed to reducing our global warming emissions by 30% by the year 2030. We’ll do that by working with our partners in State government to develop a pilot congestion pricing program. We'll create incentives to replace old, polluting power plants with new ones using cleaner-burning fuels. We'll plant one million new trees across our city in the next ten years. Just this week, we took steps to ensure that by the year 2012, our city’s 13,000 taxicabs will be hybrid or hybrid-equivalents. That alone will cut New York City’s carbon emissions by nearly half a percentage point, and save each cabdriver almost $5,000 a year in fuel costs.

“Delegates: Like me, most of you are city dwellers. And like me, many of you also are parents. When you return to your homes, your children will ask you, as my children will ask me: What did you accomplish in Bali? Someday, our grandchildren may ask us that, too. Let’s give them an answer that we can all be proud of, not an excuse we’ll be embarrassed to explain.

“Let’s focus on what the nations that you represent, and the cities that I speak for, can do, rather than what they can’t. In that spirit, I ask you to take these two steps in finalizing the Bali Roadmap.

“First, set out, honestly and fully, the duties that we all share. If we are to stabilize the world’s climate, science says we must cut carbon emissions by some 60% to 80% worldwide by mid-century.

“Local governments yesterday launched the World Mayors and Local Government Climate Protection Agreement, committing themselves to these targets. But long-term targets can’t just become excuses for inaction. We have to set targets, propose realistic plans to achieve them, and hold ourselves accountable to do just that.

“As an American, I want my country to set the pace of change. A great nation embraces the duty to lead by example. And any country’s standing in the community of nations rises as it meets its obligations to a world that all our children will inherit. So we need fair commitments from all.

“And second, I ask you to make the cities and local governments of the world an integral part of this process.

“My hope is that when this conference re-convenes in 2008, local officials from every land will be able to speak for themselves, not as outsiders, but as full members of their national delegations. That will set the stage for their playing a productive role in negotiating the successor to the Kyoto Protocol in Copenhagen in 2009. The authority and the resources needed to address the greatest challenge that humanity has ever created for itself must be shared by the officials most directly confronting those challenges.

“We have much to bring to the table. From the dawn of civilization, cities have always been the hub of human industry and the matrix of human invention. In medieval times it was said that ‘city air is freer,’ because cities liberated people from the bonds of feudalism and unlocked human creativity and fired human imaginations.

“Now cities can and should help make the air freer and healthier, for everyone who inhabits our globe. I ask you to empower us to meet that challenge.”

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Speaks At The Chinese Academy Of Social Sciences

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:21:38 -0600

“Xie Xie nimen de zhao dai. I asked my mother, who is 98 years old but still going strong, if she would like to come with me to China. She asked me how long the flight was, and when I told her, she thought about it and said, ‘I don't feel like taking such a long trip, but be sure to say hello to the Chinese people for me.’ So on behalf of my mother, I would like to say to all of you, ‘Ni men hao!’

“It is a great honor to speak at this renowned center of learning, which is marking its 30th anniversary. During those three decades, China has truly emerged as a major force in the world economy. Over that time, China’s economy has grown at an astonishing rate of almost 10 percent a year. And its economic output has increased more than eightfold.

“China has now become the world’s fourth-largest trading nation, and a powerful magnet for foreign investment. And since 1977, China has accounted for three-fourths of all the people in the world who have been lifted out of the deepest poverty.

“These are extraordinary achievements. They’re accomplishments that the people of China can take enormous pride in, and ones that the teachers and graduates of this great institution have played a large role in helping to realize. And when the 2008 Olympics are held in Beijing, China’s proud achievements will be on display for the entire world to see.

“Over the past 30 years, the people of my own city of New York have also overcome significant challenges. And we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, too. In the late 1970s, many ‘experts’ thought that New York was hopelessly caught in a downward spiral of rampant crime, a deteriorating economy, and population decline. They thought that New York had no future. But New Yorkers proved them wrong.

“Today, our economy is strong. Our streets are safer and cleaner than they have been in decades. Our people are healthier and living longer than average Americans, in large part because we’ve reduced smoking, the major cause of indoor air pollution in the world, by 20 percent in just five years. We did this by increasing the tobacco tax and making virtually all workplaces, including restaurants and bars, smoke-free. In fact, my personal philanthropic foundation is working here in this part of the world to stop smoking that will otherwise kill a billion people this century.

“Measures like that are making our population healthier and more productive. They’re part of the reason why more people are coming to, and staying in, New York City. Our population is eight and one-quarter million people and growing. I know that doesn’t rival Beijing’s population. But it makes us by far the largest city in the United States.

“Now, as we look to the future together, the questions before New York, and before China, too, are: How can we continue to build on the gains that we have worked so hard to win?; How can we sustain our economic growth while living within the resources available to us?; How can we ‘Green our environment and also grow our economy?’ People around the globe also are struggling to answer these same questions.

“These are the questions that have drawn representatives of the world’s nations to Bali this week for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and that includes, I am told, a delegation from this Academy.

“In a few days, it will be my great honor to speak before that gathering as the designated representative of the international organization called Local Governments for Sustainability, and by extension, the 3.3 billion men, women and children—half the people of the world—who inhabit the cities of the earth.

“Climate change is not a distant problem; it poses enormous and immediate environmental, economic, and social challenges to us all. Just last month, the respected United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, this year’s Nobel Laureate in Peace, published an assessment of global warming. It predicted that continued greenhouse gas emissions at or above current rates would very likely produce climate changes ‘greater than those observed during the 20th century.’

“This could create critical stresses on fresh water supplies in Asia’s river basins; threaten agricultural production in Africa; intensify heat waves in Europe and North America; and cause increases in other extreme weather patterns around the globe. And just a year ago, Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist for the World Bank, warned in his own study of global warming that such climactic changes could produce: ‘Risks of major disruption to economic and social activity on a scale similar to those associated with the great wars and the economic depression of the first half of the 20th century.’ These are very grim predictions. And we all share a strong interest in preventing them from coming true. Humanity’s impact on our global climate is converging with a second, powerful, and rapidly accelerating force: The urbanization of the world’s population.

“Fifty years ago, fewer than 100 of the world’s cities had populations of one million or more people. Within 10 years, nearly 500 cities will. Many of these rapidly growing cities are right here in China. When this Academy was founded 30 years ago, China’s urban population was some 170 million people. Since then, that urban population has more than tripled.

“Some people believe that by mid-century, as many as 75 percent of China’s population may be city dwellers. Even an occasional visitor to China like me is struck by this rapid urbanization. It is one of the largest internal migrations of people in the history of the world—and unless it is planned for, it could accelerate the already alarming pace of global climate change, as well as other serious environmental challenges.

“Cities around the world already account for some 80 percent of humanity’s production of the heat-trapping gases that contribute to global warming. City dwellers are truly on the frontlines of climate change. And across the globe, cities are also on the frontlines of limiting the effects of that climate change.

“Beijing took the lead by banning the use of high-sulfur coal for heating and cooking. Shanghai and other municipalities have followed. And the introduction of efficient electric-powered automobiles holds great promise for countries around the world.

“After my remarks, I look forward to going outside and seeing some of the latest-model battery-powered all-electric cars that an American company—Miles Automotive Group—is developing in partnership with the Chinese Automotive Technical and Research Center or ‘CAT-ARC,’ the Chinese Electronic Technology Group Corporation, Lishen Battery Company, and the city of Tianjin.

“I will be joined by the chair of Miles Automotive Group, Miles Rubin, and its chief operating officer, Kevin Kiley. As well as by their Chinese partners: Zhao Hang, director of CATARC; Wang Xi Wen, vice-superintendent of Chinese Electronic Technology Group Corporation; Qin Xing Cai, general manager of Lishen Battery; Liang Rui, deputy general manager at Lishen Battery; and Wu Zhi Qin, general manager of Tianjin Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Company.

“Assembled here in China, the cars they are making can be marketed to drivers in both our nations, and in South America and the European Union, too. The result is a marriage of U.S. and Chinese technology that is taking us forward—toward 100 percent electric-powered vehicles that drastically reduce air pollutants, cut carbon emissions, and are less expensive to operate.

“New York City is also aggressively battling climate change. Our city’s population continues to grow, and is expected to reach nine million by the year 2030. Even so, we’re committed to shrinking our carbon footprint by 30 percent by that same year of 2030. As the servants of the people, I believe strongly that City government has a responsibility to lead the private sector by example rather than just by fiat. So we are working to reduce the greenhouse gases that City agencies produce by 30 percent within the next ten years—by 2017.

“Now, New York, and also Beijing, have been spurred to take these actions not only because they help reduce global warming but also because they’re vital to cleaning the air that we all breathe. And working to improve the earth’s climate also has the additional virtue of improving the business climate of our cities. It’s a way to grow the economies of our cities while greening our cities, too. In urban environments, air pollution and climate change often arise from many of the same sources, such as power plants and automobiles.

“In New York, we call our sustainability agenda for the city’s future PlaNYC. It includes 127 separate initiatives. Nearly half of them simultaneously address air quality, climate change, and our long-term economic growth. Because I hope someday to be invited back to China, I will not try your patience by describing each one of them to you in detail now. But let me illustrate my point with just two examples.

“The first has to do with trees. New York has just embarked on an ambitious program to plant one million new trees throughout the city over the next ten years—40 times the number of trees in our famous Central Park. These new trees will not only provide cooling shade on our streets. They will take carbon dioxide out of the air, which will reduce our global warming impact.

“They will clean our air by filtering out pollutants. And they will also increase the beauty and the value of the neighborhoods in which they’re planted—many of which are communities that now lack trees on their streets and in their parks.

“My second example involves automobiles. New York is also working with our partners in State government to study ways to charge automobile drivers a price for coming into the busiest business districts of the city during the busiest hours of the work week. This initiative, called congestion pricing, would also achieve victories on the same three fronts.

“It would shrink our production of greenhouse gases, make our air cleaner, and also enhance our economy both by reducing the traffic congestion that costs the New York City metropolitan region an estimated $13 billion annually while also raising money that will finance much-needed mass transit projects.

“Singapore, Stockholm, and London have all successfully implemented such congestion pricing systems. In fact, I was recently in London and saw its success with congestion pricing with my own eyes. I understand that a similar idea is under consideration in Shanghai as well. In fact, it’s clear that all cities need to do more, and also that we all have a great deal to learn from one another.

“That’s why today I am announcing that my city, through an organization called New York City Global Partners, is inviting representatives from more than 20 of the world’s major cities to New York next year for a two-day conference in mid-2008. It will address the challenges that we all share in reducing urban air pollution and curbing climate change. It will feature experts from around the world in transportation, city planning, public health, and other disciplines.

“Of course, the great Chinese cities I’m visiting on this trip, Beijing and Shanghai, are invited. I’m confident that each of the cities that participates will have something to contribute, and that we all will have something to learn.

“In New York, we’ve devoted enormous time and talent to developing our plan for keeping New York ‘green and growing’ in the future. We’ve done that because we want to lock in and build on all the gains that New York has made in the past 30 years. And we know that those gains could be lost if we don’t protect them with far-sighted policies and wise investments now.

“China has also made enormous gains in these past 30 years. And people everywhere want to see China continue to develop and prosper. And so my city and your nation both find that we must confront climate change and the related problems of sustainability. So do people around the world. Because the science concerning climate change is now clear.

“The time for discussion is over; the time for action—concerted action by people in every nation—is at hand. The message that must come out of Bali this week is that governments and corporations, giant organizations and individuals, nations in the developed world, and the developing world: All must do their part.

“China and the US are both large consumers of energy and we have a responsibility to work together to put the brakes on climate change. The effects are already being felt here in China, as the Gobi Desert expands at a rate of more than 3,000 square kilometers a year. The effects are being felt in the United States as well, with droughts and hurricanes causing terrible damage and pain. We must work in concert toward immediate, realizable goals even as we recognize that achieving them will be only the beginning of a very long struggle.

“Even in the short term, the air quality in both countries’ big cities is growing increasingly unacceptable. In New York, for example, in some neighborhoods children have four times the national average of asthma attacks. And the air quality in Beijing for the Olympics is a serious concern that the government is addressing.

“The task before us is so immense that it will demand far greater use of alternative and emerging technologies, from increased reliance on wind and solar energy, to the wider distributed generation of power by fuel cells. The hopeful news for our planet is that developing such energy sources will spur an outpouring of innovation that will improve the quality of life for people everywhere. But it’s not enough to work for bold innovations that won’t pay off for another 30 or 40 years.

“We can’t wait for the technology of the future to do what needs to be done—urgently—today. In the wisdom of a proverb that originated so long ago here in China, and that has now been adopted throughout the world: A journey of one thousand li starts with a single step. It is up to us, here and now, to begin that journey.

“Thank you one and all for your warm reception and your great hospitality. Xie Xie.”

Mayor Bloomberg, Former President Clinton And Housing And Urban Development Secretary Jackson Announce First-Ever Sustainability Partnership With New York City Housing Authority

Fri, 7 Dec 2007 10:15:54 -0600

Clinton Climate Initiative Allows Nation’s Largest Public Housing Authority to Become Energy Efficient and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Buying Energy Efficient Technologies at Lower Prices

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, former President Bill Clinton, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Alphonso Jackson today announced the first-ever sustainability partnership with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the nation’s largest public housing authority. This new partnership will allow NYCHA to become more energy efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to fulfill the goals of PlaNYC, the Mayor’s long-term sustainability agenda. The partnership among the City, the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) and HUD will help provide access to energy-efficient and clean-energy technologies at reduced prices. NYCHA’s comprehensive plan includes building retrofits as well as boiler and heating system modernizations that will lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from NYCHA’s 2,600-plus buildings citywide. The Mayor, President and Secretary Jackson were joined by NYCHA Chairman Tino Hernandez at the Eastchester Community Center in the Bronx, a NYCHA-sponsored facility where recreational, cultural and educational programs are offered to residents and the surrounding community.

“The New York City Housing Authority is home to more than 408,000 low and moderate-income residents throughout the five boroughs. These energy saving measures will help the Authority save money, and the environmental impact of these measures will result in cleaner, healthier air for the residents living in public housing,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “These environmentally-friendly enhancements will help us do our part to put the brakes on global warming and they will also help us build a greener, greater New York.”

“I'm pleased to be working with Mayor Bloomberg, Secretary Jackson and the New York City Housing Authority on this program as part of my foundation's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world,” said President Clinton. “This is a step in the right direction in the fight against climate change that will reduce New York City's carbon footprint, while saving money for taxpayers and residents at the same time.”

Two years ago, NYCHA implemented an ambitious program by investing $2 billion to modernize and upgrade its aging housing stock. And now, by implementing environmentally sound strategies, NYCHA will contribute significantly to the sustainability of the City and its residents, and it will become a national dealer on green issues among public housing agencies.

CCI will help NYCHA gain access to energy-saving technology and resources through a purchasing consortium that will help the Authority buy energy efficient technologies at lower prices. The CCI will also assist the Housing Authority with the program development and launch to curb the output of carbon emissions.

“Working with the New York City Housing Authority, we’ve been able to replace aging hot water tanks and boilers and install energy-efficient light bulbs in hundreds of buildings across the city,” said HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson. “We’re making great progress—and NYCHA and Mayor Bloomberg have been great partners. Now we must step it up. We are not just retrofitting buildings for today, we are writing new blueprints for tomorrow.”

“This is a great opportunity for NYCHA to contribute to Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC sustainability goals,” said NYCHA Chairman Tino Hernandez. “We are working together to take an important step in promoting the environmental health of our City while continuing to preserve public housing.”

“The partnership that begins today affects the way in which we will look at all aspects of what we do and how we can protect the environment,” said NYCHA Environmental Coordinator and Commissioner Margarita López. “It allows us to contribute to the greening of our City making it a healthier place for our residents while yielding savings of much needed funds for the future of public housing.”

In addition to meeting NYCHA’s own challenges, the programs described below will also serve as the public housing component of the Mayor’s PlaNYC 2030 agenda, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in New York City to ensure a sustainable quality of life for all New Yorkers. The initiatives will demonstrate NYCHA leadership around the areas of retrofits, green technology and policy. Each of the large-scale initiatives below is an ongoing program that will receive technical assistance under the new partnership with CCI. The programs seek to reduce NYCHA energy consumption, confront financial challenges associated with rapidly rising utility rates, as well as tackle New York City’s carbon emission challenges.

Computerized Heating Automated System (CHAS)

The Computerized Heating Automated System (CHAS) is an Authority-wide heating-plant management technology. CHAS is a software application that allows for the remote monitoring and hands-on management of NYCHA's 210 large, central heating plants from any Internet-equipped personal computer.

Instantaneous Hot Water Heater Program

Under the Instantaneous Hot Water Heater Program, NYCHA is replacing aging domestic hot water tanks with energy-efficient instantaneous-steam water heater devices at various developments throughout the City. The new heaters reduce heating fuel consumption, simplify maintenance, and provide safer and more reliable hot water service to residents.

Apartment and Common-Area Lighting Upgrades

NYCHA has been performing energy-efficient lighting upgrades in its buildings with the goal of reducing its overall electricity consumption by 15 percent. The retrofitting program as it is also referred to looks to replace an average of 7 light fixtures per dwelling unit from incandescent light bulbs to energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). CFLs use less than one-fourth the amount of electricity as traditional domestic incandescent bulbs and last eight to ten times longer. This program also includes common-area lighting upgrades that consist of exchanging magnetic ballasts with state-of-the-art electronic ones and replacing T-12 fluorescent bulbs with super-efficient T-8 technology.

The new initiatives will further advance NYCHA’s goals and contributions to PlaNYC and to the global green agenda. NYCHA’s will help make New York City the world's first great sustainable city of the 21st century.

William J. Clinton Foundation

President Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation with the mission to strengthen the capacity of people throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence. To advance this mission, the Foundation works with like-minded organizations and forms partnerships with national and local governments around the world to make an immediate and measurable impact in several areas, including bringing HIV/AIDS care and treatment to underserved populations, developing sustainable economic growth in Africa and fighting global climate change.

The Clinton Global Initiative serves as a non-partisan catalyst for action, bringing together a community of leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. In the U.S., the Foundation is working to combat the alarming rise in childhood obesity and is helping to expand economic opportunity by empowering small business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn more at www.clintonfoundation.org.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor Spitzer And Speaker Silver Announce Plans To Build City's First-Ever Green School

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:30:05 -0600

State Donates Land for New Public Elementary and Middle School

New Elementary and Middle Public School Will Add 950 Seats, Including 100 Seats for Special Education Students

Governor Eliot Spitzer, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced plans to build a new elementary/middle school in the Battery Park City area of Lower Manhattan that will add 950 seats to serve pre-kindergarten through the eighth grades, and will also include 100 seats for special education students.

In recent years, the residential population in Lower Manhattan has increased dramatically, which has also contributed to sizable growth in student enrollment in the area’s schools. In response, the state is providing the last vacant building site in Battery Park City at no cost to the City to begin building the new school. The land will be made available through the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA), which owns the site.

“Lower Manhattan has become a premier residential destination, and that trend has also placed a toll on its public schools,” said Governor Spitzer. “The donation of this land for a new elementary/middle school will ease overcrowding in Lower Manhattan classrooms and improve overall education conditions by providing students with a healthy sustainable environment where they learn and thrive. The project will also complement the unprecedented $1.76 billion increase in education funding we provided in this year’s state budget.”

“To keep pace with the growing population, we must meet the need for schools as more families move into the city,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “This new facility, part of our $13.1 billion capital plan to reduce classroom overcrowding and to modernize our schools, will also be the first green school building in keeping with our commitment to incorporate energy-saving measures such as increased insulation and the use of natural light. Not only will the students have a state-of-the-art learning facility, but they will also be learning in environmentally-friendly surroundings.”

“I pushed hard for this school at site 2B, because it is a vital part of my vision to rebuild downtown better than ever as a diverse 24-hour community where more and more families continue to choose to live and work. Along with the Beekman School and the PS 234 Annex, this new school supports our efforts to reduce class size and ease overcrowding in our schools,” said Assembly Speaker Silver. “I would like to commend Julie Menin and Community Board 1, the Governor, the Mayor, the Schools Construction Authority and Battery Park City Authority for their continued strong commitment to improving education in Lower Manhattan.”

“This project is the latest example of the State and City delivering on their pledge to place the interests of our children first. As part of our overall reform effort, we are creating more seats, more schools, and more opportunities for our students to succeed,” said SCA President and CEO Sharon Greenberger. “Building this school represents a big step toward reducing the need for new seats in the District and reducing school overcrowding.”

Construction of the school will adhere to environmental guidelines that will make the school the first entirely “green” public school in New York City. The approximately 125,000 square feet school and will serve a neighborhood that the New York City Department of Education (DOE) has identified as having a high need for additional school space. The BPCA is also contributing $3 million to the School Construction Authority for additional green features, such as photovoltaics.

Green school improvements reduce operating costs, improve indoor air quality, conserve natural resources, and enhance the learning environment by making schools healthier and more comfortable places to work and learn. The Battery Park School will be built according to Local Law 86 and the New York City Green Schools Rating System. Specifically, the new school will:

• Reduce energy costs by at least 25 percent through the use of day lighting in all instructional rooms, energy-efficient lighting controlled by occupancy sensors, increased insulation in the exterior walls, high efficiency condensing boilers, Energy Star-equivalent equipment, carbon-dioxide sensors in large common spaces, and photovoltaics;
• Enhance indoor air quality with mold-resistant and low volatile organic compound-emitting materials in the construction;
• Conserve water by using 40 percent less potable water through the use of high efficiency plumbing fixtures; and
• Recycle 80 percent of construction waste and use 12 percent recycled content in construction materials.

“This is a great day for Lower Manhattan. I want to thank Governor Spitzer for his commitment to the people of Lower Manhattan to build a new school on this long dormant piece of land. For too many years the city and the state have ignored the fact that people actually live in this community,” said Senator Martin Connor. “These residents need new schools, parks, libraries, and other neighborhood facilities. The teachers and principals in our local schools do a great job but their classrooms are overcrowded and their resources are stretched to the limits. In the past our demands for new schools have been ignored. That changed when Eliot Spitzer became our governor. He and the members of his administration began to listen to the needs and concerns of the elected officials, community leaders, and the people who live here. Not only will this new school help to reduce overcrowded classrooms but it will also enhance the quality of life for all the people who live in Tribeca and the Community Board 1 area. Thank you, Governor Spitzer, for your visionary leadership.”

“It is inspiring that so many parents are choosing to raise their kids in a neighborhood many thought might be abandoned after the 2001 terrorist attacks,” said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. “I’m thrilled that we are building a new school to meet the needs of the many families who want to make this part of Manhattan their home.”

“The Downtown community has fought for this badly needed new school for a long time. We are thrilled that the new state administration understands the importance of providing new school space to our expanding residential community,” said Councilmember Alan J. Gerson.

“I want to thank Governor Spitzer and Mayor Bloomberg for their continued support of the Battery Park City community and all of Lower Manhattan. Today’s announcement that the Governor and Mayor Bloomberg have come together to build a new, green public school on this site is wonderful news for Lower Manhattan,” said BPCA Chairman James Gill. “Not only will our local children have a great new school to attend, but it will be the first green school in New York City. The Battery Park City Authority looks forward to working with the Schools Construction Authority and the local community to make this school a reality.”

“This is a day of extraordinary importance for the children and families of Lower Manhattan. We are the fastest growing residential neighborhood in the City of New York and our schools are literally bursting at the seams. This new school will forever shape the landscape of education in Lower Manhattan and I could not be more pleased,” said Community Board 1 Chair Julie Menin.

Lower Manhattan Development Corporation President Avi Schick, Deputy Mayor for Education and Community Development Dennis Walcott, Schools Construction Authority (SCA) President and CEO Sharon Greenberger and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein were also present for the announcement.

The school, which will be located at 55 Battery Place, will be fully air-conditioned and have 40 classrooms, including 10 for special education students; a kitchen and cafeteria; medical suite; auditorium; library; wireless Internet access; art, science, and music rooms; a 5,400-square-foot gymnasium, and a 1,500-square-foot exercise room with rooftop educational and recreational spaces. Construction is expected to begin in June 2008, and expected to be completed by September 2010. The new school is being designed by Dattner Architects.

Student enrollment in Lower Manhattan is projected to grow over the next ten years in large part due to the expansion of housing units in the area. Now in its fourth year of implementation, the 2005-09 $13.1 billion DOE Capital Plan has built or is about to build more than 63,000 new seats for New York City public school students. The DOE is on target to meet the commitment of the Children’s First Reform to reduce overcrowding and improve the quality of existing facilities.