Trump’s executive orders aside, it’s full steam ahead for New York’s sustainable infrastructure projects

While President Donald Trump’s latest executive orders have signaled an ominous end to green infrastructure and diversity, equity and Inclusion efforts – such rhetoric will do little in dismantling major sustainable infrastructure projects in the New York, New Jersey region, speakers at City and State’s 2025 Most Significant Infrastructure Projects Summit said Thursday.

Keynote speaker Rick Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey assured stakeholders that the authority remains steadfast to meet New York State’s net-zero emissions goal by 2050.  The $10 billion rebuild of the Manhattan Midtown bus terminal, equipped with expanded storage and staging facilities for new fleets of zero-emission buses, alone will be one the region’s most ambitious carbon-cutting measures, with construction set to begin later this year with help from a $1.9 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

“We believe that climate change is an existential threat. I noticed that there are other people who regard this as a hoax, but we don't,” Cotton told attendees at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Lower Manhattan. “Transportation, as a sector, is among the highest in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. We recognize that and we believe it takes a particular responsibility of transportation agencies and transportation projects to recognize that, and to do everything we can in terms of getting a path to net zero.”

The Port Authority also aims to integrate sustainable measures into the renovation of Newark Liberty and John F. Kennedy airports, the latter which will pilot the state’s largest solar and storage project and the region’s first major microgrid at Terminal One. 

“Part of this almost $10 million project is one of the most exciting micro grids in the region to ever exist,” said Scott Kessler, program director of the office of sustainability at the Port Authority. “This is going to be the largest rooftop solar array in New York City. Think something around seven megawatts, just solar on its own, carrying that with fuel cells and battery storage, and able to provide up to 80% of the terminal's power on its own. So should there be an outage, that terminal will be totally up and running.” 

A $25 million federal transportation grant also will help the Port Authority to make the 12 th Street corridor on the New Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. 

Speaker Jamie Torres-Springer, president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Construction & Development, defended the profitability of congestion pricing – which has generated funds towards the completion of the Second Avenue subway and repairs across the city’s transit systems, with a focus on ADA accessibility. 

“We're in the midst of our five-year capital plan for which one-third of it, $15 billion, is now fully funded by congestion relief,” said Torres-Springer. “[We’re]  moving the Second Avenue subway up to 125th and Park, three new stations. And now we're out in the market with the big tunneling contract […] with the intention to award that this year.” 

The MTA is also moving forward to expand connectivity with partners Boingo Wireless and Boldyn Networks, the latter who will build out wireless, cellular signals in all transit tunnels. 

“This is a huge benefit in savings from the way that we're doing capital work,” said Torres-Springer. “It will cost absolutely not $1 to taxpayers or our riders, but we will get cell service built out throughout the system, and that's a massive benefit for the new way that we're approaching construction at the MTA.”

As panelists reflected on the potential impact of the Trump presidency on sustainable infrastructure projects, most experts were confident that the state will remain committed to net zero emissions by 2050. 

“80% of energy decisions get made at the state level. We can get a lot done. There are a lot of things that have bipartisan support, like the Utility Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Act, which passed unanimously in the Senate and nearly unanimously in the State Assembly. Especially around infrastructure, there is a lot of really great bipartisan support,” said Lisa Dix, the New York director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition. 

In terms of customer experience, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey rebuked attempts to remove Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts. 

“We are 100% committed to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion agenda. It's the right thing to do. It's good business,” said Cotton. “We are committed to building that capacity and committed to equal opportunity.”