De Blasio to Unveil New Environmental Policy

When Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled his signature environmental policy, PlaNYC, in 2007, its 127 green initiatives launched New York City to the forefront of the global sustainability movement, even as Washington was mired in gridlock.

During his inauguration, Mayor Bill de Blasio paid tribute to his predecessor’s achievement. “Your passion on issues such as the environment and public health,” he told Bloomberg, “has built a noble legacy.”

Now the mayor will have an opportunity to build on that legacy. The plan is required by law to be updated every four years, and on Wednesday, de Blasio will reveal his revisions to his predecessor’s policy.

The contrast between the approaches of the two administrations—the consultant-laden, data-driven Bloomberg team versus de Blasio’s frequent rallying cry for social justice—has left many wondering what the made-over plan will look like. A spokesperson for de Blasio said he even plans to change the name to “One New York: The Plan for a Strong and Just City,” or OneNYC. But the difference may be more one of talking points than policy.

“Whether driven by metrics or by the heart, it will lead to the same conclusion that our communities are at risk,” said Eddie Bautista, executive director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance and a former member of the Bloomberg administration.

De Blasio’s administration divulged that growth and resiliency will be linchpins of the revised plan, along with sustainability and equity. And though the Bloomberg administration never named equity as the focal point of its sustainability agenda, the former mayor was keenly aware of the intersection of social justice and environmentalism. At the launch of PlaNYC, Bloomberg noted that children in low-income communities have higher rates of asthma, and pledged to address that “outrage.”

An update to PlaNYC in 2011 called for a study on reducing citywide emissions 80 percent by 2050. The resulting report, “New York City’s Pathway to Deep Carbon Reductions,” was released in the final month of the Bloomberg administration. “Achieving 80 by 50 is theoretically feasible,” it concluded, “but would require change at an unprecedented and technologically-untested scale.”

Carbon emissions in the city originate from four primary sectors: buildings, power generation, solid waste and transportation. Buildings, however, account for nearly three-quarters of that pollution. According to the December 2013 feasibility study, there are nearly a million buildings in the city, and to achieve the 80 by 50 goal, “unprecedented levels of investment would be needed to improve the efficiency of building envelopes, mechanical systems, lighting and appliances.”

The 80 by 50 announcement was accompanied by a pledge to retrofit virtually all city-owned buildings—some 3,000 in total—as part of a larger plan called One City: Built to Last. In addition to setting an example, the city hopes to spur private building owners to retrofit as well through several initiatives. If targets aren’t met, the plan leaves open the possibility of mandatory retrofits.

Earlier this month, de Blasio followed up on that green building commitment with an announcement of $100 million in efficiency upgrades to scores of city Housing Authority developments.

After buildings, power generation is responsible for the largest share of carbon emissions. Investment in microgrids and energy-efficient combined heat and power systems is likely to be part of the updated plan, experts say.

How to manage the million of tons of solid waste produced each year is an issue that advocates say will test this administration. From landfill and waste transport emissions, to equity concerns around infrastructure distribution, to low recycling rates and lack of commercial sector oversight, solutions will not come easily.

“We need to see clear and ambitious goals around recycling,” said Gavin Kearney, director of environmental justice at Lawyers for the Public Interest. Kearney has been pushing for the implementation of a 70 percent citywide recycling rate over the next five years or so.

Transportation is an issue some advocates believe the original PlaNYC could have done more to address. Bloomberg’s inability to push congestion pricing through the state Legislature was the most public setback to his sustainability crusade.

“We have a great public transportation system, but it’s mostly built for getting people in and out of Manhattan, and for that reason we have a lot of people in the outer boroughs who drive cars,” said Adam Forman, a policy researcher at the Center for an Urban Future. “Building a transportation system that better serves people in outer boroughs—whether through bus rapid transit or new subway lines—is critical for both equity and environmentalism.”

To some degree, PlaNYC is a “living document,” expected to evolve with time. Many advocates insist public health issues such as food deserts and obesity should fall within its purview. Others argue for affordable housing, or the adaption of infrastructure to accommodate the growing elderly population.

Environmental justice organizations have long argued that the impact of climate change falls disproportionately on the poor, who often face a harder recovery after natural disasters. In anticipation of the PlaNYC update, a coalition of environmental justice and labor activists released a platform, Climate Works for All, calling for the creation of tens of thousands of jobs to retrofit the city’s largest buildings, install renewable resources, replace old gas infrastructure and expand mass transit. Environmentalists will also be watching closely for the allocation of financial resources and political capital to advance whatever vision is laid out.

They won’t have long to wait. The new plan is out this week, and the executive budget is due next month.

And however de Blasio plans to pitch the update, chances are his revisions will owe a debt to his predecessor’s record on social equity and the environment.

“Many people call that environmental justice,” Bloomberg said at the launch of the original PlaNYC. “I simply call it the right thing to do.”