Yonkers Insider: New York League of Conservation Voters: Environmental News for April 4th.

 

Here’s what we’re reading this week:

NYC 2023 Preliminary Budget Falls Short On 1.0% for Parks Promise  As part of his campaign, Mayor Adams made a commitment to allocating 1.0% of next year’s budget to parks. However, the newly announced Preliminary Budget revealed that not only is the administration going back on their promised 1.0% amount, but that they are cutting $60 million from the FY22 budget and removing 3,500 essential park positions. If fulfilled, 1.0% would provide roughly $1 billion to the Parks Department for existing park maintenance and for the development of new park facilities. Following the budget cuts of FY 2021, the parks saw their worst conditions on record. We need more PEP officers to keep our parks safe and more City Parks Workers and Gardeners to keep them clean and in usable condition.  Read More

Earth Day 2022: How you can get involved Despite the recent cold weather in New York, the coming spring provides an opportunity to get out of stuffy offices and cramped rooms and appreciate the flora and fauna right outside our doors. Not only has regular exposure to green been found to be beneficial for mental health, but taking the time to familiarize yourself with nature can also give you a greater appreciation for the Earth and the resources it provides. It's time again for Earth Day, an opportunity to take the time to spend time in nature, learn about climate change, and educate ourselves about the role each of us play in protecting the planet.  Read More

For the Earth, It's Essential New York Leaders Pass Extended Producer Responsibility By Julie Tighe   New Yorkers buy and order a lot of stuff. And all of that stuff comes in packaging, all too much of it plastic. So much stuff that of the 17 million tons of waste generated annually in New York State, 40% comes from product packaging and paper products – plastic containers, glass bottles, aluminum cans, cardboard, and other materials. Across the United States, only 50% of PPP is recycled; in New York State, the rate of recycling for PPP hasn’t changed in nearly 20 years. And while the financial and physical responsibility to properly dispose of and recycle these products falls on and has been growing for local governments and taxpayers, there has not been a meaningful reduction in the amount of waste that goes to the landfill. That’s why we must shift our waste system that heavily relies on reactive measures to one that takes a proactive approach to materials management.   (Gotham Gazette)

Push to renew the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Law as part of the budget   “The way it works is when there is a property that has been contaminated, either by heavy industrial use or a careless use of chemicals that you sometimes see with auto body shops or dry cleaners, where you can’t build on there until it’s been remediated,” said Patrick McClellan of the New York League of Conservation Voters, adding, “The Department of Environmental Conservation provides cleanups.” But the Brownfield Cleanup Program is set to expire this year, unless state legislators authorize a renewal. Supporters of the program would like to see that done as part of the budget. Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a ten-year renewal, but the legislature hasn't made the same commitment. “The Brownfield Cleanup Program has been around for about 20 years. It’s one of the most important tools the state has to remediate environmentally contaminated sites,” said McClellan.    (Spectrum/NY1)

Opinion: This Budget Cycle, NYC Must Prioritize Funding for Parks   This spring, for the third year in a row, New Yorkers across the five boroughs are poised to turn out in massive numbers for their community parks and open spaces. The pandemic not only highlighted the importance of parks as essential infrastructure for New Yorkers’ physical, mental and emotional well-being, it also laid bare the inequities of New York City’s parks system—including disproportionate lack of access in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. As budget negotiations begin to ramp up between the City Council and Adams administration, it is critical that the city follows through with a transformative investment in New York City’s parks.   (CityLimits)