June 2018 Environmental Justice Newsletter

Free Event and Outdoor Activities

New York State is hosting free "Outdoors Day" events across the state on Saturday, June 9. The events are part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Adventure NY initiative to connect people to nature and provide increased access to outdoor recreation through hands-on activities. DEC and State Parks have planned events for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities to try out a wide range of recreational activities.

These family-friendly, open-house type events will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Some programs and demonstrations are scheduled at specific times. Details, including schedules and registration requirements for Outdoors Day, can be found on DEC's website. 

New York's Outdoors Day coincides with National Get Outdoors Day, an annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun. Outdoors Day participants will be able to discover new skills and try out a range of introductory outdoor recreation activities such as fishing, paddling, hiking, biking, bird watching, archery, nature photography, camping and more. Adaptive equipment and opportunities will be available at select locations.

Meet "RGGI"

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is the first mandatory market-based program in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. RGGI is a cooperative effort among nine states—Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont—to cap and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from electric generation facilities. Under the program, the states establish a cap on total CO2 emissions in the region, with each individual state required to limit its share of emissions as set by the regionwide cap. States must also gradually tighten their emission limits over time, which will reduce overall CO2 for the region.

In his 2018 State of the State message, Governor Cuomo committed to strengthening RGGI even further, including revisions to address highly-polluting “peaking” units not previously covered under RGGI. Peaking units are smaller power plants that operate intermittently during times of high electricity demand such as very hot summer days. Since these units are often in or near population centers, their emissions will disproportionately affect low-income and minority communities that already face a multitude of environmental burdens. DEC is writing regulations to implement these revisions and continue New York’s progress in reducing power sector emissions and addressing the concerns of residents in overburdened communities.

To learn more about RGGI and its economic effects, visit our website.  

Urban Tree Planting

Planting trees in urban areas can provide many benefits to residents. Research has shown that trees are capable of both cooling and cleaning the air in urban spaces. In addition to providing shade and removing harmful particulate matter from the air, trees are also capable of redirecting some of the sun’s energy into their own biological processes, which lowers the ambient temperature, and urban green spaces catch storm runoff. Strategically planted trees can reduce annual air-conditioning costs by as much as 56 percent, and block winter wind to save 3 percent on heating bills. Healthy trees also increase property values and inspire healthy, safe communities, which may stimulate investment and renewal in these areas.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can support urban and community tree planting, please visit DEC's website.

Food Waste/On the Front Lines Profile

“On the Front Lines” profile: Gary Feinland is an Environmental Program Specialist in DEC’s Division of Materials Management  working towards combating food waste in New York State. Unconsumed food can have a devastating impact on the environment. Find out what you can do to eliminate this problem and protect our planet.

Learn more about Gary and DEC’s waste reduction and recycling program by checking out this and other video profiles celebrating the stories of DEC staff throughout the state and the important work they do to protect the environment, conserve New York’s cast natural resources, and serve the public.

“Green-up” Your Lawn and Garden Maintenance

Spring has sprung in New York State, and summer is just around the corner. With the warmer days here, many people have lawn and outdoor maintenance on their to- do lists. Keep in mind that lawn and garden equipment can be a substantial source of air pollution. Gas powered engines from maintenance equipment such as lawnmowers, tractors, chainsaws, wood chippers, utility, farm, and even construction and light industrial equipment emit air pollutants through exhaust. Those air pollutants react with sunlight on hot days to form ozone, also known as smog. Young children, elderly people, and those with existing respiratory challenges, such as asthma, can be dramatically affected by high levels of ozone.

Follow these tips to “green” your lawn and outdoor maintenance:

1. Use a manual (reel) mower for small lawns.
2. When shopping for mowers and garden equipment, look for greener technologies such as electric and battery-powered equipment that are quieter and pollute less.
3. Properly maintain lawn and garden equipment - tune mowers and change the oil, as recommended. 
4. If you are purchasing commercial grade landscaping equipment, look for options that reduce pollution including; electronic fuel injection and catalytic exhaust systems.

Visit DEC's website for more information on the Air Quality Index  and reducing air pollution from lawn and garden equipment.

Community Spotlight: Friends of Van Cortland Park, Bronx

The Bronx, the northernmost borough of New York City, is the third most densely populated county in the U.S and contains five of America’s poorest congressional districts. Yet, the Bronx also has the most parkland in NYC. One of these parks, Van Cortlandt, is the third largest in New York City. For the last 25 years, the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park (FVCP), an independent community-based organization, has been actively promoting conservation and improvement of this space.Through environmental education, research, restoration and enhancement of the park’s forests, waters and trails, the group maintains the park as a sanctuary to surrounding communities and residents.

 In 2017, DEC’s Office of Environmental Justice awarded FVCP a Community Impact Grant to support the group’s monitoring of Tibbetts Brook and Van Cortlandt Lake. This effort includes biweekly water sampling of nutrients, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and bacteria levels within the brook to assess its health. The grant will also fund educational programs at Tibbetts Brook for students and adults, including chemical monitoring, searching for benthic invertebrates, the creation of maps for public viewing, and the removal of aquatic invasive species.

Learn more about DEC’s Environmental Justice Community Impact Grants on our website. 

Invasive Species Awareness Week

New York State is celebrating its 5th annual Invasive Species Awareness Week (ISAW) from July 8th-14th. ISAW is an educational campaign that aims to provide New Yorkers with knowledge, skills and motivation to protect the state’s lands and waters from the negative impacts of invasive species. Contact your local Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) coordinator to find out how you can get involved.

Apply For Funding

Are you a community-based organization looking to fund a project? The Office of Environmental Justice offers grants to not-for-profit organizations to address environmental harms in low-income and minority communities. Visit our environmental justice grant program webpage for additional information on grants and a complete list of previous project awardees.

We Can’t Do It Without You

Do you have concerns about the environment where you live? Do you want to make your voice heard? Do you want to stay informed about the different environmental issues affecting the state of New York? Join Our Environmental Justice Listserv!

Sign up to receive regular updates from the Office of Environmental Justice. Stay current on the issues that are important to you. As always, you can contact the Office of Environmental Justice with any concerns by sending an e-mail to: justice@dec.ny.gov.

Please include:

• Your location/address: city, town, village or borough
• The environmental concerns you wish to address
• The potential source if known
• How or whether you wish to be contacted

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The EJ Newsletter is always available on our website.