Res 0258-2022

Whereas, According to the United States (U.S.) Global Change Research Program's Fourth National Climate Assessment, failure to sufficiently mitigate global carbon emissions will result in increased rates of sea level rise, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and rising temperatures, which are expected to cause ongoing damage to critical infrastructure, property, and economic productivity; and Whereas, New York City's geographic location makes it particularly vulnerable to the threat of rising sea levels as well as the increased frequency of hurricanes and tropical storms; and Whereas, A predecessor of the "Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022" was passed by the New York State Legislature as part of the 2020-21 budget under the name "Restore Mother Nature Environmental Bond Act," and was expected to be included as a statewide ballot question for the general election in November of 2020; and Whereas, The Restore Mother Nature Environmental Bond Act was pulled from inclusion on the November ballot due to the financial impact of COVID-19 on the state budget, before being reintroduced as the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022; and Whereas, The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022, was approved by both the State Assembly and State Senate, and passed as part of the Fiscal Year 2022-23 State Budget, and was approved by New York State residents via a ballot question during the November 2022 general election; and Whereas, The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 authorizes the issuance of 4.2 billion dollars in bonds to finance critical environmental restoration and resiliency projects across the state of New York; and Whereas, The Bond Act allocates 1.2 billion dollars toward reducing flood risk in vulnerable areas, 1.5 billion dollars toward climate change mitigation efforts, 650 million dollars toward water quality improvement and resilient infrastructure, and 650 million dollars toward the preservation and enhancement of open space and recreational amenities; and Whereas, The Bond Act seeks to address flood risk by fortifying natural barriers and restoring critical habitats such as marshes and wetlands that can absorb excess rainwater and reduce the risk of tidal flooding, as well as expanding New York State's Buyouts and Acquisitions programs to cover the preemptive purchase of coastal and wetland property to convert into natural barriers; and Whereas, A study conducted by The National Institute of Building Sciences found that every dollar spent on hazard mitigation can save six dollars in future physical disaster losses, even before factoring in economic disruption and social impact from future events; and Whereas, This Bond Act seeks to advance climate change mitigation work by funding projects such as green and energy-efficient building upgrades, carbon sequestration and emissions mitigation projects, climate adaptation and mitigation projects, the care and maintenance of urban forestry, and air and water pollution reduction efforts, including a specific sub-allocation for the electrification of school buses; and Whereas, The Bond Act designates that a portion of the total funding must be allocated to disadvantaged communities that bear a disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences, such as those New York City neighborhoods which were most heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and were already overburdened by numerous environmental health hazards and proximity to polluting infrastructure; and Whereas, New York City has not always been allocated state funds in an equitable fashion, as illustrated by the distribution of New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement Act funding in 2022, where the city's Department of Environmental Protection was awarded only 2.3% of the funding distributed by the State's Environmental Facilities Corporation, despite serving nearly 45% of the state's total population; and Whereas, As New York City is home to nearly 8.5 million of New York State's approximately 19.5 million residents, and comprises 62% of the state's entire tax base, the state must ensure that NYC is fully eligible for all programs in the Bond Act, and that benefits accrue to the city in a manner that is commensurate with the city's contribution to statewide tax revenue; and Whereas, The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 enables New York State and City to directly address hazardous conditions in those disadvantaged communities, making those communities more resilient and more livable now and in the future; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Governor to ensure that appropriations of funds from the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 are allocated to New York City in a manner that is commensurate with the city's contribution to statewide tax revenue. NRC LS#7174, 7705 11/23/2022