Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the short-term action plan to begin reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from the City's municipal buildings and operations by 30% by 2017 as promised in PlaNYC.  The plan for the current fiscal year was developed over the last six weeks by the steering committee created by an executive order signed by Mayor Bloomberg in October.  The steering committee is also charged with developing and implementing a comprehensive 10-year energy conservation plan, which will be submitted to the Mayor by June 30, 2008.  Deputy Mayor for Administration Edward Skyler chairs the steering committee and presented the short-term action plan to the Mayor today.

"We've made a serious commitment to reducing the level of carbon emissions citywide, and as I've said repeatedly, City government must lead by example," Mayor Bloomberg said.  "The short-term action plan that was submitted to me today by the steering committee will serve as a blueprint for moving forward this year, and will serve as the foundation for our 10-year plan to reduce emissions by 30%.  And in addition to reducing emissions in City government operations and City-owned buildings, our actions will serve as a model for the private sector."

"Because meeting this challenge is a citywide commitment, it will require the collective efforts and cooperation of every City agency," Deputy Mayor Skyler said.  "Today's short-term action plan outlines important first steps in implementing tangible changes that will yield real results, and by June, we will deliver a comprehensive plan for reducing emissions from both our City government operations and our City-owned buildings, making New York a true leader in greenhouse gas emission reduction."

The short-term action plan includes 132 projects throughout all five boroughs and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 34,000 tons annually.  The projects in this plan include lighting replacement and sensor installation; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning improvements; water and sewer equipment upgrades; and vehicle replacements. The initial reduction is an important first step, and the steering committee, which includes representatives from the Office of Operations/Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, Office of Management and Budget, Economic Development Corporation, Department of Design and Construction, and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), expects to more significantly reduce carbon emissions while implementing the 10-year plan.  The City, which accounts for approximately 6.5% of New York City's total energy usage and 10% of its peak electricity demand, will finance the 10-year plan with an annual commitment of 10% ($80 million in Fiscal Year 2008) of the City's annual energy expenditures ($800 million in Fiscal Year 2008).

In creating the short-term action plan, the steering committee sought projects with a rapid return on investment and overall energy savings, and considered proposals developed by the DCAS Office of Energy Conservation and by several of the City's largest energy-using agencies.  The steering committee also identified a series of pilot programs, studies, and advisory services to help implement these projects and to develop the 10-year plan.