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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 456-11
December 27, 2011

MAYOR BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION FURTHERING CITY'S EFFORTS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSION, IMPROVE AIR AND WATER QUALITY, AND LIMIT WASTE

Remarks by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws

"The next three bills before me today are Introductory Numbers 576-A, 578-A, and 592-A, which together continue our Administration's efforts to reduce carbon emissions, improve air and water quality, and limit waste.  The Green Codes Taskforce, convened by Speaker Quinn and I, conducted the most comprehensive analysis of green building codes of any municipality anywhere.  The recommendations and policy proposals from this task force laid an important foundation for the creation and approval of these bills.

"Introductory Number 576-A, sponsored by Council Members Gennaro, Comrie, Fidler, James, Palma, Williams, Mark-Viverito, Brewer, Lappin Van Bramer, Rodriguez, Ulrich, Barron, Crowley, Greenfield, Levin and Jackson improves the protection of the City's water and sewer systems by requiring construction sites to collect concrete washout water for proper disposal.  Concrete washout water is incredibly harmful to public health and this legislation will ensure that concrete washout water from construction sites does not end up in the City's sewer system.

"Introductory Number 578-A, sponsored by Council Members Gennaro, Fidler, James, Koppell, Palma, Williams, Mark-Viverito, Brewer, Lappin, Van Bramer, Rodriguez, Ulrich, Levin, Barron, Crowley, Greenfield, and Jackson requires a minimum of 30 percent recycled content in all new asphalt used in the City.  This will achieve savings of more than $2 million annually while also removing more than 66,000 tons of asphalt from landfills every year. 

"Introductory Number 592-A, sponsored by Council Members Chin, Gentile, James, Koppell, Lander, Rose, Williams, Jackson, Arroyo, Levin, Van Bramer, Barron, Eugene, Mark-Viverito, Brewer, Rodriguez, Ulrich, Crowley, and Gennaro requires that all new HVAC units installed within the City have filters that can keep out small particles of 2.5 microns or more.  New Yorkers spend more than 90 percent of their lives indoors, which makes it especially important that we keep out soot from trucks and busses from entering our home and work environments.

"I would like to thank Director of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability David Bragdon, Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri, Transportation Commissioner Jeanette Sadik-Khan, Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter Strickland and their staff for their work on these bills.  I would also like to thank Speaker Quinn and the Council for approving this legislation, as well as our partners on the Green Codes Taskforce.  Through these legislative efforts we continue our Administration's commitment to meeting the challenges of building a greener, greater New York."







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