Brad Lander Steps Up to the Plate in Calling for a Greener Port

I received this information (below) from Brad Lander, who is running to replace Bill DiBlasio in Brooklyn's 39th City Council District.

It's great to see Mr. Lander calling for these measures to mitigate the negative impacts of the operations of the Brooklyn Port. Dangerous diesel emissions from ships, truck pollution and congestion have been long-held concerns of the residents of the Columbia Street Waterfront, Red Hook and our adjoining neighborhoods - Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill among them.

It seems Mr. Lander is taking on these concerns, pushing for solutions for them and is speaking out on behalf of the residents and businesses that he hopes to represent.

Even though the 39th District does not include Red Hook, south of Hamilton Avenue, it's good to see someone - either in power or hoping to be - advocating for a better outcome, environmentally or otherwise, for our neighborhood and its inhabitants.

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City Council Candidate Brad Lander, Environmental & Neighborhood Leaders

to Call for Action to Reduce Truck Pollution & Plan for a Greener Port

DATE

Monday, August 10th, 10 a.m.

LOCATION

Columbia Street & DeGraw Steet

Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood

Brooklyn, New York

DESCRIPTION

City Council candidate Brad Lander will be joined by local residents and environmental leaders to call for action to reduce truck pollution in the Columbia Waterfront area and create a greener Port of New York. At the event, Lander will be endorsed by the New York League of Conservation Voters.

Recent events at Piers 7 – 12 on the Brooklyn waterfront create both need and opportunity to work for a greener port. The NYC Economic Development Corporation recently reached a deal with the Port Authority of NY/NJ, American Stevedoring, and Phoenix Beverage to import beverages using Piers 7, 10, and 11. Using the port to bring in goods by ship is smart economic and environmental policy – it can be less polluting than long-haul trucks, and creates good jobs in Brooklyn.

However, more business in the port also leads to an increase in local truck traffic and emissions (from both ships and trucks). It is therefore critical that all parties – EDC, the Port Authority, ASI, Phoenix and others – take significant short-term and long-term steps to reduce truck pollution and create a greener port.

Lander and local residents will call short-term and long-term action to:

• Convert trucks serving the port to compressed natural gas (CNG) to reduce toxic emissions.
• Keep truck traffic internal to the port, and develop a long-term traffic plan.
• Enhance the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway by running it along Atlantic Basin.
• Connect docket ships to on-shore power, to reduce the use of highly-polluting generators.
• Establish a comprehensive "first source/green jobs" local hiring program.

Brad Lander is running in Brooklyn's 39th Council District (Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens/Columbia Waterfront, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, and Kensington). Lander has the support of a wide range of community, environmental, and small business leaders.