May Membership Meeting: City Council District 9 Candidates Forum

The New York Primary Election is June 27 and one of the most hotly contested seats this year is in Harlem. The District 9 race for New York City Council is heating up, and for our May Membership Meeting, we are hosting a forum to hear from three of the candidates in this race (Inez Dickens, Yusef Salaam, and Al Taylor) on what they plan to do for Harlem and for environmental justice. Join us at Twenty-first Century Academy for Community Leadership at 501 West 152nd Street on Saturday, May 13 from 10 am - 1 pm. 

TAKE ACTION: Share Your Concern About Indoor Air Pollution

Our Out of Gas, In with Justice pilot found that gas stoves cause significant, harmful indoor air pollution - putting the health of you and your family at risk! The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is seeking public input on the health hazards of gas stove emissions and potential solutions to remediate them. This is your chance to speak up! Let the CPSC know that we want more information on the dangers of gas stove emissions and that we want our health to be protected. Please sign and send this pre-drafted letter linked here in response to the CPSC Request for Information and please share this opportunity with your networks, friends, and family!

Calling for Tighter Trucking Emissions Standards

On Tuesday, Anastasia Gordon testified at a Public Hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. She commended the agency for “recognizing the need for and taking this crucial step towards tackling climate pollution and addressing the public health threat and long-standing environmental injustices caused by heavy-duty vehicles” but explained that the proposed standards need to be stronger. She argued that tighter emissions standards and a clear commitment – and timeline – for transitioning to electric trucks and buses is needed to address long-standing environmental justice issues caused by their pollution.

“Eliminating tailpipe emissions from heavy-duty vehicles is required to deliver much needed health benefits for communities overburdened by diesel truck pollution and infrastructure,” Gordon added. “If truck fleets electrify by 2050, the American Lung Association estimates cumulative benefits could include $735 billion in public health benefits due to cleaner air, 66,800 fewer premature deaths, 1.75 million fewer asthma attacks, and 8.5 million fewer lost workdays.”

New Horizons in Conservation

Micaela Martinez will be speaking at the 2023 New Horizons in Conservation, hosted by the Yale School of the Environment in New Haven, which will be a discussion of the status of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the conservation field. The conference runs May 10 - 13 with both in-person and virtual options to attend.

Can Zoning Help NYC Reach Carbon Neutrality?

Join the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) for a panel discussion, including Annie Carforo, on New York City's City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality proposal on Tuesday, May 16 from 8:30 - 10 am at the AIA Center for Architecture, 536 Laguardia Place at NYU.

The NYC Department of City Planning has identified ways in which the City's zoning regulations could be modernized to further support the City's ambitious climate goals. This discussion will bring together panelists to focus on the City's efforts to update its Zoning Resolution to meet our City and State's carbon emissions goals.

Free Training For Green Construction

WE ACT's Green Institute is holding a free two-week course to become solar installation and green construction certified. The course is designed to funnel people from our community into solar and green jobs to push our city and state to a cleaner, greener future. The course will run Tuesday, May 9 - Friday, May 12 and Monday, May 15 - Friday, May 19 at Solar One, 9-03 44th Rd, Suite 201 in Long Island City, Queens. The course is open to all but preference will be given to West Harlem residents.

• WE ACT Members on Agents of Change Podcast: WE ACT members Jewel Jones and Tina Johnson talked about WE ACT and their climate justice work on the Agents of Change podcast.
• Ending Lead Poisoning: Lonnie Portis and Liz Reyes appeared in a story on childhood lead poisoning in New York Amsterdam News.
• Gas Stoves: With renewed interest about the dangers of gas stoves and other appliances, Annie Carforo was interviewed by WROC News 8 in Rochester about our Out of Gas, In with Justice pilot. The study also received coverage in the World Journal, a Chinese-language daily newspaper serving North America.
• Increasing Climate Education: Peggy Shepard was featured by BET in an Earth Day roundup of Black environmentalists.
• NY Climate Exchange: Chalkbeat New York reprinted the City's story on the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island.

Petro Powers Target Cancer Alley Activists

The Guardian reports on the plans the petrochemical industry has to undermine the grassroots efforts of the Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign in Cancer Alley, a notorious area of environmental injustice in Louisiana. Our colleagues and long-time partners, Dr. Beverly Wright of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice and Jo Banner of the Descendants Project, are both quoted.

Which Bus Routes Should be Free? (Besides All of Them)

Take City and State New York's new poll about which bus routes in NYC should be free! Funding has made it into the new state budget for a MTA pilot program that will remove the fare boxes on one bus route in each of New York City’s five boroughs. Now, you can vote for your favorite bus routes here. 

NYC DOT Wants Help Identifying Loading Zones

Are you tired of seeing double-parked cars and blocked bike and bus lanes? Well, this won’t necessarily solve that, but it could help. The New York City Department of Transportation has created a map where you can leave a comment about these sorts of violations as part of a citywide program to identify 500 new loading zones – spaces where people can park their vehicles to drop off and pick up things – each year. Have a look here, and contact the NYC DOT with any questions you may have.

Join a Community Cleanup of Washington Heights

Volunteers will meet at 168th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue on Saturday, May 6th at 12 pm for the annual Riverkeeper Sweep community cleanup in Washington Heights. Bring your own gloves and a grabber if you own one! 

Listen to Uptown Chats Podcast on Environmental Justice

Looking for that new hot, informative, and interesting podcast to add to your docket? Look no further than Uptown Chats, WE ACT's new podcast! Join Lonnie and Jaron and their expert guests for an enlivening conversation on all things environmental justice. New episodes are released each month!