Peggy Shepard has been acknowledged as one of the Manhattan Power 100 by the City & State of New York. She is the only member of the environmental movement recognized as one of the “movers and shakers in New York City’s bustling center of business.”
Dana Johnson on the Inflation Reduction Act and Permit Reform Bill
President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law this week (read our response here). Listen to Dana Johnson discuss this legislation and so much more – including how we can address the bill’s shortcomings – on the Coolest Show with producer Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, the Roosevelt Institute’s Director of Climate Policy Rhiana Gunn Wright, and Black Appalachian Coalition Founder Bishop Marcia Dinkins.
And before the ink was even dry on President Biden’s signature, Dana was already talking to Reuters about the next big battle, Permit Reform, and how it could harm environmental justice communities. Read the article here, and watch the video replay of our webinar here.
Early Voting Through Sunday August 21
Early voting for the August 23rd New York primary ends Sunday! Learn what you need to know to vote, including how to find your early voting polling site on our website.
Peggy Shephard Gives TED Talk on Environmental Justice
In case you missed it, Peggy Shepard shared her experience and insight in a TED Countdown Talk released Thursday as part of a series that focused on addressing the climate crisis and other environmental threats. In her talk, she points to the disproportionate impact that hazardous environmental conditions have on Black, brown, and Indigenous communities and challenges us to build a truly equitable future that turns "sacrifice zones" -- where community health is sacrificed for the sake of development -- into "green zones" that redress the legacy of pollution and harmful policies.
Inflation Reduction Act: Dana Johnson talked to POLITICO about some of the failures of the Inflation Reduction Act, including millions wasted on false solutions like trying to pull carbon dioxide from the air.
Peggy Speaks at Harlem Week:As Harlem Week kicked off, Peggy Shephard spoke at the Change & Environmental Justice in Harlem event sponsored by the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia Climate School, City College of New York, and West Harlem Development Corporation.
Lead Crisis: Sonal Jessel spoke to New York Amsterdam News about the city's lead crisis, urging the city to hold landlords accountable and replace its lead water pipes.
End Lead Poisoning: Lonnie Portis was among the advocates quoted in City Limits’ story about the New York City Coalition to End Lead Poisoning. We are pushing for a more proactive approach and stronger enforcement of New York City’s lead laws. Read the story here, and read the coalition's roadmap for ending childhood lead poisoning in New York City here.
WE ACT blog: Ashes for Fertilizer: One of our inaugural Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellows, Caleb Smith shares the journey that led them to a career in climate and environmental justice action.
WE ACT Membership Meeting
Join us at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 10 for our September Membership meeting. It will be the first in-person membership meeting we’ve had in, well, a long time! We will also livestream it for those who can’t attend in-person. And those attending in-person will need to present proof of vaccination before entering. Also, we’re still working on the location, so we’ll update this as soon as it’s confirmed.
Besides seeing our smiling faces, why should you attend? Because we will be talking about New York State’s critical new Environmental Bond Act up for vote this November. This ballot initiative is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to advance environmental justice in New York. We’ll walk you through Environmental Bond Act so you will have a better understanding of what it is designed to accomplish.
What are the impacts of toxins in fashion and beauty products? Join us for a webinar at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, Sept. 13 during which industry and academic experts will expand our understanding of toxic exposure in fashion and beauty.
The Central Business District Tolling Program is the official name of what is known as congestion pricing, a proposal by the city to toll private vehicles in parts of Manhattan. New York City has done an environmental assessment of the program, which you can view here. We urge you to take the time to review it and submit your comments online here, email them to [email protected], call 646-252-7440, or sign up via the links below to comment during one of the public hearings:
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) published its Draft Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Public Housing Authority Plan, which is available for public review online.
On August 31 at 5:30 PM at the Pace Schimmel Theater, there will be an opportunity for NYCHA residents to give oral testimony regarding the plan. There is also an opportunity to submit written comments by September 2nd.
Yes, folks, our 2022 Gala will be in-person! Join us from 6:00-9:00 PM at International House on Thursday, October 27 to celebrate all of this year’s achievements! After two years of zoom Galas, this will be a special one that you don't want to miss. We’ll be honoring Dr. Beverly L. Wright, Founder and Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice; Jessica Ottney Mahar, New York Director of Policy & Strategy at The Nature Conservancy; and Mychal Johnson, Co-Founder of South Bronx Unite.
As a part of our Beauty Inside Out campaign, we are surveying girls and femme-identifying people of color between 13-17 years of age that live in Northern Manhattan (West Harlem, Central Harlem, East Harlem, Inwood, and Washington Heights). The survey will help us better understand how girls and femme-identifying people of color use and feel about certain types of cosmetic products and how this might affect their health.
The survey takes 15-20 minutes, and respondents that complete the survey will receive a $6 Subway Restaurant gift card. If you are between the ages of 13-17, parental permission is required. And since the pandemic interrupted our survey, we should note that anyone who already took the survey is not eligible.
If you are interested in participating, please complete this Google form. Once the form is completed, a parent/legal guardian will be contacted, and you will be informed of the next steps.
Permit Bill: Panel Discussion on Impacts
In case you missed it, the “Permitting Reform Bill” will permanently erode important tools for democratizing federal projects in communities of color and areas of low income while prolonging our reliance on fossil fuels. On Thursday, we held an important panel conversation about the impacts of the Permitting Reform Bill on communities vulnerable to the effects of environmental racism and climate change and why it needs to be stopped.
Stand with communities against this fossil fuel wish list. This closed door deal must be stopped - no attachments to spending bills!
Sponsor the Environmental Justice for All Act - a community-led bill that includes a provision for reforming the permitting process in a responsible way.
New York Providing Utility Debt Relief for Low-Income Households
As you may recall, we have been advocating for utility debt relief because more than 1 million New Yorkers are struggling to pay their utility bills. This crisis has hit low-income communities and communities of color the hardest, as they must spend a disproportionate amount of their household income on utility bills. And with the COVID-19 pandemic hitting these same communities the hardest, it’s not surprising that many have found themselves behind on their utility bills.
Get Debt Relief
Thanks to the New York State Public Service Commission, Governor Kathy Hochul, and the State Legislature, $250 million will be distributed to those in need, helping pay down household utility debt. Current utility customers participating in the Energy Affordability Program (EAP) will receive a one-time bill credit that eliminates arrears accrued through May 1, 2022. But if you are in a low-income household that is not already enrolled in your utility’s EAP program, you can still enroll to receive this credit.
WE ACT Will Help
If you are interested in enrolling, sign up here for help in navigating this process. You can also contact Briana Carbajal at [email protected].
Now Hiring: Help Us Fight for Environmental Justice!
As you may have noticed, the WE ACT team has been growing and we need your help to continue this growth! We are looking to hire the following positions:
In our New York City office:
Director of Environmental Health
Energy Justice Policy Specialist
Bilingual Community Organizer
In our Washington, DC office
National Coalition Manager
Federal Regulatory Affairs Manager (Attorney)
Clean Air & Water Policy Manager (Attorney)
Senior Communications Manager
Environmental Justice Research Analyst
Visit weact.org/careers to download the job descriptions and apply for any of these positions. Join our team!
Back to the Office!
Our staff is slowly working its way back into the office. And for those who have visited our New York City headquarters, on the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 152nd Street, you know it’s an interesting place to work. We thought we’d take a moment to share some of the building’s history.
The photo to the left shows the building today, and the photo to the right as it was in the 1940s. Like many of our staff, it has certainly aged well.
This historic building has made a number of cameos as a police station, including in the film Serpico and the television series Godfather of Harlem. That’s no surprise, though, because the building was built in 1871 for the 32nd Police Precinct.
At some point, perhaps in the great precinct reshuffle of 1929, it was renamed the 30th Precinct, which worked hard to earn the nickname “Dirty 30” due to the rampant corruption and endless scandals of officers stationed there. It was arguably the worst precinct in the city at the time, and that’s saying a lot.
Eventually the 30th Precinct left the building for a new one built around the corner, on West 151st Street between Amsterdam and Convent Avenues. The original building we’re in was designated a landmark in 1986, and is currently owned by the St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church.
