Brooklyn climate advocates joined Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and owners of 1701 Albemarle Road in Flatbush to urge Mayor Eric Adams to implement Local Law 97, reports Food and Water Watch.
Passed in 2019, Local Law 97 requires large buildings like the co-op at 1701 Albemarle Road to reduce their energy usage. The cut back will in turn help New Yorkers save money and position the city to fight climate change more effectively.
“Today, I stood alongside advocates, renters, and homeowners to fight for the implementation of a law that has the potential to create tens of thousands of green jobs this decade, cut pollution city-wide by millions of tons per year, and significantly reduce monthly utility bills. We’re calling on Mayor Adams to put the needs of everyday New Yorkers and our environment first by fully implementing Local Law 97,” stated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
When fully implemented, Local Law 97 will lower city energy costs, while creating good-paying jobs, decreasing pollution, and protecting the health of residents across the tri-state area. I
n the past. fossil fuels used to heat, cool and power the majority of the city’s buildings generating about 70% of the city’s climate-heating pollution and also killing an estimated 1,000 New Yorkers per year from respiratory issues. Due to these glaring statistics, both city officials, residents and owners of 1701 Albemarle Road stand in full support of the law and hope Mayor Adams will implement and enforce it rather than side with real estate lobbies who oppose the law as they urge for its mandates to be weakened.
“Local Law 97 is one of the best tools NYC has to improve air quality by tackling the City’s polluting buildings. Nearly my whole family has asthma, and not only are efficient buildings cleaner and safer, they can also save money on utility bills. Today we’re seeing the real benefits that Local Law 97 will give to tenants here in Flatbush, across Brooklyn and through the five boroughs,” continued Damien Andrade, a Brooklyn College student and NYPIRG member .
