Mayor Adams makes the “Leading the Charge” announcement on October 28, 2022. Image Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.

Cutting-edge improvements to environmental consciousness and efficiency come only 20 years after New York schools stop burning coal. On October 28, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced a $4 billion investment in school upgrades, conversions, and retrofits to phase out the use of No. 4 heating oil in more than 200 schools across the five boroughs. The plan, dubbed “Leading the Charge,” will contribute significantly to the City’s goals of 50 percent carbon emission reduction by 2030—in fact, the retrofits are expected to be complete in just four years, by 2026. (more…)

Mayor Adams announces changes to the City’s COVID-19 protocols in Times Square. Image Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.

The announcements come after data supports that New York City is currently experiencing low level spread of COVID-19. On March 4, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced changes to the City’s COVID-19 protocols in response to the decline of COVID-19 cases citywide. The changes go into effect today, Monday, March 7th. (more…)

Solar panels like these will be installed on almost 50 school buildings citywide. Image Credit: NYC DEP

The new solar power installations will help to generate over 22 megawatts of solar energy. On March 1, 2021, New York City and the New York Power Authority announced the installation of solar arrays at almost 50 public schools within New York City as well as at water treatment facilities in Manhattan, Westchester, Delaware, and Ulster counties. The power generated by the installations is enough to power approximately 5,600 City residences and reduce nearly 7,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent each year. Energy storage facilities are also planned to be used at these facilities in order to store power for times of higher electricity demand. (more…)

Mayor Bill de Blasio describes the City’s plan to reopen schools on November 29, 2020. Image Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

Elementary schools will reopen December 7th but middle and high schools will remain remote only for the foreseeable future. On November 29, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Education Chancellor Richard Carranza announced a plan to reopen New York City public schools for in-person learning after temporarily shutting schools on November 19th after the City’s COVID-19 positivity rates exceeded three percent.  (more…)

Mayor Bill de Blasio. Image credit: CityLand

The delay comes less than a week before all students were scheduled to return to in-person instruction. On September 17, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio, DOE Chancellor Richard Carranza, United Federation of Teachers (UFT) President Michael Mulgrew and Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) President Mark Cannizzaro announced a delay in the return to in-person instruction at NYC public schools. This is the second delay in the return to in-person instruction. Schools will physically reopen for students in a phased plan over a couple of weeks. (more…)