Mayor Bill de Blasio, DSNY Commissioner Edward Grayson and Director Ben Furnas of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability pose with a compost collection bin following the return of the Curbside Composting Program. Image Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.

The new version of the Curbside Composting service will make free composting services available to New Yorkers and the improved Program includes significant expansions. On April 22, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City will be resuming its Curbside Composting Program, which was originally halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Earth Day announcement also included significant expansions to community composting, reuse, and hazardous waste disposal programs operated by the Department of Sanitation. (read more…)

Image Credit: NYC SBS

The Fair Share NYC: Restaurants Program helps to provide funds to restaurants that were hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic by connecting them to federal grants. On April 28, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Department of Small Business Services announced the launch of Fair Share NYC: Restaurants. This new program will help connect restaurants to federal relief funds. (read more…)

Mayor Bill de Blasio. Image credit: CityLand

Geothermal heating and cooling are a very efficient and environmentally clean technology and energy that has been in use for decades but has gone underutilized by New York City. On April 21, 2021, Mayor de Blasio announced the first steps that will be taken to advance New York City’s transition to district geothermal systems. These geothermal systems will help replace fuel oil and natural gas, fundamentally changing how New York City heats and cools its buildings. (read more…)

Rendering of proposed flood resiliency infrastructure prior to the Project’s approval. The construction will now begin. /Image Credit: DDC, Parks, DOT, DEP, and Mayor’s Office of Resiliency/CPC

The ambitious project will help to protect the East Side community and provide new improvements to many parks. On April 15, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced major construction on the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project. The $1.45 billion project will extend flooding protections and improve open spaces.  Neighborhoods that were heavily affected by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 will now be home to one of New York City’s most ambitious infrastructure and climate justice projects. For CityLand’s prior coverage of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, click here. (read more…)

Governors Island. Image credit: Trust for Governors Island.

The six new appointees will help oversee the Trust’s planning , operations, and development decisions. On April 14, 2021, Mayor de Blasio announced new appointments to the Trust for Governors Island Board of Directors. The appointments are Donnel Baird, Alice Blank, Lisa Garcia, Grace Lee, Michael Oppenheimer, and Matthew Washington. The appointed members have a combined wealth of knowledge and backgrounds in the fields of green technology, climate science, environmental justice, architecture, business, government, and advocacy. The appointments will be overseeing the Trust’s activities in planning, operations, and development of Governors Island. (read more…)