City on the Edge: Climate Change and New York City
Harlem River Status Change Could Stall Cleanup Efforts, Environmentalists Warn
The state proposes giving the Harlem River a new classification that would exempt the city from meeting bacterial water quality standards when it rains—and environmental groups are not happy about it.
They're pushing for another classification that would require the city invest more to prevent and offset Combined Sewer Overflows, which occur when rainfall overwhelms New York's antiquated sewer system, causing pipes to overflow and dump untreated sewage into nearby waterways.
With a total of 65 CSO outfalls feeding into its waters, the Harlem River receives the most combined sewage overflow out of any river in the state, according to the non-profit Swim Coalition.
"The Hudson River is swimmable and fishable. Why is the Harlem River not?" said Chauncy Young, coordinator at the Harlem River Coalition.
Low-Income Households Shortchanged on State Funds for Energy Savings Programs
“Not committing more money to low-income programs means that not enough households are getting the help that they need. We are already seeing that more and more people are unable to afford their energy bills,” said Jessica Azulay, executive director for the Alliance for a Green Economy (AGREE).
“The Affordable Waste Reduction Act ensures that businesses of all sizes, along with consumers, can play a role in reducing waste without facing exorbitant compliance costs.”
