Health Alert: Legionnaires’ Disease in Harlem

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has issued an alert regarding a cluster of Legionnaires' disease cases in Central Harlem. According to the City, 22 people have been infected, with one fatality, in the following zip codes:10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039.

Legionnaires’ disease is a pneumonia (lung infection) caused by breathing in bacteria (Legionella) that is found naturally in the environment and grows in warm water. The City suspects the source is one of the cooling towers in the area. Cooling towers are units located on the roof of a building as part of a central air conditioning system. These towers spray mist into the air, which is likely the source of the bacteria that the infected people had breathed in. The City has been testing every cooling tower in the area to identify the source.

The City also notes that the disease cannot be passed from person-to-person, nor from drinking water, showering, or even individual air conditioning units. People can only get sick by breathing in water vapor containing the bacteria. Those who are over 50-years-old, smoke, have chronic lung disease, or have a weakened immune system are at greatest risk. The symptoms are similar to the flu and can include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, and shortness of breath. If you have flu-like symptoms, the City recommends you seek medical attention right away.

Learn more about this cluster of cases in English and Spanish. And learn more about the disease here.

Harlem Week Climate Change Conference

Peggy Shepard will be speaking at the annual Harlem Week Climate Change Conference on Wednesday, August 6th. Presented by Columbia Climate School and the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, the event will focus on environmental and climate justice issues impacting communities like Harlem and how the New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice - with help from organizations like WE ACT - is working to develop the EJNYC Plan to address these issues, many of which were identified in its EJNYC Report.

In addition to Peggy's keynote, there will be a panel with Columbia Climate School Professor of Climate Sheila R. Foster, CUNY BPL Founding Director Michael Bobker, Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Deputy Executive Director Paul Lozito, and Columbia University Chief Climate & Sustainability Officer Daniel A. Zarrilli, who will moderate. Medgar Evers College President Dr. Patricia Ramsey will provide closing remarks.

Join us Wednesday, August 6th from 5:30-8:00 PM on the Second Floor of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Harlem State Office Building, located at 163 West 125th Street (at the corner of 125th St. & Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd). Be sure to arrive early and with a photo I.D. to clear security. RSVP

Heat Health at Home Workshop

We have already had a few heatwaves this summer, and more are surely on the way. Come learn how to safeguard your home and your health from extreme heat!

As part of the New York State Extreme Heat Coalition, we are hosting an interactive workshop on Thursday, August 21st from 6:00-8:00 PM at our office, located on the Second Floor of 1854 Amsterdam Avenue (at the corner of 152nd Street & Amsterdam). We will be providing information on how to lower the cost of cooling your home, seeking your input on ways to better safeguard our community, and sharing how you can get involved in some of the work we are doing to help everyone stay safe during heatwaves. RSVP

Holding the EPA Accountable

Manny Salgado spoke at U.S. Senator Ed Markey's press conference in front of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) headquarters in Washington, DC on Tuesday, July 29th to protest the Trump administration's attempt to leave the agency powerless to limit climate pollution. The EPA has revealed its plan to upend the endangerment finding and clean air protections that cemented the agency’s authority to protect the public from climate and transportation pollution. This aims to erase limits on greenhouse gas emissions, including from vehicles, and intends to stop even future administrations from regulating climate pollution. Watch the video here. And learn more here, including how it will rollback the transportation rules we fought so hard for as part of the Clean Air for the Long Haul coalition.

Heat Resiliency Workshop

New York State Assemblymember Micah Lasher is hosting a Heat Resiliency workshop on Monday, August 4th at the Center at Red Oak, which is located at 135 West 106th Street (between Amsterdam & Columbus Avenues). The Spanish-language workshop will be at 10:00 AM followed by the English-language workshop at 11:00 AM. Contact the Assemblymember's office at [email protected] or 212-866-3790 for additional information.

District 10 Community Picnic

New York City Council Member Carmen De La Rosa is hosting her Annual Community Picnic for Manhattan District 10 from 12:00-5:00 PM on Saturday, August 9th at Highbridge Park (enter at 172nd Street & Amsterdam Avenue). There will be food, music, and activities for all ages.

Lonnie Portis spoke at a press conference last week celebrating New York State finalizing its rules for the All Electric Building Act. As you may recall, WE ACT helped pass this 2023 legislation, which will go into effect statewide for smaller buildings beginning next year and then in 2029 for larger buildings. It's based on a similar bill we were instrumental in passing here in New York City in 2021,which went into effect for buildings under seven stories last year and taller buildings in 2027. These were major environmental justice wins because buildings burning fossil fuels had been responsible for approximately 70 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions in New York City, and studies have found that air pollution from buildings burning fossil fuels leads to nearly 2,000 premature deaths each year across New York State.

Lonnie was quoted in a Canary Media article, saying “Numerous studies…show that both air pollution and climate change disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color." The state’s all-electric building standard ​“is a significant step forward for environmental and climate justice.” That story also appeared on Yahoo News. And he was cited in a Radio Catskill story, echoing the disparate impacts and premature deaths fossil fuel emissions from buildings have caused across the state, as well as in a Realty+ article noting that this “is a significant step forward for environmental and climate justice.”

And the NY Focus article we shared last week, on our lawsuit against New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation for failing to issue regulations to ensure the State meets the emissions-reduction targets established by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019, has also appeared on Yahoo News.

Uptown Chats Book Club: Powerless - The People’s Struggle for Energy (Part 1)

With more than 1.4 million New Yorkers struggling to pay their energy bills, energy insecurity is an issue that has been impacting environmental justice communities throughout the state, and across the country. Join Jaron and Lonnie for their first Uptown Chats Book Club featuring a discussion with Diana Hernández, PhD, a tenured Associate Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, about her new book, Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy. This is the first of a two-part series with Dr. Hernandez, who has worked with WE ACT on a number of projects over the years. Listen

Click here to call New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and ask her to sign the legislation that eliminates the 100-foot rule, saving New Yorkers $200 million annually, into law.

Click here to ask Governor Hochul to sign this bill banning PFAS and other toxic chemicals from menstrual products sold in New York State.

Click here to send a letter to New York State legislators demanding action to test homes for lead paint.

Take New York’s air quality survey to draw attention to Northern Manhattan’s air quality.

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