Image credit: New York City Council.
The bill furthers the City’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions citywide. On August 26, 2021, the City Council voted to approve a bill that requires the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to report the greenhouse gas emissions for NYCHA’s buildings. Int. 2283-A, sponsored by Council Member Helen Rosenthal, aims to promote transparency and further the City’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions citywide. The bill helps strengthen the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions established in Local Law 97 of 2019, which established greenhouse gas emission limits for existing buildings.
Int. 2283-A requires NYCHA to report the greenhouse gas emissions from its portfolio of buildings the agency owns or operates to the Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability. NYCHA has until December 1, 2022 to submit its report for the prior calendar year, and must submit a report by December 1st annually.
The bill also requires the Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability to include the reported greenhouse gas emissions in the annual report on green building standards. The reporting date for citywide emissions and city government emissions has also been amended to November 15th of each year. The new reporting date aims to better align the reporting of data with the timelines in which that data is received, which will result in a better analysis of the city’s emissions.
The new law also requires the Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability to post a list on its website of current and future capital projects that intend to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from city government operations, a project timeline, budget, schedule of planned commitments and an estimate of the expected reduction in emissions.
The bill will take effect on January 1, 2022.
Council Member Rosenthal stated, “Buildings account for approximately two-thirds of New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions, and Local Law 97 of 2019 is absolutely critical to fighting climate change by requiring drastic reductions in these emissions. Today we are taking action to make this law even stronger by 1.) ensuring that the City of New York is following the same rigorous standards already being enforced in the private sector; and 2.) including NYCHA properties within the purview of the law for the first time. We have a tremendous responsibility to take action on climate change while we still can and I am proud that we are doing so today.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)