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News ReleaseContact: Iva Benson (212) 843-8271/cell (917) 497-3907 or NEW YORK CITY AND STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS NEW YORK, June 3, 2007 – Seventeen New York City and State elected officials officially endorsed Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PlaNYC today. The announcement was made during a press conference featuring more than a dozen of the endorsing elected officials, who stood alongside members of the Campaign for New York’s Future, an unprecedented coalition of 94 environmental, public health, civic, labor, community and business organizations that have joined in support of the Mayor’s plan to make New York the greenest city in the United States. The Mayor’s PlaNYC encompasses 127 separate initiatives designed to make New York the most sustainable big city in the United States. The most sweeping plan to enhance New York’s environment in the City’s modern history, PlaNYC focuses on improving five critical aspects – land, air, water, energy and transportation – in order to create a cleaner, healthier place to live and work and to accommodate projected growth in population and business over the next two decades. The following New York City and state elected officials announced their endorsement of PlaNYC today:
“Each of these committed public servants has earned the thanks of the 94 organizations that now comprise the Campaign for New York’s Future, and they deserve the gratitude of all New Yorkers. In endorsing PlaNYC, they are making a principled stand to reduce asthma, increase access to open space, improve mass transit and create healthier and more livable neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs,” said Michael O’Loughlin, Campaign Director of the Campaign for New York’ Future. Added Elizabeth C. Yeampierre, Executive Director of UPROSE and Chair of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, “PlaNYC will benefit New Yorkers from all communities by cleaning our air; reducing emissions and toxins tied to asthma, cancer and other diseases; making our commutes faster; and generating billions to improve public transportation. As more and more legislators familiarize themselves with the enormity of the looming problem and review the visionary plan before them, we hope and expect to see many more follow these officials’ lead.” State Senate Liz Krueger said, “Traffic congestion is much more than just an annoyance for drivers who get stuck in their vehicles – it has far-reaching negative consequences to New Yorkers’ health and quality of life. There are senior citizens, the mobility-impaired, and families with young children who are regularly afraid to even leave the block they live on. Traffic 'blocking the box' places pedestrian safety at risk, allows less personal time for people to spend with their families, and leads to auto emissions that increase pollution and the asthma rate. A system of congestion pricing, implemented after improving access to, and the reliability of, mass transit in all 5 boroughs, will greatly benefit the every-day lives of all New Yorkers.” State Senator Schneiderman said, “The genius and breath of vision embodied in the PlaNYC proposal reminds us that government can act as an engine for bold social and transformative progress. It’s like a twenty-first century, kinder and gentler Robert Moses.” State Senator Jose M. Serrano said, “I proudly endorse the many great proposals in Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC, including his call for congestion pricing. I believe congestion pricing is one of the keys to reducing automobile traffic and carbon emissions throughout the city. As an elected official representing parts of Upper Manhattan and The Bronx, my support is based upon assurances of a robust commitment to enhancing mass transit, and addressing the localized concerns of neighborhoods outside of the Central Business District. I applaud the Mayor for his great vision, and I look forward to working with him to make sure that vision becomes a reality.” - more - Campaign for New York’s Future/page threeNew York State Assembly Member Karim Camara said, “New York City is experiencing amazing growth, and we are anticipating even further population expansion in the coming years. We must act now if we are to have any hope of accommodating such growth while also ensuring a clean, healthy environment for all New Yorkers.” New York Assembly Member Richard Gottfried said, “As Chairman of the Assembly Health Committee, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of pollution and harmful emissions on New York’s residents, especially those in our most vulnerable communities. It is a moral imperative, as well as an economic necessity, that we get serious about safeguarding our environment and providing all New Yorkers with cleaner air and more open spaces. For this reason, I enthusiastically endorse PlaNYC.” Said Council Member Gale A. Brewer of Manhattan, “I fully support Mayor Bloomberg's efforts as well as the concept of charging commuters who enter Manhattan. I agree we should put significant resources into improvements for mass transit before congestion pricing is implemented, including Bus Rapid Transit, regular buses, faster subways and more comfortable stations. My office has been committed to improving public transportation for all New Yorkers and I look forward to working with the MTA and DOT in implementing more change.” Council Member Simcha Felder said, “I applaud Mayor Bloomberg for his initiative with PlaNYC and I thank the Campaign for New York's Future for holding this event. While I believe it is essential to improve public transportation in the outer boroughs before implementing any form of congestion pricing – the Mayor deserves tremendous credit for bringing the issues of long-term planning and sustainability to the forefront of his agenda and opening a necessary dialogue about the future of New York City and large cities throughout the world.” Said Council Member Dan Garodnick, “We must not stick our head in the sand about the future of this City. We need to think boldly about the many housing, transportation and infrastructure concerns that lay before us. That's what PlaNYC does, and I am pleased to support its principles.” City Councilman James Vacca said, “In the years ahead, we can expect New Yorkers to live longer. We must plan now for what I call ‘senior friendly’ communities, which include open green space, air quality improvement and traffic mitigation. Traffic congestion and parking issues are becoming more profound each day. Improving mass transit access and reducing car usage to Manhattan, in my community and across the city, will address the all-day back-ups we now witness on highways and service roads spilling into local outer-borough communities.”
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