QUESTION
Council Member Alexa Aviles Asks EDC About Health Care Cost Considerations for Red Hook Residents
0:55:13
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159 sec
Council Member Alexa Aviles questions the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) on whether it has considered the healthcare costs for Red Hook residents from long-term environmental burdens. Despite the initial investment in shore power during the Bloomberg Administration aimed at healthcare cost savings, Aviles inquires if EDC has recently mapped or analyzed this data. EDC indicates their focus differs from health indicators, but mentions collaboration with DOHMH and MOCEJ on air quality monitoring related to the cruise industry.
Speaker 2
0:55:13
The second question is, have you all considered the health care costs of Red Hope residents who have borne the brunt of the environmental decades environmental burdens for decades.
0:55:27
We know the original investment in Shore Power was actually made during the Bloomberg Administration using the health care savings as a as a in health care cost for residents as a major impotent.
0:55:43
To justify the the installation of shore power.
0:55:48
Have we, has the EDC, continue to map that data and has it has it at all looked at it as of recent?
Speaker 7
0:56:06
Thank you, Councilwoman, for that.
0:56:07
I think I'll pass it to my colleague, Mikael Adgate, to elaborate.
Speaker 8
0:56:12
Yeah.
0:56:13
Thank you, Sabrina, and thank you for the question council member.
0:56:16
As you know, EDC's mission surrounding economic development different from our colleagues at the Department of Health And Human Hygiene, mayor's office of Climate And Environmental Justice.
0:56:31
So I cannot say that we, EDC, have done specific mapping as it relates to health indicators in our cruise terminal communities.
0:56:42
That said, I can say that we collaborate closely with DOHMH, MOCEJ, and other partners about the impacts of our economic development work.
0:56:52
We'd know that the community has been asking for progress when it comes to air quality monitoring as it relates to the cruise industry and the cruise terminals.
0:57:04
And so we have already started discussions with DOH MH, the Department of Environmental Protection, and MOCEJ, to see how we can be a partner to that work because as you said in in your opening statement, the air quality realities in our environmental justice communities are impacted by a variety of factors.
0:57:27
Yes, the cruise industry, but also traffic, last mile facilities, industrial uses.
0:57:34
We understand that we are part of a much broader conversation about air quality.
0:57:40
And so we are committed to partnering with the entities that regulate and manage that work for the city, so that we're being transparent and sharing information as decisions get made.
