TESTIMONY
Testimony: Debbie Reservato, PTA Board Member from PS 15, on Shore Power Implementation
2:23:51
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127 sec
Debbie Reservato, a PTA board member from PS 15 and a Redhook resident, testifies in support of mandatory shore power use for cruise ships docking in NYC, particularly highlighting the impacts on the familial and environmental health of the Redhook community. Addressing the issue of toxic emissions and the resultant health concerns like asthma and high blood lead levels, Reservato advocates for Intro 4 as a crucial measure for cleaner air and a sustainable future for Redhook families.
Speaker 16
2:23:51
Thank you to the city council for hearing my testimony in support of the use of shore power by all cruise ships docking in New York City.
2:23:58
My name is Debbie Reservato, and I've lived in Redhook, Brooklyn for 15 years.
2:24:02
I have 2 children who've lived in Redhook their entire lives.
2:24:06
They attend PS 15, Patrick F Daily, where I'm also a PTA board member.
2:24:10
I'm here to represent not only myself and my family, but all of the families in the PS 15 community who cannot be here today.
2:24:17
I feel that it is important for me to speak because I own a home in Redhook and plan to live here for many years to come.
2:24:23
Red Hook is a mixed use neighborhood with residential properties alongside manufacturing businesses and last mile warehouses.
2:24:31
Families already have to deal with traffic and exhaust from idle trucks parked outside our door at all hours of the day.
2:24:38
When cruise ships are docked there and running on marine diesel fuel, we are exposed to emissions that are far more toxic than those caused by typical highway fuel.
2:24:46
Children that grew up in Redhook continued to suffer from high rates of asthma and blood lead levels caused by preventable environmental factors.
2:24:54
My children spend hours outside each day on the playground at PS 15 and at the Redhook ball fields just a few blocks from the cruise ship terminal.
2:25:03
Air quality sensors throughout the neighborhood show that they are exposed on a weekly basis to harmful levels of pollutants.
2:25:09
This is made worse by prolonged physical exertion during recess after school sports and playtime outdoors.
2:25:16
I'm concerned for the long term health of my children my husband, a cancer survivor, and all of the families who called Redhook their home.
2:25:24
If a cruise ship cannot plug into shore power, it should not be allowed to dock in New York City.
2:25:29
Intro 4, our water, our air, would require cruise ship companies to use shore power and provide protections against some of the harmful impacts of diesel fuel emissions.
2:25:38
Passing this legislation will be a critical step towards a sustainable future for the families of Redhook and the greater New York City area.
2:25:46
Cruise ships should dock responsibly.
2:25:48
We deserve clean air now.
2:25:51
Thank you to council members for hearing my testimony.
2:25:54
Please consider the families of Redhook and support intro 4, I appreciate your time and attention.