PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Duc Lee, Participant in Citizens Air Complaint Program
3:10:04
·
130 sec
Duc Lee, a participant in NYC's Citizens Air Complaint Program, shared his personal experiences with air pollution in Vietnam and emphasized the importance of the program in maintaining clean air in New York City. He expressed strong opposition to Intro 941, arguing it would undermine the program's effectiveness and threaten free speech.
- Lee drew parallels between air pollution issues in his Vietnamese village and New York City's past air quality problems
- He praised the Citizens Air Complaint Program as one of the most effective air quality initiatives in the world
- Lee warned that Intro 941 would discourage citizen participation and allow more polluters to go unchecked
Duc Lee
3:10:04
Good afternoon.
3:10:04
My name is Duke Lee.
3:10:06
I am a participant of BC's in a complaint program.
3:10:10
I was born in batch and a part of the village in Vietnam where traditional part of the making rely on coal as the main source of fuel.
3:10:18
Our villagers suffer from high rate of cancer and lung related diseases, which were the direct result of air pollution.
3:10:25
One of the victims was my cousin, Lem, who was lying on my brother to me tragically die of lung cancer at the age of sixteen.
3:10:34
New York City once faced similar problem.
3:10:36
In 1964, it had the worst air pollution of any major US city.
3:10:41
As a New York time article puts in, quote, once upon a time, you could touch the air in New York.
3:10:47
It was that filthy end quote.
3:10:49
Thanks to critical environmental law, the cities are now much cleaner, but we can't take that progress for granted.
3:10:56
When I moved to the US, I was struck by how clean the air and water were.
3:11:00
I felt privileged to be here, but I also felt a deep responsibility to help preserve these basic right for future generation.
3:11:09
Last year, a good friend introduced me to the citizen air complaint program.
3:11:14
Initially, I was skeptical, but I quickly realized this program is one of the most effective air quality initiative in the world.
3:11:21
It empowers everyday citizens to report illegal idling and hope polluter accountable.
3:11:27
The program has made a profound impact reducing air pollution, improving public health, and generating revenue for the city.
3:11:35
Unfortunately, intro 941 trends to undermine all these progress by reducing the financial incentives.
3:11:41
This bill discourages the very citizen participant that makes the program so successful.
3:11:47
Few people fewer people will be motivated to report violation, which mean more polluter will go unchecked.
3:11:54
Intro 941 also threatened another fundamental American value, free speech.
3:12:00
By penalizing participant who disagreed with the DAP, this remind me of the author authoritism system I grew up under in Vietnam who was speaking out could cost you dearly.
3:12:13
Mhmm.
3:12:13
Thank you.
James F. Gennaro
3:12:14
Your time is concluded.
