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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Chantal Lee, Community Engagement Coordinator at Newtown Creek Alliance
1:59:34
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131 sec
Chantal Lee from Newtown Creek Alliance testified in support of Intro 1130, emphasizing the need for strong regulations to address the environmental and health impacts of warehouses and delivery trucks in the Newtown Creek area. She highlighted the high concentration of warehouses and truck traffic in the district, leading to air pollution and heat issues in disadvantaged communities.
- Newtown Creek area has 16 last-mile facilities along its 3.8-mile watershed, with more projected to come
- The speaker urged the city to implement zero-emission transportation and mandate mitigation plans for warehouses
- Recommendations include installing air filtration systems and green buffers near sensitive locations like schools and hospitals
Chantal Lee
1:59:34
Good morning.
1:59:35
My name is Chantal Lee, and I'm the community engagement coordinator at Newtown Creek Alliance.
1:59:40
We are a community based organization dedicated to restore, review, and revitalize Newton Creek, industrial waterway that borders industrial business zones of North Brooklyn, Long Island City, and Math Path.
1:59:52
The city identified the warehouse industry as a growing burden on our communities.
1:59:57
Assembly Assembly District 37 cover much of Newton Creek's Queenside, including council member Holden's district, has the most large warehouses in the state.
2:00:07
And with these warehouses comes trucks and a lot of them.
2:00:11
If you walk around in this district, you will see trucks coming and going from these warehouses one after another, thousands of truck trips a day.
2:00:21
The delivery trucks run on diesel, which is known to be deadly, causing asthma, cancer, miscarriage, heart attack, and premature death.
2:00:29
Newtown Creek surrounding areas, largely disadvantaged communities, sees the highest truck volume citywide.
2:00:36
It is hard to breathe and unbearably hot in the summer in these areas, nearly 40 degrees hotter than the rest of the city in 2023.
2:00:45
And the combination of heat and air pollution is a lot more lethal than either high heat or high air pollution alone.
2:00:52
Currently, there are 16 last mile facilities along the 3.8 mile Newton Creek watershed, and a lot more are projected to come.
2:01:01
We need strong regulations to address adverse environmental and health impacts that these facilities bring to our neighborhoods.
2:01:08
As a member of the Last Mile Coalition, we support the coalition's recommendations and the implementation of Intro eleven thirty.
2:01:15
Specifically, we urge the city to implement zero emission transportation, invest in zero emission trucks and charging infrastructure.
2:01:24
Second, mandate mitigation plans, require warehouses to install air filtration systems and green buffers planted with trees and vegetation for sensitive receptors such as schools and hospitals.
2:01:38
Sorry, last sentence.
2:01:39
Strong regulations and mitigation strategies are essential to protect the health of our communities.
2:01:43
Thank you all for your time and consideration.