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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by China Copperstone, Environmental Justice Research Analyst at We Stay/Nos Quedamos
1:19:50
ยท
161 sec
China Copperstone from We Stay/Nos Quedamos testifies in support of amending Introduction 998 to improve cooling center accessibility and equity in environmental justice areas. She emphasizes the disproportionate impact of extreme heat on underserved neighborhoods in the South Bronx and the need for more effective cooling center resources.
- Highlights the recent NYC Department of Health report showing 580 heat-related deaths annually
- Recommends minimum number of cooling centers in vulnerable areas, extended hours, and improved accessibility
- Calls for better awareness, multilingual outreach, and safeguarded funding for cooling center improvements
China Copperstone
1:19:50
Thank you chair Schulman and New York City Council members for providing time to testify today.
1:19:55
My name is Chyna Copperstone and I work at We Nos Kadamos.
1:19:58
It's a community development corporation in the South Bronx.
1:20:01
We Stay Nos Kadamos joins our partners with the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance to request that introduction number nine ninety eight be amended to incorporate the recommendations we share today to center the lives of community members most vulnerable to extreme heat related impacts.
1:20:17
Cooling centers are an essential part of urban infrastructure to protect people from the risks of extreme heat days and our organization is proud of New York City for investing in a program that is meant to ameliorate the threat of extreme weather.
1:20:29
However, the current cooling center resources are insufficiently accessible and inadequately equitable from alleviating environmental justice areas from the increased harms of climate and in structural exacerbated extreme heat events.
1:20:43
The limited availability of cooling centers both in terms of locations and hourly operations leaves our most vulnerable populations at significant risk of heat related illness and death.
1:20:52
Our organization represents the voices of underserved neighborhoods in the South Bronx that are disproportionately impacted by heat related health risks due to lack of community green spaces and access to waterfronts, proximity to pollution sources such as highways distribution centers and peaker plants, as well as financial barriers to health care and owning household cooling units.
1:21:11
The New York City Department of Health twenty twenty four New York City heat related mortality report reports that, and I quote, Heat contributes to the deaths of about five eighty New Yorkers on average each year during the warm season of May through September.
1:21:26
Inequities by race and income persist in the people and neighborhoods most impacted.
1:21:30
End quote.
1:21:31
Five hundred eighty deaths from high temperatures is outrageous and it's preventable.
1:21:35
Our organization recommends that there are a minimum number of cooling centers located across communities especially those with high concentrations of low income residents, a high heat vulnerability index and in areas with poor air quality and high pollution.
1:21:47
This includes the most vulnerable neighborhoods across New York City where environmental burdens are highest.
1:21:51
Centers must be easily accessible, I'll wrap it up, by public transit and ideally located within walking distance of each neighborhood.
1:21:58
Additionally, we support that cooling centers be operated beyond regular business hours, including evenings, weekends, and overnight, and additionally on those days of poor air quality.
1:22:09
These operations should be inclusive and accessible to all and equipped to provide the public with health Awareness of cooling centers should also be improved through proactive outreach and multilingual languages.
1:22:21
And additionally, we recommend that there is safeguarded funding for these cooling centers to be improved for services in order to maintain that functioning that we heard about earlier today.
1:22:31
Thank
Ariana Osorio
1:22:31
you for your Thank you.