Legislation will address the effects of extreme weather and determine how to reduce the impact on the lives of New Yorkers.<\/p>\n
Council will also vote to bring breakfast in the classroom to every City school.<\/p>\n
New York, NY- Today, the City Council will vote to expand the scope of the New York City Climate Change Adaptation Task Force to assess how extreme heat, storms and flooding affect vulnerable populations, public health, natural systems, buildings and the economy. Convened in 2008, the Task Force and the New York City Panel on Climate Change have worked to evaluate the impacts of climate change in the city while developing strategies to protect its critical infrastructure \u2013 including water, gas, electricity, telecommunication and transportation \u2013 from those impacts.<\/p>\n
The Council will also consider resolutions calling on the State Legislature and the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to support breakfast in the classroom in every school in the city. Currently, breakfast in the classroom is only available in 381 schools.<\/p>\n
Additionally, legislation to improve the City\u2019s Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) program will be introduced.<\/p>\n
Climate Change<\/p>\n
As a result of climbing temperatures, sea levels are projected to rise, leading to more severe weather. Based on the Panel\u2019s previous climate projections, the city can expect that high heat days and heat waves will now be two to four times more common; rain storms will be more frequent and intense as severe coastal flooding will occur three times as often. Climate change is here, and New York City must be prepared with a coordinated response.<\/p>\n
In addition to considering the risks of climate change and developing strategies to thwart them, the bill will require the Panel\u2019s scientists to project the impact of climate change on the city using the most recent data available every three years. Representatives of the Task Force, including City, State and Federal agencies, will develop plans and policies based on the Panel\u2019s recommendations to help the city adapt to the changing climate. To ensure that the public is adequately informed, the Mayor\u2019s Office will disseminate the findings of the Panel and the Task Force.<\/p>\n
In 2008, the Council passed the New York City Climate Protection Act to create a timetable to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the five boroughs and to promote urban sustainability. This legislation continues the work of the Council to help the City adapt to the ever-changing environment for future generations.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast month was the hottest ever on record, and it\u2019s only one example of the extreme weather New York City has experienced in recent years,\u201d said Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. \u201cIf this isn\u2019t a call to take action, I don\u2019t know what is. We must act decisively now to address severe climate trends or we\u2019re going to face tougher decisions down the road. This legislation will serve as a model to the world for how local governments should plan for climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis legislation, when passed and enacted, will be the first bill from any state or local government in the country to create an institutional government mechanism to assess the latest climate change science, plan for climate change impacts and implement adaptive strategies,\u201d said Council Member James F. Gennaro. \u201cQuite simply, New York City is doing what every local, state, and national government in the world should be doing with respect to climate change: working assiduously to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions while planning and implementing adaptive strategies for the impacts of climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Breakfast in the Classroom Resolutions<\/p>\n
These two resolutions call on the State and the DOE to implement a breakfast in the classroom program in every New York City school.<\/p>\n
New York City has the lowest school breakfast participation rate amongst low-income students with fewer than 40 percent of those who qualify for free or reduced lunch also eating free breakfast.<\/p>\n
Barriers to increasing participation in the school breakfast program include the inability of children to arrive at school in time for early food service, students\u2019 unwillingness to visit the cafeteria for a meal while others are outside the school building, wanting to socialize rather than eat and avoiding the stigma of eating cafeteria breakfast.<\/p>\n
With these resolutions, the Council is supporting the city\u2019s most vulnerable children, recognizing that with reliable access to breakfast, they will have a healthy start to their day. <\/p>\n
\u201cToday, thanks to the leadership of Speaker Quinn and Chairman Jackson, the City Council is taking a firm stand for food security for the 1.1 million school children in New York City,\u201d said Council Member Stephen Levin. \u201cBreakfast is the most important meal of the day but every morning, thousands of students go to school hungry. Studies show that students who eat breakfast have better test scores, better attendance records, less behavioral problems, and lower obesity rates than their peers who do not start the day with a healthy meal. Implementing a citywide breakfast in the classroom program will ensure that all students have access to a nutritious breakfast every school.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, all too often many students arrive to school and start their day without having a well-balanced breakfast,\u201d said Education Committee Chair Robert Jackson. \u201cThere is nothing worse than a student who is unable to focus on his or her lesson because they are hungry and didn\u2019t get the proper nutrition to jump-start their day. Studies show that implementing a program such as breakfast in the classroom generates positive results in the ability for children to do well in the classroom. Since children spend most of their time in schools, it is important that we provide them with the fuel that they get from a healthy diet that will enable them to take full advantage of their learning environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Protecting Small Businesses \u2013 Enhanced MWBE Legislation<\/p>\n
In 2005, the Council passed a law to help level the playing field for minorities and women in City contracting. The law established goals for increasing the number of City contracts awarded to MWBEs. While it was a step in the right direction, it has become clear that more must be done to ensure that minorities and women are fairly represented in City procurement.<\/p>\n
The bill\u2019s key components include eliminating the current $1 million cap on contracts in the MWBE program and establishing a system of accountability that will work like CompStat, the New York City Police Department\u2019s management program where statistics are compiled and analyzed. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis new MWBE legislation will significantly expand business opportunities for the growing number of entrepreneurs in Queens and across the city,\u201d said Council Member Leroy Comrie. \u201cWe look forward to ensuring the city effectively communicates to every possible entity that is doing business with the city, so that we continue to grow our local economy and to make the city a more viable economic facilitator of minority and women owned businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cToday marks a step towards creating a productive business environment for MWBE’s in New York City. I am extremely proud to be co-sponsoring legislation with Speaker Quinn and several of my colleagues that will introduce real beneficial reforms to existing laws regarding how the city does business with MWBE’s,\u201d said Council Member Inez E. Dickens. \u201cI have been a staunch advocate for the increased inclusion of MWBE’s in the procurement and contracting processes that involve our city agencies. This legislation will create more business opportunities as well as access to a plethora of resources for the MWBE’s throughout our great city. At a time when many communities suffer from persistent unemployment, we need to take steps that will ensure that some of the most vulnerable small businesses are able to thrive and provide jobs to our constituents.\u201d<\/p>\n
###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Legislation will address the effects of extreme weather and determine how to reduce the impact on the lives of New Yorkers.<\/p>\n
Council will also vote to bring breakfast in the classroom to every City school.<\/p>\n
New York, NY- Today, the City Council will vote to expand the scope of the New York City Climate Change Adaptation Task Force to assess how extreme heat, storms and flooding affect vulnerable populations, public health, natural systems, buildings and the economy.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n