Johnson Says No to Pipelines
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) was at a rally last Friday protesting the Williams pipeline proposal.
The proposal would install a gas pipeline stretching from Pennsylvania to Long Island, running along the shorelines of New Jersey and Staten Island en route. Johnson said that this project is the last thing we need, considering the fact that we’re trying to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
“If you want to talk about a Green New Deal, if you want to talk about saving our planet, if you want to talk about an environmental crisis that we’re in, then you must say no to fracking, then you must say no to pipelines,” said Johnson.
Rodriguez Honors Obie Bing at Street Co-Naming Ceremony
City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Washington Heights, Inwood) hosted another street co-naming ceremony last Saturday – this one in honor of community leader Isaiah “Obie” Bing.
Obie, a lifelong resident of Northern Manhattan, served as the First Vice Chair of Manhattan’s Community Board 12 (CB12) and as the environmental advisor to various electeds. He was a tireless advocate for environmental protection, testifying before the New York State Environmental Conservation Committee about pollution from the North River Sewage Treatment Plant and alerting political leaders throughout the neighborhood of any environmental hazards he caught wind of.
In his honor, the corner of 169th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue has been renamed Isaiah “Obie” Bing Way.
“Isaiah Bing was a remarkable community leader in Washington Heights and in New York City,” said Rodriguez. “He worked to improve his community through his environmental advocacy work using his expertise to safeguard Northern Manhattan and surrounding areas. He lived his life based on helping others and improving his city and was a neighbor to all New Yorkers. Now, his legacy will continue where he dedicated his life in service, on the corner of West 169th St. and St. Nicholas Avenue.”
Council to Review Rosenthal’s Storefront Registry Legislation
A bill written by City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal (D-Central Park, Lincoln Square), which would mandate a citywide commercial storefront registry, will be reviewed by the Council today.
Rosenthal, who noticed that empty storefronts are a common sight around the City, decided to introduce legislation that would require the City to keep track of the status of commercial storefronts. She will also be introducing a bill that would fine property owners who fail to register storefronts that are empty for more than three months.
The Council will be reviewing the legislation today at 10 a.m.
