Espaillat to Host “Brides’ March” Press Conference
Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-Washington Heights, Sugar Hill) will be hosting a “Brides’ March” press conference to raise awareness about intimate partner violence.
The march will be held in honor of Gladys Ricart, a woman who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend just hours before her wedding. At the rally, Espaillat will call for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
The event will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at the U.S. Capitol.
Serrano Receives Perfect Score on Environmental Advocates Scorecard
State Senator José Serrano (D-Manhattan, Bronx) has received recognition as one of the most environmentally conscious members of the State Senate.
Serrano got a perfect score on his 2019 Environmental Advocates scorecard, which tracks his votes on bills affecting the state’s environment.
“Issues involving our precious environment are so important not only for today’s generation, but for generations to come,” said Serrano. “Together with my colleagues in the Senate Majority, we achieved the greatest environmental legislative session in decades. I was proud to support efforts to ban toxins from children’s toys, block offshore drilling, affirm New Yorkers’ rights to clean air and water, and advance the strongest environmental protections in the nation. I would like to thank EPL/Environmental Advocates and my colleagues for their advocacy in working to improve our state’s air, land, water and public health.”
See the full report and scorecard here.
Velázquez Calls Out José Carrión for Electioneering Video
Representative Nydia Velázquez (D-LES, Brooklyn, Queens) released a statement yesterday criticizing José Carrión, Chairman of the Federal Oversight Management Board for Puerto Rico, for releasing a “Latinos for Trump” video on social media.
Last Tuesday, Carrión released a campaign video for President Donald Trump (R) without identifying himself as the head of the board in charge of Puerto Rico’s finances.
“Mr. Carrión’s flagrant electioneering on behalf of Donald Trump risks undermining the Board’s credibility, further impeding its ability to perform its duties,” said Velázquez. “The timing of the video is particularly disturbing as the Board is currently seeking Court approval for its Plan of Adjustment.”
Johnson, de Blasio Ban Incarceration on Rikers Island
Yesterday, the City Council passed a resolution authorizing the City Council to remap Rikers Island so that it will not be allowed to house incarcerated individuals after 2026.
The resolution, conceived by City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) and Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), will authorize the City Council to file an application for the remapping at the Department of City Planning. They will co-file the application with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) and Department of Correction (DOC). The map change will be done through the City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and will ensure that the island will never incarcerate New Yorkers again.
“This process will require Rikers Island to close as a correctional facility by 2026, and shows our deep commitment to moving away from the failed policies of mass incarceration,” said Johnson. “I am proud of the Council’s Land Use Committee for taking this meaningful step and thank Mayor de Blasio and the Department of City Planning for working with us to begin this important process.”
Brewer, Rivera Announce Publication of Independent Consultant ESCR Project
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (D) and Council Member Carlina Rivera (D-East Village, Gramercy Park) are announcing the publication of the final report by independent consultant Deltares, which they hired for the review of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR) last month.
In her Uniform Land Use Review Process (ULURP) recommendation, Brewer requested Deltares to review the project and prepare comments regarding the City’s Preferred Alternative 4 proposal. The report identified a need for improving transparency and stakeholder engagement, the release of City documents that prove the analysis underlying the Final Environmental Impact Statement, and additional clean fill for future flood protection, among other things.
“We heard the requests of the community for an independent review loud and clear, and we listened,” said Brewer. “Deltares brought their vast experience and expertise to the analysis of this project, and I implore the de Blasio administration to take these suggestions into account before any construction begins.”
The full report is available here.
