Kallos, Rivera Introduce Pesticide-Banning Legislation
Yesterday, Council Members Ben Kallos (D-Yorkville, Lenox Hill) and Carlina Rivera (D-East Village, Gramercy Park) introduced a bill that would ban all city agencies from spraying highly toxic pesticides.
The bill would be the most far-reaching effort to ban pesticide use in New York City parks. In particular, it would ban the use of glyphosate, which the World Health Organization classifies as a probable carcinogen. Currently, glyphosate is the City’s most widely used pesticide.
“Parks should be for playing, not pesticides,” said Kallos. “All families should be able to enjoy our city parks without having to worry that they are being exposed to toxic pesticides that could give them and their families cancer. As a new parent, my daughter isn’t allowed to play on the grass, especially because as a baby she puts everything in her mouth. I look forward to working with all of our city agencies to ban toxic pesticides and keep our children safe.”
Johnson to Unveil Council’s Plan to Tackle Homelessness Crisis
Today, Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) will be unveiling his long-term plan to tackle the City’s homelessness crisis.
Johnson will reveal the City Council’s recommendations to prevent homelessness and support persons experiencing homelessness. Afterwards, Council will release a detailed report outlining said recommendations.
The event will take place at 11 a.m. today on the steps of City Hall.
Brewer, Johnson, Hoylman, Rosenthal to Host News Conference at Riverview Senior Housing
Today, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (D), Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen), State Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Chelsea, Midtown) and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal (D-Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen) will be hosting a news conference at the Riverview Senior Independent Living facility.
The electeds will join Community Board members to call on Homes for the Homeless, Inc., owner of the facility, to sell to a nonprofit willing to continue its function as a senior home.
The event will take place today at 2:30 p.m. at Riverview Senior Independent Living, 519 West 49th St.
