“After decades of advocating to bring offshore wind to South Brooklyn, UPROSE is happy to see this climate justice victory progress in a community with a legacy of fossil fuel pollution and health disparities,” said Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE, a Sunset Park-based environmental advocacy group. “UPROSE and the Sunset Park community have long fought to preserve the industrial character of New York City’s largest industrial waterfront.”
Linda Greene, former EDC executive VP, appointed head of Brooklyn Navy Yard
‘‘Frontline communities that have endured historical trauma have been further destabilized by the disparate health impacts of COVID-19 and economic instability,” said Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director, UPROSE; and co-chair, Climate Justice Alliance. “These contemporary challenges demand visionary leadership grounded in community priorities with the ability to operationalize the just transition our communities deserve. Lindsay Greene’s appointment as CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard is cause for celebration for all of us!”
Schumer secures $25M for wind technology hub at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Majority Leader Charles Schumer secured a $25 million federal grant to facilitate offshore wind development at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal 35th Street Pier Expansion Project.
The announcement was made at the terminal, along with U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE, a Sunset Park-based grassroots community-based organization working on climate change.
Offshore wind developer Equinor cuts ribbon to office in Sunset Park
Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE, a Sunset Park-based grassroots community-based organization working on climate change and racial justice, discussed the importance of this collaboration.
She said that to truly operationalize a just transition, unconventional partnerships must be created that genuinely work with community leadership and support frontline community-led priorities.
“Too often, we see frontline communities like Sunset Park get left out of these large billion-dollar infrastructure projects that impact our community,” Yeampierre said. ”We need clean energy but we also need accessible workforce training, education, resources and direct investments to strengthen social cohesion and build long-term community wealth.”
What’s News Breaking: Friday, July 30, 2021
CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS TO BENEFIT BROOKLYN: Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) has secured earmarks to fund community projects in New York’s 7th Congressional District. These earmarks, which have passed the House as a part of H.R. 4502, would benefit several local initiatives in Brooklyn. One of these is Red Hook Community Youth Education Initiative (Pioneer Works), whose funds would combine the efforts of several nonprofits under one umbrella to provide educational opportunities for youth across Southwest Brooklyn.
Another Brooklyn program that would receive the funding is UPROSE/Sunset Park Regenerative Economies Industrial Ecosystem Development Initiative, a longtime partner in the fight against climate change. Under the provided proposal, UPROSE would receive an investment of $175,000 to create a workforce development program for climate adaptation manufacturing.
Eric Adams releases plan to turn NYC into wind power hub
In January, the first step of Adams’ plan — the wind turbine plant in the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal — was announced after years of advocacy by Borough President Adams. Adams today proposed adding an additional manufacturing site at Arthur Kill in Staten Island, as well as job sites in the Navy Yard and at the Red Hook Container Terminal. He also proposed creating a state-of-the-art wind power jobs training center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and acknowledged the work of UPROSE and other community leaders there for their years of work pushing plans for green jobs and a working port for local residents to work at.
Sunset Park activists, officials, environmentalists quick to endorse wind-energy proposal
“This is a climate Justice victory— this is what the industrial waterfront of the future looks like. Addressing climate justice in NYC demands non-traditional partnerships ready to support frontline solutions and birth a frontline green new deal starting with our industrial waterfronts. Offshore wind is a necessary part of operationalizing our community-led Green Resilient Industrial District proposal in Sunset Park, Brooklyn to utilize our industrial sector to create thousands of well-paid clean energy jobs and to build for our climate future,” said Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE and co-chair of the Climate Justice Alliance.
Sunset Park’s future is in the wind, activists say
The proponents, the best-known of which is the local environmental organization UPROSE, believe the plan would generate many green industry jobs and help the state get to a zero-carbon future.
Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE, stated that offshore wind is a necessary part of implementing a frontline-led Green New Deal and Green Resilient Infrastructure District in Sunset Park.
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“Sunset Park has three peaker power plants, and for decades our lungs have been the reluctant hosts of toxic emissions from the polluting fossil fuel economy,” she said. “We are calling on NYSERDA to move funding to Sunset Park’s South Brooklyn Marine Terminal to transform our industrial waterfront into a regional clean energy hub.”
She added that funding for offshore wind at SBMT will support implementation of New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
BQX could bring more local tourism to Red Hook
The back-and-forth debate over the proposed BQX streetcar, a mass transit improvement that wouldn’t be developed by the MTA, reminds me somewhat of the Roosevelt Island Tram, which was likewise developed without the aid of the metro area’s transit authority.
Listen: Should Industry City be rezoned
Sunset Park’s Industry City plans to diverge from its status as a manufacturing hub and thrust itself into a place of international appeal with a prominent rezoning plan that some local residents and community groups say could drastically alter the character of the waterfront neighborhood.
Industry City poised to take first steps toward rezoning
Industry City is continuing its efforts to expand. Read more
Climate change activists applaud de Blasio fossil fuel move
Climate change activists around the city, including the leader of a Sunset Park group, are praising a decision by the de Blasio administration to divest $5 billion in pension holdings from companies dealing in fossil fuel.
The environmentalists said they are also pleased with an announcement from Mayor Bill de Blasio, Comptroller Scott Stringer and Public Advocate Letitia James about the city’s plans to sue five major oil companies over the effects of climate change. Read More
Fans and critics speak out about Industry City's development plan
Industry City's owners have big plans for development.
Two hotels. Academic facilities. Large stores.
The Sunset Park waterfront manufacturing and office complex must be rezoned in order for them to carry out their plans, which would add about 1.27 million square feet of space to the historic complex.
Activists to mobilize for 5th anniversary of Sandy
As the fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy approaches next month, climate change activists are planning what organizers are calling a mass mobilization to demand that elected officials pay closer attention to the potential devastation brought on by drastic weather events like hurricanes.
Activists plead: Don’t turn Sunset Park into Williamsburg
Bush Terminal Piers Park opens
Former landfill rehabilitated with $40 million in federal, state, city funds
By Paula Katinas
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Brooklyn has a brand new waterfront park.
City officials and Sunset Park residents came together Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the grand opening of Bush Terminal Piers Park, a 23-acre recreation area located on the waterfront behind Bush Terminal.
Assemblymember Felix Ortiz and Councilmember Carlos Menchaca, both of whom represent Sunset Park, were among the officials taking part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Officials from the Parks Department and the city’s Economic Development Corporation were also on hand.
“Today, we unite to host a ceremonial ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of this long-awaited community space. This afternoon we honor the advocacy and visioning on the part of our community,” Menchaca said in a statement on Wednesday.
The park, which contains two ball fields, open recreation space, a pier and rest rooms made from old shipping containers, extends along First Avenue from 43rd Street to 51st Street. The entrance is located on First Avenue and 43rd Street.
The park actually opened last week, but a grand opening ceremony was put off until Nov. 12.
Bush Terminal Piers Park sits at the site of a former landfill. The park was created with $40 million in federal, state and city funds that were used for both the cleanup of the toxic dump site and the construction of the recreation area.
U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, whose district includes Sunset Park, was instrumental in securing much of the federal funding, according to Menchaca.
But Menchaca also credited Sunset Park residents and environmental groups with the creation of the park, saying that their efforts to push government officials to open up the waterfront for recreational use paid off. “Over the many years, local justice organizations like UPROSE fueled this fight by providing people power consisting mostly of youth who dared to imagine a different future for our waterfront,” he stated.
UPROSE, which stands for United Puerto Rican Organizations of Sunset Park, advocates for better environmental conditions for the community.
“Elected officials like Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez secured substantial federal funding, and others like Assemblyman Felix Ortiz and Councilmember Sara Gonzalez stood alongside so many invested Sunset Park neighbors who, despite the many challenges, never wavered in their demand to the open our waterfront for public and recreational use,” Menchaca said. Gonzalez was Menchaca’s predecessor in the council.
“We are going to celebrate the opening, which we’ve been after for decades,” Tony Giordano, president of the group Sunset Park Restoration, told the New York Daily News.
The Parks Department’s website describes Bush Terminal Piers Park as “a lovely waterfront park with spectacular views of the area’s tidal pools and the Bay Ridge Channel.”
People who visit the park “will find two multi-purpose soccer and baseball fields as well as a nature preserve that allows a fun glimpse into Brooklyn’s wild side,” the website reads.
The park is open from 8 p.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. From May 2 to Sept. 30, it will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.