“A few days ago I was at a press conference with Schumer, with Antonio Reynoso, with Jumaane (Williams) and a number of other elected officials where there was an announcement being made about a $25 million investment in infrastructure for offshore wind,” said Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director of the Sunset Park-based climate justice organization UPROSE. “And I went home, and I was thinking, ‘Oh my god, this is probably the first time in our history where we have the political muscle to move solutions that are going to be able to address the threat of climate change, bring jobs, address health disparities, strengthen social cohesion, this is a real blessing.'”
Eastern Generation Scraps Plans for Gowanus Power Plant, Turns Towards Renewables
Though AGC claimed the project would reduce emissions, local elected officials and environmental groups immediately began fighting back. The PEAK Coalition, including the Sunset Park-based UPROSE, advocated for state officials to deny permits for the project and encouraged the company to pursue renewable and clean energy as an alternative.
“In Sunset Park, high levels of local air pollution has caused generations of health problems from asthma, heart disease, diabetes, COVID, and other upper respiratory issues,” said UPROSE, in a release. “For the community, this major victory means cleaner air, less exposure to toxic pollutants that harm our health, and more opportunities to create well-paying local green jobs in clean energy!”
SUNSET PARKERS CALL FOR GREEN WATERFRONT DURING CLIMATE WEEK MARCH
UPROSE executive director Elizabeth Yeampierre said that these efforts should be implemented and scaled up massively.
“The time to act is now,” Yeampierre said. “Climate legislation must turn away from propping up outdated and unproven techno-fixes and instead center and be accountable to those who have been hit first and worst for decades. These are the largely BIPOC communities who continue to face the brunt of the storms, quite literally, and whose innovative solutions are rarely resourced and brought to scale. Comprehensive and bold initiatives such as community-controlled renewables like we have here in Sunset Park must be scaled up. It’s time to follow the frontlines — we have the solutions.”
BROOKLYNITES SEE CLEAR SKIES AND LOTS OF WATER IN AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE IDA
Elizabeth Yeampierre of Uprose, a Sunset Park-based climate justice group, told Brooklyn Paper this is just another example of the impacts of climate change and stressed the need for climate resiliency to be at the forefront of all decision-making for Brooklyn, and the city at large.
“This is that moment right now where I hope people understand where we can no longer be making economic decisions that are going to continue to harm us,” she said, “that we are going to have to be really thoughtful about how we use space so we are protected from extreme winds, from extreme weather events, rising water, all of the things that are going to come bold with climate change.”
IPCC CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT FORECASTS GRIM FUTURE FOR BROOKLYN
The report, compiled by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and released on Monday, paints a daunting picture of the catastrophic effects that increased atmospheric Co2 is already wreaking on the world, and where we’re inevitably headed in lieu of drastic action — including here in Kings County.
“It’s not surprising to us,” said Elizabeth Yeampierre, the executive director of Sunset Park-based climate advocacy group UPROSE. “But despite the fact that we expected that news, it’s still dire. It’s still troubling. It still makes you want to cry when you see it in print.”
“Some politicians are taking it seriously, and others are willing to make compromises,” she said. “These people are part of a legacy of compromising justice.”
Despite all the talk, though, Yeampierre feels that groups like UPROSE are sidelined as the existing system of political economy continues its slow march to impending doom.
SUNSET PARK TO HOUSE MASSIVE OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE ASSEMBLY PLANT
‘This is good news part for a community that has been dealing with a loss of income, that’s on the brink of despair,” said Elizabeth Yeampierre, the executive director of the environmentalist group Uprose. “It’s really good news that there are going to be jobs. These victories are very important.”
CONGRESS MEMBERS URGE CUOMO TO FUND SUNSET PARK OFFSHORE WIND HUB
“It is an environmental justice community with three peaker plants, the Gowanus Expressway, two solid waste management plants, and a community that is at risk of extreme and recurrent weather events,” said Elizabeth Yeampierre, the director of the environmentalist group UPROSE. “In an industrial area, we need to be building for climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience.”
ENVIRONMENTALISTS CALL ON STATE TO INVEST IN SUNSET PARK OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY HUB
“It is an environmental justice community with three peaker plants, the Gowanus Expressway, two solid waste management plants, and a community that is at risk of extreme and recurrent weather events,” said Elizabeth Yeampierre, the director of the environmentalist group UPROSE. “In an industrial area, we need to be building for climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience.”
The funding would add to the $57 million that Mayor Bill de Blasio promised the terminal in his State of the City address earlier this year. The city funds would go to offshore wind staging, installation, and maintenance efforts.
The terminal, which is the largest industrial waterfront in the city, is the only site under consideration that wouldn’t require extensive reconstruction in order to accommodate the large vessels and huge assembly area of a wind turbine assembly plant, according to UPROSE.
PROTESTERS RALLY OUTSIDE COUNCIL SPEAKER’S HOME AHEAD OF INDUSTRY CITY HEARING
Rather than focusing just on the private rezoning plans, local stakeholders have pushed the city to propose their own public rezoning plans for the Sunset Park waterfront, such as Uprose’s The Grid, which would turn Industry City into a space for green industrial manufacturing that would create sources of renewable energy.
Sunset Park assemblyman accuses opponents of putting their “knees on his neck” in heated debate
All four candidates voiced their support for rent cancelation throughout the COVID-19 crisis, as well as other housing reforms, including the “Good Cause Eviction” bill, which would prohibit landlords from evicting tenants without a reason.
Protesters march against Industry City rezoning, climate change, and many, many other causes
“We’re saying no to the Industry City proposal because they’re not in the business to help the community and be climate resilient,” said Summer Sandoval, the energy democracy coordinator at a local environmental advocacy organization called Uprose. “We need to move our waterfront from what it is today into a climate-ready waterfront that addresses climate mitigation and resilience.”
Dumbo climate strike highlights communities of color
“For a lot of young people and the conversation around the climate strike it’s about 10 years, but this is a lived experience for so many people we brought to the protest,” said AJ Hudson, an organizer with the Sunset Park-based Latino community organization Uprose. “It’s not a theoretical emergency, it’s something they’re dealing with right now.”
Lati-no she didn’t! Clinton Hispanic rally venue a symbol of gentrification, protesters say
No quarter: Industry City nixes dorms — now locals want it to scrap hotels, too
Prime real estate: Amazon expanding to Sunset Park
Sunset Park is about to get a big delivery.
Amazon will open a distribution center at Liberty View Industrial Plaza. The online sales giant inked a seven-year lease for an undisclosed chunk of the massive industrial building, according to real estate watchers the Real Deal. The center could bring a ton of new jobs to the area, but some Sunset Parkers question the potential quality, given Amazon’s less-than-stellar labor reputation, one workforce advocate said.