On this clear, but cold first working day of the year, our local politicians gathered at the Red Hook Cruise Terminal with representatives from community associations to demand an end to idling cruise ships and to the resulting pollution that chokes nearby residential neighborhoods.
With the gargantuan Queen Mary 2 as a backdrop, Councilmembers Brad Lander and Steve Levin, State Senators Daniel Squadron and Velmanette Montgomery and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez called for comprehensive shore power agreement that would provide the necessary infrastructure to allow cruise ships docked in the harbor to plug right into an onshore electrical grid. Right now, the ships dock for hours and sometimes days, continually burning diesel fuel to provide electricity onboard.According to the politicians, the money has been set aside to put the infrastructure in place, the Port Authority, Carneval Cruise Lines and the New York City Economic Development Corporation are all 'on board', but after two years of negotiations, a final agreement has yet to be signed. "It is a complex issues, but two years is too long." stated Councilman Lander.
Considering that a docked cruise ship running on diesel fuel puts out as much air pollution as 12,000 idling cars, two years is definitely way too long. As one Red Hook resident stated at the rally: " Why wasn't the infrastructure put in place when the cruise terminal went into operation in 2006?"
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2 comments:
The cause is noble, the need is great and the words spoken were forcefull. But there is one thing that needs some explanation. The members of the NYC Council present at the demonstration do not represent Red Hook. They represent Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and even Park Slope. Where was the NYC Cpouncil member from Red Hook. Where was Sarah? Why was she not there? Are the people how live in the Red Hook projects and the people who work in Red Hook and all who live in Red Hook less important than the people who live in Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill? Where was OUR NYC Council member?
Funny thing is that trucks idle all over our neighborhood for hours and HOURS!!, every day, all day long, in spite of the supposed 3 minute maximum. No-one seems to bother with that, not 311, not the local police either, so all of us local residents who live on the blocks where this happens have to inhale the fumes, and listen to the loudness, and nothing is done about that at all. Guess it just is more sexy to go all out and demo in front of a huge monolith....
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