As millions of Americans across the country engage in Earth Day activities and celebrations to…
Tag: South Bronx Unite
Last week, members of South Bronx Unite met with Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and senior members of the city’s Economic Development Corporation to discuss the environmental and health crisis in the South Bronx. The neighborhood, surrounded by an 850 acre industrial area and three highways, suffers from asthma rates eight times the national average, and such disproportionate rates of respiratory illness were cited last month as among the causes of the deadly Legionnaire’s outbreak that claimed 12 lives and infected over 100.
Within the last month alone, residents of the over-industrialized nabe have been challenging the re-permitting of two fossil fuel power plants (with routine violations of emission levels) and the expansion of a 3,000 ton per day waste transfer facility (also with routine permit violations).
Unlike our April Fool’s satirical posting to raise awareness on the issue of FreshDirect and how their move can and will harm our communities if allowed to do so, this really did just happen.
Around 8PM, while Mayor Bill de Blasio was visiting La Morada, local restaurant in Mott Haven in an unannounced visit, a local resident quickly alerted South Bronx Unite members who within 10 minutes had gathered and mobilized with over 25 people including their children to protest against FreshDirect and de Blasio’s promise to end a tale of two cities—something which allowing FreshDirect to move into South Bronx will continue to perpetuate.
IMPORTANT: Public Hearing Stop Cuomo From Giving FreshDirect $9 Million To Cause Asthma in the Bronx
Legal Updates – The ongoing litigation to stop Fresh Direct’s move to the Harlem River Yards continues! Newly disclosed information provides us with the opportunity to request renewal of our claim that the State DOT violated the New York Constitution by allowing land at the Harlem River Yard to be leased to Fresh Direct. We’ll keep you posted!
This is an amazing big step forward for the residents of the South Bronx as never before has this area received such a priority designation by the State of New York. The waterfront plan as described below is a direct result of what the residents envision their waterfront to look like after the announcement over 2 1/2 years ago that FreshDirect intended to plop down on the last, largest remaining parcel of open land in the area.
Together, our voices can make an impact and be heard.
Please submit your public comments and make your voices heard even louder!
See below from South Bronx Unite, an organization which Welcome2TheBronx is a proud member of.
South Bronx Unite Against FreshDirect, buildOn The Bronx, and La Finca del Sur were some of the organizations that led the historic People’s Climate March this past Sunday down Manhattan’s West Side which saw over 400,000 people in attendance (days earlier, People’s Climate March estimated that about 100,000 people would participate). These Bronx groups were part of the first wave called ‘Frontlines of Crisis, Forefront of Change’ which consisted of ‘…the people first and most impacted and are leading the change’ led by Indigenous people, Environmental Justice, and other Frontline communities.
For the first time in history, the issue of environmental justice in The Bronx, particularly hard impacted communities in The South Bronx were pushed to the front of the global consciousness as we meandered our way down the March route through the canyons of Manhattan. Although many diverse groups were representing the Bronx, one common theme was seen among them: Stop FreshDirect from creating an environmental catastrophe in the South Bronx.
New York State Empire State Development Corporation and FreshDirect tried to pull a fast one last week and have a meeting which gave FreshDirect weeks notice to gather supporters (only 8) and only gave the majority of residents who oppose the deal less than 24 hour notice to gather residents. This resulted in MANDATORY PUBLIC HEARING for which we must be given, at minimum, 10 days notice to prepare. Please read below on how to prepare your testimony and all necessary details regarding this process. This is a major opportunity to once and for all kill this deal which the vast majority of residents have been against since day 1.
Friends, One of the moments for which we have been preparing for over a year is here – the public hearing on State subsidies for FreshDirect – and we need you to show up and provide testimony!
The residents of the South Bronx have been battling the FreshDirect deal to move into our waterfront which would pollute our roadways with heavy truck traffic aggravating an already dire asthma situation.
Now we have one our own residents on his way to the United Nations Climate summit where he will be able to represent the united voices of South Bronx residents and more than 50 community based organizations against this careless and deadly deal.
Arthur “Mychal” Johnson of South Bronx Unite Selected to Attend Historic United Nations Climate Summit with more than 100 Global Heads of State and 37 Civil Society Representatives
For two and a half years, together we prevented (then) Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Cuomo from giving FreshDirect a single dollar of a (then) promised $127 million subsidy to move its trucking operation to a South Bronx waterfront flood zone, bringing 1,000 daily diesel truck trips through an overburdened community already plagued with asthma rates 8 times the national average. In 2013, we voted a progressive administration into office to change the tale of two cities and reverse course on decades of double standards and hazardous dumping on the South Bronx. We have patiently waited more than six months for our newly elected leaders to deliver on their campaign promises, but our community’s health can no longer afford to be a back burner issue. So today, we are asking all of you and everyone you know to call, email, tweet and facebook the Mayor and tell him to stop the FreshDirect deal. Ask him to back his campaign for change with action!
This week, Mayor De Blasio’s ambitious plan to reduce pedestrian fatalities, Vision Zero, began in the Bronx with Operation Move Along on 138th Street (between Third and Jackson Avenues) by cracking down on double parking. Officers from the 40th precinct slapped educational flyers on double parked cars but on March 16th they will begin issuing summonses for illegally parked vehicles.
The East 138th Street corridor is one of the South Bronx’s busiest roads with trucks and traffic already roaring across it to get from one end of the borough to the other.
Read an excellent write up by Alice Speri of DNAinfo on the major setback FreshDirect received.
In the article she writes,
Securing the funding would require the unanimous approval of the New York Empowerment Zone Board, which provides incentives for private investors revitalizing poor communities. FreshDirect removed its application for funding from the board’s agenda after Serrano made clear Wednesday that he would vote against it.
Another victory against FreshDirect and corporate welfare been won today by the residents of the Bronx.
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