Environmental Defense Supports Mayor Bloomberg's Bold Plan to Make New York World's Cleanest, Healthiest City

Environmental Defense praised New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for unveiling a groundbreaking plan today to make New York the world’s cleanest, healthiest city and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2030. Environmental Defense advised the Mayor’s team creating the plan for a sustainable New York.

“Mayor Bloomberg’s extraordinary plan will bring benefits to all New Yorkers,” said Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense and member of the environmental commissions established by President Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. “The Mayor has shown global leadership by transcending politics to act now on climate change. I hope Washington follows the Mayor’s example so we can solve this problem for our children and generations to come.”

The plan is comprised of more than 100 initiatives to address the critical environmental challenges facing New York City. It will includes bold steps to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion, lower energy costs, develop energy efficient buildings, revitalize parks and fund new mass transit projects.

“This visionary plan delivers solutions to two of the biggest challenges facing New York: climate change that threatens our very existence and the increasingly polluted air we breathe every day,” said Andy Darrell, Director of the Living Cities Program at Environmental Defense, a national non-profit organization, and a member of the Mayor Bloomberg’s Sustainability Advisory Board. “Mayor Bloomberg’s plan is good for every New Yorker: from the asthmatic child growing up in traffic-clogged neighborhoods to the small business owner who wants to cut energy costs and the Wall Street CEO who wants to lead the way to a green economy. We are committed to seeing this plan become law and will continue to work for significant action by the Governor, the state legislature and the city council, both this year and next.”