According to The New York Times, a New York City climate law regulating emissions will impose tough penalties on larger buildings, many of them residential, that fail to comply by 2024, forcing building boards and residents to make decisions difficult financial
Local Law 97 is part of the city’s Climate Mobilization Act of 2019 and aims to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 by targeting buildings, which he believes they are the most polluting in the city, according to the NYT. But strict regulations put building managers in a difficult position, forcing them to choose between costly energy upgrades and massive fines.
A building manager, Craig Hart, told the NYT that he could install solar panels on a roof that will need a $650,000 replacement next year, install a new boiler system that will have to to be replaced in a few years as emission standards become more stringent. , or face massive fines for non-compliance.
“I’ve been looking at every option I can think of and I don’t know what to do,” he told the network. “I want to be zero carbon, zero penalties and zero debt… But it won’t be an easy road.”
Glen Oaks Village, a community of more than 2,900 apartments in Queens, plans to spend $24.5 million to replace its gas and oil boilers over the next five to 10 years, but will still incur expected fines of $700,000 dollars annually, according to the NYT.
“I’m terrified of it,” said Arlene Bett, a longtime resident in her 60s who paid off her one-bedroom apartment in the complex but worries about her growing $500 monthly maintenance fee. “I won’t be able to afford it and there is no cheaper place.”
Bob Friedrich, the board’s chairman, told the NYT that the sanctions would force the board to sharply increase maintenance fees. “They’re not looking at the real cost of this,” he told the outlet.
According to the NYT, buildings produce about 70% of New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions, and buildings over 25,000 feet, which the city targets, produce about half of all emissions from buildings. About 60% of these buildings are residential and rely heavily on fossil fuels for heating and cooling; they could face up to $60 million a year in total fines under Local Law 97.
New York City did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Post written by Laurel Duggan. Reprinted with permission from DCNF. Images via Becker News.
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