Greener, Greater Buildings Plan

Hats off to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York City Council!

NYLCV President Marcia Bystryn, second from left, joins Mayor Bloomberg in annoucing the plan's passage.The New York City Council overwhelmingly approved the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan on Wednesday, putting the Big Apple at the cutting edge of the green buildings movement.

"This is a ground-breaking package of legislation that will dramatically improve New York's energy efficiency and reduce both energy usage and the costs to owners and occupants across the city," said Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "Mayor Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn and the City Council have raised the bar for progressive urban energy policy around the nation and around the world."

The four bills that collectively make up the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan were sponsored by Council Members Jim Gennaro, Dominic Recchia, Melissa Mark-Viverito and Dan Garodnick. The plan will create New York City's first Energy Code, improve energy efficiency in existing buildings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy costs, and create thousands of construction-related jobs.

If you haven't already, please click here to sent a note to these environmental leaders to thank them for this victory. And thank you to the hundreds of NYLCV members who contacted their legislators on this issue!