Council Member Epstein on Legionnaires testing and Lights Out legislation
Council Member Epstein introduces Intro 999 to set up clinics for Legionnaires testing in affected developments, and reintroduces Intro 998 (Lights Out legislation) addressing 250,000 migratory bird deaths annually from lit buildings, noting environmental and human health impacts.
Councilmember Epstein, followed by Shulman.
Thank you.
I want to really talk about something we've seen over the last month across the Councilman Maloney's district, the Speaker's district, and my district around Legionnaires.
And I really want to applaud the Speaker for her leadership on this and having a hearing in September to talk about it.
Down by me, we unfortunately have a development where over 1,000 residents are deeply concerned about the impact that it's having on their health.
I'm introducing 999, which is talking about making sure we set up clinics and locations so people get tested to understand what's going on.
You know, we have people who are living in fear and they don't know what to do.
And, you know, unfortunately, we lost seven New Yorkers and we can do better.
We know it's going to come back.
We know we see Legionnaires is an issue that continues.
I look forward to the council having this hearing and legislating in a way that helps New Yorkers.
We're also proud to reintroduce 998 called the Lights Out legislation.
People know about 250,000 migratory birds die annually in New York City, part of confusion and related to the nighttime.
About buildings that are lit at night.
It's a bird crisis, but it's an environmental issue too.
We're lighting buildings that need not need to be lit.
It also has a human impact.
It is a human catastrophe going on.
It adds pollen into the environment.
People with allergies gets worse.
It's a serious human impact, an environmental impact, an animal impact.
These issues together, hopefully we'll be able to see this bill come to a hearing this year and look forward to its swift passage.
This is something we've been working on.
I know since Donovan Richards, the Queensborough president, introduced it over 10 years ago, I look forward to passing it when we get the opportunity.
Thank you.