Sanchez questions containerization prioritization in EJ districts

And I have more questions, but I'm going to make sure that we turn it over to my colleague really quickly.

But I'm just curious.

So you mentioned a lot of

the additional work that you have been doing in terms of the supplemental work to the waste equity law.

I'm talking about containerization, talking about all these advancements.

But the thing that I find really curious is that out of all of the districts that we mentioned, none of those districts outside of now Bronx 2, CD2,

are the start of the containerization pilot?

Were any a part of any of these programs?

And I'm curious, why weren't these districts prioritized over other districts that didn't need it as much as we did?

Bronx 2 is first on the list for next year, so I think we're coming that way.

Yes, but my question is, is there a reason why these four districts that we had outlined that we understood, why weren't they the number one priorities for these containerization pilots, for any of these pilots that are coming out,

rather than other districts that aren't?

The top of this list that have been dealing with these burdens that these other communities haven't, but are getting the nice things before us.

I would say the fact that one of those districts is one of the first three districts to receive Empire bins is a sign that we are in

in fact, doing exactly what you're saying.

Yes, but also I don't think we're answering the question of like why those other districts were chosen.

And also it's one out of I think we have the nine or 10 outlined already.

And out of those, only one are in these top EJ districts and overburdened communities.

And so curious why there hasn't been a bigger push for any of these other places to be put in as well.

So the great news is that every district in New York City will have full trash containerization by the end of 2031.

So we are coming for every district citywide.

As we discussed in previous hearings, the methodology for selecting the next six districts after Manhattan Community District 9, West Harlem, and Brooklyn Community District 2 was, one, we wanted to have districts in each of the five boroughs.

So we are adding two districts in the Bronx, one in Manhattan, one in Queens, one in Brooklyn, one in Staten Island.

Second, we wanted to test this in a variety of different sort of geographic and density use cases.

So, you know, we're doing this, we're rolling out in Bronx 5, for example, which will be the hilliest district that we've ever put Empire bins in.

We're coming to Bronx Community District 2, which, as you've highlighted, I think has, you know, many of the equity and socioeconomic concerns that we're trying to address through much of this work.

We're going to Queens.

West 2, which is the fastest growing neighborhood in the United States at this moment.

So I think we picked districts based on a bunch of different criteria.

Equity was certainly one of them.

And I think the fact that we're coming to Bronx District 2 is a marker of that.

Can we get a commitment from the admin that the next districts after these six will be the remaining three environmental community districts that are waiting to have some justice?

We'll certainly take a look at it.

We will follow back up on that.

Side staffed question.

Councilmember Hankerson, and also before we, we are, have been greatly joined by Councilmember Ressler.