Margaret Perkins of 350 NYC opposes 561-A and urges climate action

Good afternoon.

My name is Margaret Perkins and I'm a member of the Climate Group 350 NYC.

And we have been instrumental in the major climate laws that have been passed in this city.

We're very proud of them, including Local Law 97.

And they pull back on fossil fuels and buildings.

I want to say everybody's probably going to say the same thing about the intricacies of this law 561, and we're very much opposed to it.

But I think we forget the bigger picture right now, and the bigger picture is that we are in a climate crisis.

And we have seen the summer, the heat, the bushfires.

We have to do everything we can to reduce the pollutants from fossil fuels.

They are causing a major source of heating of this planet.

And New York City has a duty to do everything it can.

And this includes a bill that works in terms of stopping idling.

It's a major contribution.

Trucks are 80% of the pollution.

From vehicles and we have to figure it out.

And I just want to say that New York City has figured out a lot of problems already, which James Gennaro has been instrumental in.

Local Law 97, everyone said you can't do it, you can't get the buildings to change.

We have already shown that we have reduced emissions from buildings by 5% in the first year where it was made.

So if people really, and people do want a change, they will do what has to be done.

We've done that with congestion pricing.

Oh my God, this was going to be the end of the planet, you know, end of New York City.

It's working.

Particulate matter is down, vehicles are down, accidents are down.

So I say we can do idling as well.

We have the...

Expertise and the drive and motivation.

Thank you very much for your good testimony.

We appreciate you coming back again to testify.

And so we do appreciate that.

Yes.

Let me get my slips in order here.

Okay.

Mr.

Lacertoza, please.

Thank you.