One Brooklyn
BROOKLYN, NY, July 12, 2017: Yesterday, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams unveiled “Fueling Brooklyn’s Future: Refueling Needs in a Resiliency Era,” a report with recommendations for modernizing Brooklyn’s gas stations with sustainable fueling solutions. The announcement took place at the electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot of Whole Foods Market in Gowanus, beside several clean energy cars of the future. One of the vehicles, a Toyota Mirai powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology, was driven by Borough President Adams to the press conference; while there are currently three such vehicles that are publicly available on the market, he highlighted that none of them would be able to operate regularly in New York City due to the lack of fueling stations.
“When it comes to creating the infrastructure needed to support the future of fueling Brooklyn, we’re stuck in neutral,” said Borough President Adams. “Fossil fuel is a thing of the past. Let’s find ways to encourage industry to grow here around hydrogen and electric vehicles. If we’re asking the industry to prioritize, we have to incentivize, and have our businesses and corporations find reasons to invest in this new, cutting-edge technology.”
Borough President Adams, who convened a hearing last November to address the fueling infrastructure challenges facing Brooklyn, discussed the imperative for the City and State to step up and prepare for technology and resiliency adaptions that the borough’s gas stations and alternative fueling sites need to make. According to his office, since Superstorm Sandy, nine stations have closed in Brooklyn, with two more planning to close, and another 12 being at risk in the next few years, including locations in Bushwick, Clinton Hill, Downtown Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Midwood, Sheepshead Bay, and Sunset Park. His report notes that “the borough’s land prices have skyrocketed, often making residential, commercial, or hotel development the highest value for land where gas stations are sited.” Additionally, there are currently only 60 charging stations for electric vehicles across Brooklyn, with a significant dearth in central and southern neighborhoods that have higher rates of car ownership.
Key recommendations that Borough President Adams made in his report included his call for Empire State Development (ESD) and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to create incentives for businesses to retrofit existing stations with new electric vehicle, hydrogen, and compressed natural gas (CNG) stations. As a resiliency measure to protect against fueling interruptions, such as those experienced in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, he also recommended New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Fuel NY initiative be expanded to provide backup power supply at every fueling station in the borough, incorporating solar panels, wind-power, and/or backup batteries that are not reliant on the main power grid to operate or generators to operate. To protect existing fueling stations, Borough President Adams asked the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) to undertake a zoning text amendment to enable fueling stations in Fuel NY priority corridors to more liberally transfer development rights; in order to qualify, stations would have to incorporate resilient power-generating measures and alternate fuel technologies into station redesign. Additionally, to support and encourage technological innovation to improve resiliency and decrease reliance on fossil fuels, he announced that he will commit capital funding to the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) for the siting of electric vehicle charging stations in Brooklyn.
Borough President Adams thanked groups who provided feedback and testimony that contributed to the report, including the American Automobile Association (AAA), Air Liquide, Brooklyn Community Board 1 (CB 1), National Grid, and the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV).
“Borough President Adams has prepared a detailed analysis of his county’s preparedness as relates to the past, present, and future of providing fuel, gasoline, and alternatives for the many drivers in the area,” said Robert Sinclair, northeast manager of media relations for AAA. “The report’s recommendations should serve as a guideline for our entire region to ensure adequate fuel supplies for the growing number of vehicles on our roads during normal and crisis situations.”
“Borough President Adams’ support for the electrification of transportation and the infrastructure to enable it in Brooklyn, coupled with commitments from Mayor de Blasio and utilities like Con Edison and many others in New York City, marks an exciting milestone for the City,” said Anne Smart, vice president of public policy for ChargePoint, Inc. “Efforts like this are in line with ChargePoint’s mission of helping everyone get behind the wheel of an EV. Collaborating with partners like BMW, Pfizer Energy, Whole Foods, and community leaders to install charging stations is an important first step in helping to enable the increased adoption of electric vehicles in the New York City area.”
“The future of urban mobility is dependent on switching to alternative energy solutions and electrification, and I commend Borough President Adams for focusing on sustainable options,” said Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Formula E. “This vision is part of what drew us to Brooklyn for our upcoming race and we look forward to working with all New York City residents to achieve our shared energy and climate goals.”
“New Yorkers must be bold in the face of our changing climate,” said Marcia Bystryn, president of NYLCV. “NYLCV applauds the steps that Borough President Adams has taken to adapt to a more sustainable future and better protect us in times of crisis through the incorporation of alternative fuel technologies and resiliency measures for our fueling infrastructure.”
Borough President Adams’ report, which is accessible on his website, brooklyn-usa.org, comes out at a time of significant transformation in the auto industry. In just the last week, Volvo became the first mainstream automaker to plan a move to an all-electric fleet, while Tesla began to manufacture its first mass-produced affordable electric vehicle. This weekend, Formula E, the world’s first fully-electric single-seater racing series, is preparing to hold the inaugural New York City ePrix in Red Hook.
PHOTOS
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams examined an electric vehicle charging station in the parking lot of Whole Foods Market in Gowanus, accompanied by ChargePoint Director of Policy Kevin Miller (left) and Whole Foods Market Northeast Regional PR Director Ted Kwong (center), following the unveiling of “Fueling Brooklyn’s Future: Refueling Needs in a Resiliency Era,” a report with recommendations for modernizing Brooklyn’s gas stations with sustainable fueling solutions.
Photo Credit: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP’s Office
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams unveiled “Fueling Brooklyn’s Future: Refueling Needs in a Resiliency Era,” a report with recommendations for modernizing Brooklyn’s gas stations with sustainable fueling solutions, at an electric vehicle charging station located in the parking lot of Whole Foods Market in Gowanus; he was joined by (from left to right) Toyota Motor Sales Fuel Cell Vehicles National Manager Geri Yoza, BMW of Brooklyn Genius Justin Silverman, and Whole Foods Market Northeast Regional PR Director Ted Kwong.
Photo Credit: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP’s Office
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