Councilmember Sandy Nurse (podium) at climate rally on September 26 | Photo Credit: New York City Council
A recent law passed by the New York City Council with a supermajority of votes will put unionized workers to work installing solar panels on city buildings.
The bill was sponsored by City Councilmember Sandy Nurse with 46 co-sponsors. According to an article in Amsterdam News, the bill requires that the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) install at least 150 megawatts of solar panel roof systems on city-owned buildings by 2035. DCAS will be required to report eligible and ineligible rooftops, and identify city-owned properties that already have solar panels installed. Funding for the installations will come from city capital and expense funds. According to Councilmember Nurse,
“The climate crisis has reached a break point, demanding swift, unprecedented action. New York City must lead in clean, renewable energy by example and install solar panels on NYC buildings. Every opportunity to cut our reliance on fossil fuels must be seized now, or we risk putting our city and future generations in grave jeopardy.”
Nurse’s office said unions have negotiated a project labor agreement that will ensure union labor is used for the installations. Vincent Alvarez, president of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and director of the union coalition Climate Jobs New York which campaigned for the law, said that union members have been working hard to see this bill pass, and are very thankful for the City Council’s support. “It’s particularly gratifying to see how our union workers, environmental advocates, and elected officials can come together to make our city a leader on climate action and creating good union jobs,” Alvarez said.
For full Amsterdam News article: Amsterdam News.