Environment and Energy
New York City is among the fastest growing cities in the world. Daniel believes that our growth is a tribute to our strength and, if we grow intelligently, the key to our future. He also knows that environmental sustainability is a moral, and a practical, imperative.
New York City has our nation's third highest number of LEED certified and registered projects; that's a great start, but we should make sure that we have the highest proportion of LEED projects in the country. Daniel knows that this won't happen on its own and will fight for incentives to get developers into the LEED program.
Of course, energy efficiency is not just about new construction. High rise office and residential buildings account for 70% of New York City's greenhouse gas emissions. Retrofitting these buildings for enhanced energy efficiency could reduce emissions by 20-50%. Daniel will push New York to follow the lead of the Clinton Foundation - which has developed a model retrofitting program that brings together the world's largest energy companies and financial institutions to design a plan for the world's cities - to create a feasible and affordable retrofitting strategy for office towers and residential neighborhoods alike.
New York State is teeming with natural energy resources, as well as great minds who can put these resources to better use. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State has enough wind resources to provide over 5,000 megawatts of clean energy. By the end of 2008, as many as 11 wind farms will be fully functioning, with another 30 awaiting proposal review. While we have great natural resources that have begun to pay off, we have failed to create a comprehensive system to make sure the best and the brightest in this new industry choose New York.
Daniel will fight to expand the current efforts - and diversify our tax base by invigorating our upstate economy - with a proposal to turn the New York State Thruway corridor into "Energy Alley." Upstate New York should create an easy, attractive and affordable system that allows us to leverage our natural resources, surfeit of college graduates and natural connection to New York City's resources, so that we become the obvious choice for investment in and manufacturing of the next wave of clean and renewable energy.
With smart investment, innovative thinking and a streamlined system, upstate New York can be for the green boom what northern California was for the tech boom.
Read Daniel's Environmental Plan here: Squadron Environmental Plan.pdf.