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November 17, 2006
Marty Doesn't Want to Be Green With Envy, Just Green
Brooklyn Downtown Star
By Medi Blum
At the Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment's Second Annual Green Brooklyn Conference, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz cited Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards as progress towards sustainable development:
"Brooklyn is experiencing unprecedented expansion," continued Markowitz, noting that an anticipated 100,000 new residents will be joining the borough within the next three years. To handle that responsibly, Markowitz argued, would mean "devising and implementing a citywide energy policy that emphasizes conservation"; building the "maximum amount of affordable housing and new schools"; improving recycling; ensuring that all local government vehicles are hybrids; encouraging the creation of local biodiesel plants; devising solar-powered air conditioning systems; and coming up with a "21st century transportation strategy."
Citing what he considers to be existing Brooklyn environmental advances to be proud of, Markowitz mentioned the solar-powered MTA terminal at Stillwell Avenue, the fully wind-powered Brooklyn Brewery, the Red Hook Farmers Market - where the food is grown on top of a former basketball court - and the anticipated LEED certifications for the proposed Atlantic Yards project and the already underway Navy Yards expansion.
NoLandGrab: Before everyone gets all excited about Atlantic Yards LEED certification, remember, Forest City Ratner's commitments are not legally enforceable and the development company reneged on environmental certification goals for the Times Tower.
Posted by lumi at November 17, 2006 6:24 AM