 Good morning everybody. Good morning. We can do better than that. Good morning. Awesome. My name is Kizzi Charles Guzman. I'm the executive director of the mayor's office of climate and environmental justice I want to welcome you and thank you for having us here I am so thrilled to be here today to announce an Incredible investment in our public schools in the health of our students and our communities and in environmental justice This is something that is so close to my heart Because as a former New York City public school student myself and as someone who worked with so many of you in this room on air quality and Environmental health issues since 2008 we know that we have to do better for our air and our hearts and our lungs So since 2008 we've been working at this We knew then that New York City burned a billion gallons of heating oil every year And that just 1% of the buildings generated more soot than all of the city's cars and trucks combined Think about that for a moment. So we passed stricter regulations and a lot of policies to clean up our air But this administration knew that we still needed to go further Because every ounce of toxic pollution that we removed from the air We breathe prevents premature deaths and heart and lung disease And we know that children and communities thrive in healthy environments We're tackling upstream and my team is so Fortunate to have so many agency partners here today who share that perspective the school construction authority is here Department of Education Department of Citywide Administrative Services Department of Environmental Protection our deputy mayors The New York Power Authority and especially the person that I would like to introduce now Mayor Eric Adams who will kick us off on this historic investment Thank you so much. Thank you kids You know just for your work in this area What grades are here? What grades over here? Let me hear the second third Third and over here fifth so we have second third and fifth right fourth and fifth I did I remember being here with your amazing principal and team When I was bar president, I think you have a great food program right growing healthy food and Talking about food. This this has always been an amazing school. Do you know who the school is named after? You tell me Okay, and on this side, who was he? Yes, who was he? Wow, you know even that And and and to the educators that's here, you know people often talk about the power of school naming and Why is important to have schools that are named after significant people in the communities that students can understand? That is the answer to it, you know every time a child comes into the school and Walks into the building and they see that name they want to ask who is he and what has he? Actually carried out to allow himself to be named last week. I named a school two weeks ago I named a school after David Dinkins, do you know who he was? Who anyone knows who David Dinkins? He was okay over here. I see your hand, you know Who was he? Okay, you know back there? alright He was the first The first African-American mayor in the city of New York. Do you know who was the second? Oh, who was the second Close who was a second, right? You know love it love it, but That's That's that's that rich energy you know and Those you those are you who are educators, you know teaching is a calling you you yearn for that energy every morning Even when our scholars don't get it 100% right that experience of growing that they get just by asking and answering questions Means a lot and the lesson plan must not only be the academics But what would make them emotionally intelligent and how do we develop their full personhood and this school does it so well? I was so proud of the school when I was the Brooklyn ball president because it was innovative It was always cutting edge. It was always stating that we could bring quality education Into our communities this school gave our children a private school Education in a public school facility and we need to give it up for the entire team and just believe it Just believe it And so I want to thank Kizzy Kizzy spent so much of her energy on environmental justice And she's just a real leader in this area and that's why we're here at PS 5 and Bed-Stuy Bedford Stuyves and I live near here On Lafayette Avenue. And so I know this school so well This is about how we deal with climate Chaos around the world you have two mothers I like to say you have the mom that gave birth to you and you have mother earth and we must love both Those mothers because one gave birth the other sustains us and each time you see These storms that you're seeing so what happened in Florida is because of global warming You saw what happened of last year when we had the heavy rain is global warming So part of what we are doing today is to make sure we created an environment for the future At one time we will have these hurricanes like hurricane Ida And others they will come every hundred years But now they're coming often over and over again So we have to be better prepared both Proactively and also to prevent and be prepared for the future. It's clear We must make big changes in how we protect our environment our two children our future and our families Today we are now seeing a leading the charge a Four billion dollar program to electrify our city schools. This is so important four billion dollars It's more than four million That is a whole lot of money. It buys a whole lot of Gameboys, you know, it's a lot of money that we're spending and therefore main Foundations to this new program education environment equity and our economy Education every New York City school we build going forward would be Fully electric no more boilers no more burning dirty fuel no more Contributing to asthma anyone has asthma in here Yes All this is connected to the environment and that is why we are here because they are high rates of asthma That's in this community and we chose this community first We will create a healthier learning environment for our students. How many of you knew? That bad fuel contribute to asthma problems, right? That's so important. We have to connect the dots Connect the dots the environment impact will be major. That's the second phase Education was the first the second is environment our city Will never again build a new school that burns fossil fuel never again This will be the single most impactful energy initiative under this administration To reduce emission emissions of four city government operations This is so important your school is first that we are doing it in give yourselves get yourselves a hand What we are going to do in our school system is the equivalent of removing 26,000 cars From the road cleaning our air cleaning our environment and the third is equity It is also part of our agenda New York City will complete or start the conversion of a hundred existing schools to all electric heating by 2030 that is so important and it's an important issue Replacing harmful fossil fuel burning boilers. I was just in the downstairs in the basement The boiler is loud. It burns fossil fuel, which is causes a bad environment We're going to replace that system and we're starting with this school. Dr. Ronald McNair school elementary school. We are starting here first The McNair elementary school will become New York City first Existing school to eliminate the use of fossil fuel And provide all electric heating We're going to ensure that cleaner air help the environment for our students in our communities because not only does it impact the school It impacts the community that we are living in right now like my neighborhood on Lafayette Avenue This would keep you and our hospitals of From you happen to go to the hospital and it will save lives So the whole concept of leading the charge will boost our economy expand the green workforce And we're going to continue to support the training and development for the next generation of the green workforce by the time you graduate from School they're going to be jobs in the green Environment that many of you are going to be experts in we're going to add a $14 million program to hire and train a group of skilled trade workers Some of your family members how many you have older brothers and sisters So they're gonna they're going to be ready to do this job in the green market. We're excited about it So this is more than new schools and building retrofits We're making big investments in our future our children in our health We already committed two billion dollars to get this work underway We're excited about it and I want to just thank all the agencies involved particularly of the New York Power Authority And their president CEO Justin Driscoll Justin, thank you so much. You guys are continuing ladies and continue to lead the way and we're we're doing something that's important We're honoring Dr. McNair Who this school is named after? He was an astronaut the second African-American man to go to space That's so important. How many of you want to be an astronaut because of that? Love it. Love it. Look at that He was a pioneer devoted his life to signing a quest for knowledge His mission was not just to explore space and break barriers, but to protect the earth listen to his quote We should allow this planet To be the beautiful oasis that she is and allow ourselves to live more in The peace she generates So today we honor him But most importantly We not only honor him We honor you We say that you matter You matter by having strong educational leadership You matter by having the tools in your school and you matter by ensuring the environment is cleaner for you Just as we love and you love your mothers We all love Mother Earth and we're going to protect her now and in the future So I thank you for allowing us to start here at Dr. McNair school. Thank you very much Thank you, Mr. Mayor for your leadership and for understanding and pushing us right the prevention is better than the cure That's what we are here to do. I want to repeat something you just said mr. Mayor because it is so important every new school we build moving forward will be fully electric Our city will never again design and build a school that burns fossil fuels. This is a big deal Until recently would not have seen possible to electrify a school system than not too long ago was burning coal What's different today is that we know that the climate crisis requires us to stop investing in equipment and Infrastructure that hurts our health and hurts our planet and that is why we're leapfrogging our investments And we're going to focus on delivering the next generation of green clean and healthy school buildings We're also leading by example building on the work that we did with a clean heat program We will face out the use of number four fuel oil in our schools four years ahead of what's required by local law Without any capital investment in prolonging the life of those dirty boilers We are starting with environmental justice communities to improve the air in areas that suffer from high rates of asthma Attributed to air pollution. This is a huge step forward in decarbonizing our buildings and will help us reach our ambitious climate goals while also creating healthy and comfortable learning and working environments in the near term It will also help us grow our green workforce as you heard for the future and lead by example in how we're going to focus our capital investments on climate smart solutions and environmental justice all People regardless of their race their disability status their age Their socioeconomic background have a right to live work play and learn in Communities that are safe and free of harmful environmental conditions To the students in the room. I want to say We got you This administration is taking our role in fighting the climate crisis very seriously We got you. I'm proud that your school will be the first one to take the step To stop using fossil fuels to our agency partners in the room. I say thank you. I know this was hard Thank you for the long sessions working through intricate details to make this historic commitment happen and to our community partners and Our advocacy organizations. I say we hear you Thank you for your tireless efforts on behalf of our communities. We appreciate you We can address climate change in our city with a focus on justice and health Thank you for your leadership. Mr. Mayor and now I will pass the mic to none other than the principal Miss Lena Gates Good morning first of all to our mayor honorable Eric Adams and his staff To our superintendent Brendan Mims who is here with us today To all of our elected officials in the building To our community representatives and to our school construction authority who helped this to happen to ps5 today And to our wonderful teachers and staff. We want I want to say good morning and thank you Thank you for the opportunity to bring this project here to public school five the Dr. Ronald E. McNair school What this project is going to do for us first of all? It's going to make sure that this environment where our children are learning is going to be a safe and clean environment for them for our community It's going to clean up the air in our community also providing a safe and safe environment for our community and What it's going to do again for our schools It's going to help us to begin to teach our children and instruct our children about what this whole project means About clean air about what their future is going to be like when they take on this Responsibility these are the children that's going to pick up this project and they're going to move with it Move with it. We're doing this for them. Thank you very much We are going to open to a few questions, but before doing so today this morning We lost a real giant In our city Dr. Calvin butts of Abyssinian Baptist Church He was not only a Spiritual leader. He was a dear friend and mentor he was struggling with Cancer and he transitioned this morning and Throughout my entire journey Dr. Butz Has just mentored me in some of the most difficult moments in the city speaking him with him recently as we dealt with the issues around the Migrant crises and other crises. He has been a constant A leader and so the city lost a real giant and our hearts go out to his family And it goes out to the members of the Abyssinian Baptist Church not only in a village of Harlem But throughout this entire city Thank you very much. Welcome to a few questions. Oh, it's good Katie Students that's Katie back there Yeah Thank you. Thank you for the question Anthony Fiori Department of Citywide administrative services So the total cost of the project To retrofit a hundred schools To improve the lighting prove the ventilation we're committing four billion dollars as the mayor said Over the next several years It retrofitting these schools there. It's a difficult task, but we are set to do it We've spent many many hours Amongst all city government operations and I have to say I've been in city government for 23 years There's never been a moment where city government has come together like it has now It's an all-hands-on-deck moment and we're coming together to effectuate these projects Yes students that Steve he comes to all my press conferences He's on radio. What station? WCBS, you know, so when you hear his voice, you're gonna say we know that guy 100 is the start and What we did was we looked at those areas like here that was dealing with real Asthma issues and other health issues related issues to come up with the first 100 But our goal is every school every school as I stated by 2030 That's the goal, but this is just the start and our goal is to continue to move forward Okay, okay, so students this is the time I should have all you students come up here next to me Because this is the time that people like Katie asked me difficult questions This is called off topic They enjoyed his part because this is the time they get to beat me up You know, so I want you all to watch the off topic So when you have to go in front of the classroom and read a book report on essay, this is how I feel right now, okay? See How you Kelly What school did you go to when you were a child Love it, okay No, and that's smart on the part of the New York City Police Department. We monitor social media We monitor Communications throughout the city whenever there's chatter That indicates that something is going to happen. We like to place Officers on high alert if there's an incident that happens in another city somewhere and we pick up chatter We like to use that Intel to place our police officers on high alert and it appears as though there was some chatter by extremists Organizations in group that gave an indication of that they wanted to do something that's disruptive And so the police department was on top of it. So, you know, that's what we do all the time If there's an incident we like to stay on top of it right away You know when we legalize Marijuana some people didn't get their actual memo they believe that you can just start selling it openly and there's a clear plan on how you can legally sell Cannabis and what we are doing now we have to catch up to the law that was that's on the books to what is happening in the store in the stores like a police officer can't just walk in and Conduct a you know a apprehension on arrest or confiscate the item. There's a process So we are partnering with the marshals the sheriffs and and going in The head of the sheriffs Anthony Miranda has been doing a series of things on Going in doing out an issue purchase making sure you build the case so we could go in crack down and shut down these operations now and in January we're gonna go back to orbit Albany and Modifies some of the laws that we can go in and not have to go through these long procedures that we can immediately Confiscate and in those cases where you have habitual offender abusers of the system They would be apprehended, but it's an issue. It's not at a crisis level. We're going to address it We we targeted those trucks that were selling on the streets Using the marshals using the sheriffs and we're gonna continue to crack down on these crack down these locations We're asking people who identify shop to immediately notify the local precinct so we can start an operation there I Because as I stated that we are we're dealing with two issues We're dealing with the actual six felonies. We have a date. We want to turn those six felonies into no felonies We're also dealing with how people are feeling We have 3.5 million writers and I'm gonna keep saying this over and over again 3.5 million people use our subway system and they get to and from their destination with no problems at all but if you are seeing disorder if you are seeing people loud disruptive of Cursing acting disorderly it's going to play into what you're feeling and one way of Making sure you feel safe as well as going after those who commit crimes are the uniform presence People have stated when I'm on the subway. I'm on the subway a lot. I was on all this week I'm going to be on today people stop me and they say we feel better when we see that uniform officer walking through the trains We see some form of security personnel You have a number of MTA a police that are with us We put a thousand new officers on on these trains And so we know that uniform allows people to feel safer and we want to do everything possible I heard New Yorkers. They stated that Eric. Yes, I use this subway every day Never have an incident, but I feel unsafe based on what I'm seeing And so we have to address what people are feeling and that's the goal now. What's what's fascinating is that the last time we had real ridership was in 2019 our Index crimes are lower than 2019 2018 2017 and the last ten-year period So the numbers bear out that the officers are doing an amazing job But that means nothing if people don't feel safe and the best way to do that is have the omnipresent of our officers I like you I love you My colleagues We should never use that company again in the city of New York and really I believe in the state of New York I know that we won't be doing that that that company caused a great deal of anxiety in the city in all of our NYCHA facilities and General but specifically in the reshouses. It was unacceptable All of us remember that weekend of the constant uncertainty that happened to deploy the resources there so we're drilling down exactly how did this take take place and You know, I just really hope we get to the point where NYCHA is fully under my control I want to be held accountable for it And to make sure that we can hire and have the right people there We're looking for a new chair a new head of NYCHA and we're gonna find the right people in in Partnership with the oversight that's in place right now to make sure things like this does don't happen again This is my favorite, so I'm just sort of Yeah Jessica Katz my chief housing officer She's doing a review and NYCHA is doing a review and as soon as we get it We wanted wanted to be thorough as soon as we get it We're going to make it open to the public so a folks can see exactly what happened during that incident I'm sorry. What happened? It was closed. It was to Pinky space Yeah That should not have happened unless it was a real imminent safety has it let me look into that We're clear those that are abandoned or those that are dangerous there's a Sign that's placed on them with a warning and then of those who own them have an opportunity to repair Or to dismantle I have to look into that because if someone came in and removed it without Notification that is not the procedure of my understanding, but I look look at I thought you said it was kinky shed Pinky. Okay, Pinky. Okay. Okay. We just didn't want anything kinky going on inside that shed Yes Thank you first go ahead students who has it Yes To where I would love to is it you're gonna take me there You're going to take me to the aviation. This is where you learn how to simulate in flying I would I would like to I know you I would like to do that, but I know you find it hard to believe But I used to have hair that long Okay Thank you all the five boroughs our goal is to look at all of our schools and electrify all of our schools So all of the five boroughs not just Brooklyn. Okay. Thank you