Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts

Friday, February 21, 2025

Congestion Pricing in New York

Since January 5, 2025, vehicles are being tolled to enter the Congestion Relief Zone in Manhattan South, New York, under the Congestion Pricing Program of the City of New York.

On February 19, 2025, the federal government, through the Department of Transportation, stated its disapproval of the program. A WhiteHouse social media post shows a TIME magazine-style cover featuring Trump wearing a crown with the text 'Congestion pricing is dead. Long live the king!'

In a news release, Governor Kathy Hochul and MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber respond. 'This is an attack on our sovereign identity, our independence from Washington. This is what we fought for: To set up a system where we are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington. So this is the fight we're in. It's all about our sovereignty', says Kathy Hochul. 

The War for Independence from the British Monarchy ended in 1783 by the Treaty of Paris, in which 'His Brittanic Majesty' acknowledges the United States to be free sovereign and Independent States. This was followed by the United States Constitution, which in its first three words – 'We The People' – affirms that the government of the United States exists to serve its citizens, while it also separates the government into three branches to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

'It's mystifying that after four years of environmental study, a 4,000 page environmental review, that the US DOT would seek to reverse course', Janno Lieber adds in the news release. 'We are doing a thoughtful, local solutionI thought the Republican Party was in favor of local control.' 

Indeed, reality can and should compel any government, whatever its ideological background, to look for and adopt policies that are in line with best available science. This constitutes a necessity that, where there appears to be a conflict, must overrule even what the Supreme Court, the President or Congress may decree, something so obvious that people didn't see a need for it to be enshrined in the Constitution.   

In summary, policies can best be adopted with a preference for local communities working out the implementation, as said, provided this occurs in line with best available science. Below is a flowchart showing how climate action can be achieved without politicians.

[ from an earlier post ]
The disregard for science and democracy by many politicians has now become so apparent and appalling that we, the people, must now implement a superior form of democracy and decision-making, i.e. for local areas to develop sets of local feebates and to institute Local People's Courts in which randomly-chosen residents deliver verdicts to ensure that policies are in line with best available science. Where needed, progress with climate action should be supported by a Climate Emergency Declaration.

Climate Emergency Declaration

The situation is dire and the precautionary principle calls for rapid, comprehensive and effective action to reduce the damage and to improve the situation, as described in this 2022 post, where needed in combination with a Climate Emergency Declaration, as discussed at this group.



Links

• Metropolitan Transportation Authority - Congestion Relief Zone
• City of New York - Congestion Pricing Program

• News release - by Kathy Hochul and Janno Lieber 

• Climate Plan
https://arctic-news.blogspot.com/p/climateplan.html

• Climate Emergency Declaration
https://arctic-news.blogspot.com/p/climate-emergency-declaration.html


Sunday, September 14, 2014

Climate Accord New York September 2014

Under the Obama administration, the U.S. has made some (small) progress limiting the amounts of greenhouse gases that states emit, e.g. through Environmental Protection Agency limits on carbon dioxide emitted by power plants.

Given that greenhouse gases do spread all over the globe, the U.S. must also support action abroad to reduce levels of greenhouse gases.

At the upcoming Climate Summit in New York, September 23, President Obama will have a good opportunity to do so.

President Obama can and should support an accord for nations to jointly commit to bold action, including the imposition of fees on fossil fuel exported to nations that fail to commit to such action.

Where necessary, World Trade Organization rules should be agreed to be adjusted in order to accommodate such fees.

An accord on export fees can help U.S. exporters remain competitive and avoid repercussions. Such fees will also help make importing nations impose fees domestically, as they will not want to miss out on the revenues from such fees.

Revenues from such fees are best held in a trust fund and they are best used exclusively to finance international projects, such as efforts to save the sea ice in the Arctic and R&D into ways to decompose methane. As more nations impose fees domestically and accept responsibility to participate in international projects, such export fees can phase themselves out.

The People's Climate March will take place on September 21, starting 11:30 am from Central Park West (between 65th and 86th streets). Whether or not you're taking part in the march, consider supporting the Climate Plan. If you print out above image, you could make a cardboard sign. Over the coming days, photos of people holding up such a sign can be posted and shared at facebook and, if you add some lines saying you like the idea, they will be considered for display at the Arctic-news blog. You can also make it your profile picture on facebook during the remainder of the month to get a chance to be mentioned as a supporter.  Thanks in advance.

Update of Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly below:



Thanks to all who liked, tagged and shared the top image. Two examples of how the message is shared are highlighted below.

Sheila Chambers at facebook                             

A.Randomjack at Google+




Friday, August 29, 2014

No new laws needed for President Obama to act

For anyone attending the September 23, 2014, Climate Summit in New York, it is important to bring the message that, while Congress may seek to deny the physical and legal realities, President Obama can and should act on climate change.


As you know, Sam Carana advocates comprehensive and effective action as discussed at the Climate Plan blog. You can share the message on facebook by clicking on the image below.


Links

- Climate Summit (Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_Summit

- U.N. Climate Summit 2014
http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit

- Climate Plan
http://climateplan.blogspot.com