MAYOR'S UPDATE
From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin
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As part of our Ossining’s 2021 Earth Week celebration, I am proudly dedicating this week's Mayor's Update to the environment. Ossining has a long history of supporting environmental grassroots activism, most notably by hosting Green Ossining’s Earth Day Festival, the largest of its kind in Westchester County. This year, for the Festival’s 10th anniversary and in honor of the 51st anniversary of Earth Day, Green Ossining has scheduled a week-long celebration of more than 100 activities that began on Saturday, April 17, and will run through Sunday, April 25, 2021.
Caring for our planet is one of the most important things we can do. With the support of the Village Board of Trustees, I urge all of our community to celebrate Earth Week and remind you to help preserve the quality of life for future generations - and consider every day Earth Day!
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Clean energy is the fastest-growing industry in America. It can revitalize domestic manufacturing and expand high-quality union jobs to help rebuild the middle class. Now is the time for bold leadership and urgent action. That is why I added my name to a letter to our representatives in Washington calling on our representatives to swiftly pass an economic recovery package with investments at the scale and scope necessary to address the compounding challenges we face. This package should:
- Put the U.S. on the path to 100% clean energy powering everything from our electricity grid, transportation, and buildings with reliable, affordable clean energy.
- Promote equity by ensuring at least 40% of benefits go to the communities who need it most, prioritizing just and equitable solutions being led by low income and communities of color most harmed by toxic pollution and climate change.
- Incentivize high-quality, good-paying union jobs, especially in the domestic clean energy and manufacturing sectors, while supporting communities historically reliant on oil, gas, and coal jobs.
We have a moral, environmental, and economic responsibility to ourselves, our children, and future generations not to let this moment pass.
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The use of leaf blowers has grown exponentially in the last 30 years, to the point that many landscapers and contractors select a leaf blower as the tool of choice for multiple and varied tasks. Electric leaf blowers are now available as an alternative to gas leaf blowers, which are particularly harmful, as they produce significant toxic emissions that cause air pollution and impact health. However, as leaf blowers of any kind are detrimental to the environment, destroying soil and habitat, back in 2018, Ossining joined many other municipalities in updating our laws regarding leaf blowers.
Gas-powered leaf blowers shall be used only during the following periods: March 1 through June 1 and September 15 through December 15. No more than two handheld or backpack gas-powered leaf blowers may be used at a time unless the property where the gas-powered leaf blower is being used is at least 1/2 acre in size.
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Recently I was asked what Ossining is doing as a Pollinator Pathway. I was a bit embarrassed that I didn't understand the question, let alone have the correct answer, so I took this opportunity to learn more about the importance of pollinators. New York State is home to over 450 wild pollinator species, including hummingbirds, butterflies, beetles, bees, and more. These small but mighty workers support the state's more than seven million acres of agricultural land, pollinating local favorites like apples, berries, and pumpkins. In addition to their agricultural services, native pollinators support a healthy and biodiverse environment. Their importance cannot be overstated--by turning even the smallest of available green spaces like flower boxes and curb strips into native plant gardens, communities create 'stepping stones' for pollinators between larger habitat patches. Ossining is well on its way to becoming a pollinator pathway. I plan to work with Green Ossining and Village staff to look at more opportunities to create green roofs, solar solutions, and planting native plants where possible. For more information: https://www.teatown.org/pollinator-pathways.
Our pristine lawns are biodiversity deserts.
Lawns cover nearly 1.9% of all U.S. land and tend to comprise as much as 60% of each residential lot. People see lawns as extensions of their homes and prize them for being pristine, but we forget they are habitats for flowers and bees. While people want their yards to look tidy, an essential criterion for neighborhood aesthetics and property values, while reducing the potential for ticks, there is a happy medium to limit risk while providing benefit.
Creating pollinator havens in right-of-ways.
The higher up our power lines are, the more powerful they tend to be, which is why best practice is to avoid allowing any plants that may interfere with service to take root in the general area. Rather than looking at land underneath power lines as "sacrifice zones," we can plant species that will never grow to heights that will interfere as a way to support the biodiversity benefits of bees, birds, lizards, etc.
We can also consider “Wire Zones” and “Border Zones” for power line right-of-ways. Wire zones are right underneath power infrastructure, while Border zones are a few feet out from the wire's coverage and can be good places for shrubs and low-growing trees. While this type of planning is typically done in areas under/near power lines, it can also be applied to roadways and pipelines.
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In the Community
We are so grateful for Ossining Angels, who have been working tirelessly to help people schedule their COVID-19 vaccines. I encourage all in our community to please help us get the word out to your circle of friends and family to get vaccinated. Here's a quick update of the Covid-19 Angels accomplishments:
- Focus on equity access: Seniors, home-bound, people with limited/no internet access, people of color, and those whose first language is not English.
- Assisted about 250 people for vaccinations, thanks to proactive, enthusiastic volunteers.
- Collaborated with: HealthSmart, Prescription Center of Ossining, Hudson Pharmacy, Prescriptions Plus, and Westchester Medical Center, Open Door and Neighbors Link
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Got the word out: Ossining Angels messages and materials have been shared by local nonprofits, elected/appointed officials, religious/community leaders, and the two school districts. Created Ossining Angels on Facebook, sharing messages on two dozen local groups/pages.
- Our shared community has acted:
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At this time, approximately 30% of Ossining residents have had one or more vaccinations.
- In Westchester, 31% of residents are vaccinated (39% and 66% of folks age 18+ and 65+, respectively)
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What’s in front of the Board
This week’s agenda includes a resolution wherein the Village Board will declare itself Lead Agency for the proposed Zoning Map Change at 2 Sherman Place. This resolution relates to the application for a zoning map change for the property at 2 Sherman Place. The VBOT held a public hearing on April 7 as required by section 270-59.
Finally, in the spirit of Earth Week, the Village Board has invited the Environmental Advisory Council’s (EAC) chair, Erika Boetsch, to present an update.
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Zoom Info:
Members of the public can view the meeting via computer or mobile app: Webinar ID: 994 7700 4611
Members of the public can listen to the meeting by dialing in via phone: +1 929 205 6099
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Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org
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