End of Session, NYC Congestion Plan Delayed

Season 2024 Episode 23 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions

A comprehensive look at New York's legislative session, key bills, and more.

We delve into Governor Hochul's surprising decision to pause NYC's congestion pricing plan, originally set to begin this summer. Hear from Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas on her efforts to disaggregate data for Middle Eastern and Northern African New Yorkers. Plus, explore the critical role of forest management in NY's climate goals, and discover how the NNORC program supports the aging.

06/07/2024 | Rating NR

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New York NOW is a local public television program presented by WMHT

Support for New York NOW is provided by WNET/Thirteen.

End of Session, NYC Congestion Plan Delayed

Season 2024 Episode 23 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions

06/07/2024 | Rating NR

Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

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[ THEME MUSIC ] >> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW.

" I'M SHANTEL DESTRA. THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WAS PULLING THE PLUG ON CONGESTION PRICING IN NEW YORK CITY. AS YOU MAY RECALL, A FEW MONTHS AGO THE MT BOARD VOTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PLAN THAT WOULD IMPLEMENT TOLLS FOR CARS ENTERING THE CITY FROM DOWNTOWN. SUPPORTERS SAY IT WOULD OFFER FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE MTA AND HELP REDUCE TRAFFIC. THE LEGISLATURE FIRST VOTED ON THE PLAN ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO, BUT THE PLAN HAS FACED HICCUPS AND LEGAL CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY. NOW THE GOVERNOR'S DECISION HAS THROWN A WRENCH IN A PLAN THAT WAS SEEMINGLY SETTLED. IN A PRE-RECORDED VIDEO, HOCHUL EXPLAINED THAT SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEVEL OF COMMUTERS WHO WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET TO PAY FOR THE TOLLS. >> SO AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, I HAVE COME TO THE DIFFICULT DECISION THAT IMPLEMENTING THE PLANNED CONGESTION PRICING SYSTEM RISKS TOO MANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FOR NEW YORKERS AT THIS TIME. FOR THAT REASON, I HAVE DIRECTED THE MTA TO INDEFINITELY PAUSE THE PROGRAM. NOW, I WANT TO BE CLEAR. MY TEAM WORKED IN THE FINAL HOURS TO FIND A WAY TO IMPLEMENT THIS BECAUSE THE GOALS OF CONGESTION PRICING IN TERMS OF REDUCING TRAFFIC AND POLLUTION ARE IMPORTANT. BUT HARDWORKING NEW YORKERS ARE GETTING HAMMERED ON COSTS, AND THEY AND THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF OUR CITY MUST BE PROTECTED. >> THE GOVERNOR'S ANNOUNCEMENT MEANS A "INDEFINITE PAUSE" ON THE PROGRAM - AND WAS MET WITH BOTH SUPPORT AND CRITICISM FROM MEMBERS OF HER OWN PARTY. WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UPDATES ON THE FUTURE OF THE PLAN, RIGHT HERE ON THE SHOW. AND JUST LIKE THAT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AT THE STATE CAPITOL IS COMING TO ITS END. THE LAST FEW MONTHS INCLUDED A MIX OF MILESTONES FOR ALBANY LEADERS - FROM THE EVENTFUL BUDGET PROCESS TO TACKLING CONTROVERSIAL POLICY ISSUES. AS WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE ON THE SHOW, ONE OF THE YEAR'S BIGGEST HIGHLIGHTS WAS HOUSING - FOR EXAMPLE. AFTER NOT BEING ABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE APPROVED A PLAN THAT MEANT IMPROVING AFFORDABILITY IN NEW YORK CITY AND IMPOSE TENANT PROTECTIONS ACROSS THE STATE. BUT - LIKE ANY OTHER YEAR - THERE ARE STILL POLICY ITEMS THAT ARE LEFT ON THE TABLE. AS LAWMAKERS HEAD TO THEIR DISTRICTS FOR THE SUMMER, THEY WILL STILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET SUPPORT FOR THEIR BILLS. ONE SUCH LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY WOULD DIS-AGGREGATE DATA ON MIDDLE EASTERN AND NORTH AFRICAN NEW YORKERS FROM BEING LOOPED IN WITH THOSE OF EUROPEAN DESCENT. WE SAT DOWN WITH ONE OF THE SPONSORS OF THE BILL - ASSEMBLY MEMBER JESSICA GONZALEZ-ROJAS, A QUEENS DEMOCRAT, TO DISCUSS THE BILL'S FUTURE. HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION. [MUSIC] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, ASSEMBLYMEMBER. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> NOW, YOU SPONSORED A BILL IN THE ASSEMBLY THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY PREVENT DATA FROM MIDDLE EASTERN AND NORTHERN AFRICAN NEW YORKERS FROM BEING INCLUDED IN DATA NEW YORKERS OF EUROPEAN DESCENT. CAN YOU UNPACK WHY THAT IS IMPORTANT AND THE IMPACT OF THAT BILL? >> ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENSUS, PEOPLE OF MIDDLE EASTERN AND NORTH AFRICAN DESCENT ARE CONSIDERED UNDER THE WHITE CATEGORY. AS YOU MAY KNOW, THERE'S TWO QUESTIONS ON THE CENSUS RELATED TO RACE AND ETHNICITY. THE FIRST ONE IS ARE YOU LATINO, HISPANIC OR SPANISH? AND YOU COULD CHECK YES OR NO, AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT'S YOUR RACE. AND THEN IN 2020, IT ALLOWED YOU TO DEFINE YOUR RACE BY YOUR ORIGIN. SO YOU HAVE TO CLICK OFF WHATEVER RACE YOU IDENTIFY WITH AND THEN PUT YOUR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN. THEY SPECIFIED IN THAT QUESTION, AS AN EXAMPLE THEY SAID GERMAN, ITALIAN, IRISH, LEBANESE, EGYPTIAN. SO IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT MIDDLE EASTERN NORTH AFRICAN PEOPLE WERE CONSIDERED AMONGST THE WHITE RACE. NOW, THE PROBLEM IS THAT SO MUCH OF OUR WORK IS DRIVEN BY CENSUS DATA. AND WHEN YOU LUMP A COMMUNITY LIKE THE MIDDLE EASTERN NORTH AFRICAN COMMUNITY IN THE WHITE DATA, IT DOESN'T TELL THE FULL STORY. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MY DISTRICT, I WENT FROM A DISTRICT THAT WAS 11% WHITE BEFORE REDISTRICTING, BECAUSE IT WAS VERY LATINO AND VERY SOUTH ASIAN, TO A DISTRICT THAT WAS 27% WHITE. NOW, I GAIN LITTLE EGYPT. AND I KNOW THAT THE 27% WHITE IN MY NEW DISTRICT IS COMPROMISED -- IS COMPRISED MOSTLY OF MIDDLE EASTERN AND NORTH AFRICAN COMMUNITIES. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO DISAGGREGATE THAT DATA AND ENSURE THAT AS POLICYMAKERS, AS RESEARCHERS, AS PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS, WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE BETTER INFORMED DECISIONS WITH THAT DATA. SO WHAT MY BILL WOULD DO IS REQUIRE EVERY STATE AGENCY, COMMISSION OR BOARD THAT ISSUES DEMOGRAPHIC DATA TO DISAGGREGATE THE WHITE CATEGORY TO PULL OUT THE PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS MIDDLE EASTERN AND NORTH AFRICAN. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH THIS MIGHT POTENTIALLY COST THE STATE? >> I DON'T BELIEVE IT WILL COST THE STATE VERY MUCH. IT'S VERY MUCH INSPIRED BY A BILL PASSED IN 2021 BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN NIOU THAT REQUIRES STATE AGENCIES TO DISAGGREGATE THE ASIAN DATA. WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FILIPINO AND A KOREAN AND A BENGALI MIGHT BE VERY DIFFERENT BETWEEN LANGUAGE NEEDS, CULTURAL NEEDS, RELIGIOUS NEEDS, AND HAVING ONE ASIAN CATEGORY DIDN'T TELL THE FULL STORY. SO THEY PASSED THAT BILL. IT'S BEEN SIGNED INTO LAW. THERE'S SOME FUNDING THAT'S ALLOCATED TO DO THAT IN THE VARIED AGENCIES. ESSENTIALLY BUILDS UPON THAT SO WE DON'T IMAGINE A FISCAL ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SINCE THEY'RE ALREADY DISAGGREGATING DATA ALREADY. >> THIS APPEARS TO ME TO BE SORT OF AN INTUITIVE MEASURE. WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S TAKEN SO LONG FOR THE STATE TO POTENTIALLY ACT ON THIS? >> THANKFULLY THIS BILL CAME FROM THE COMMUNITY. ME GAINING THE MIDDLE EASTERN NORTH AFRICAN COMMUNITY IN ASTORIA, QUEENS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE TO BUILD, AND LEARN AND HEAR WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, AND WE INTRODUCED THIS BILL LAST YEAR, AND THANKFULLY, WITH SENATOR GIANARIS CARRYING IT IN THE SENATE HE WAS ABLE TO GET IT PASSED. WE OVERLAP IN OUR DISTRICTS AND AGAIN HE REPRESENTS LITTLE EGYPT AND A LARGE COMMUNITY THAT IS MIDDLE EASTERN NORTH AFRICAN AS DO I. AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET IT DONE. WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO GETTING IT DONE. IT'S NOW ON THE FLOOR OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY. WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL. SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT BUILDING THE MOMENTUM THAT HAS COME FROM THE COMMUNITY. THEY'VE COME UP HERE. MANY OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS BILL, AND THERE'S A WHOLE NATIONAL EFFORT, IN FACT, TO BETTER RECOGNIZE THE MIDDLE EASTERN NORTH AFRICAN COMMUNITY IN THE U.S. CENSUS BUT UNTIL 2030 THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE. SO WE HAVE THE DATA NOW. WE CAN PULL OUT THE MIDDLE EASTERN NORTH AFRICAN COMMUNITIES AND BETTER ASSESS THEIR NEEDS AND BE BETTER LEGISLATORS FOR THAT. >> AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THE BILL HAS PASSED IN THE SENATE BUT IT'S CURRENTLY IN COMMITTEE IN THE ASSEMBLY. SO WHAT ARE YOUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE ASSEMBLY AND WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY TO GARNER SUPPORT IN THE FINAL DAYS OF SESSION? >> YEAH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT OUT OF WAYS AND MEANS. IT IS NOW ON THE FLOOR. IT'S BEEN LAID ASIDE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION TO IT. BUT I'M VERY ANXIOUS TO DEBATE IT AND EXCITED TO DEBATE IT. IT'S A VERY WORTHY CAUSE. I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS ISSUE FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE OF MY OBSESSION WITH CENSUS DATA, IN PARTICULAR. BUT THERE'S BEEN A NATIONAL EFFORT TO REALLY LOOK AT WAYS TO BETTER COUNT A COMMUNITY. IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THESE NUMBERS MEAN, YOU THINK ABOUT REDISTRICTING, WE THINK ABOUT MINORITY AND BUSINESS-OWNED PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WOMEN, THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING ACCESS TO. WE THINK ABOUT DATA AROUND HEALTH INEQUITIES. WE'RE THINKING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOT COUNTED AMONGST THE POPULATION. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS INFORMATION TO DO BETTER POLICYMAKING. >> WHAT ARE YOUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH THE CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT ABOUT THIS BILL? >> IT'S BEEN AMAZING. WE DID A BIG LAUNCH EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH SENATOR GIANARIS, WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBERS MAMDANI AND WE HAD SO MANY MEMBERS OF THE MIDDLE EAST NORTH AFRICAN COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY'RE EGYPTIAN, MOROCCAN, ALGERIAN OR YEMENI. A LOT OF LEADERS CAME OUT TO PUSH FOR THIS BILL. WE TALKED ABOUT HOW VIBRANT LITTLE EGYPT IS IN ASTORIA, YET THESE BUSINESSES ARE NOT GETTING THE RESOURCES THEY NEED. THESE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT GETTING COUNTED IN WAYS THAT THEY SHOULD, AND AGAIN WE'RE MISSING OUT ON A WHOLE SLEW OF DATA THAT CAN HELP INFORM WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE BETTER POLICY DECISIONS. I ALWAYS SAY DATA IS POWER. AND THIS IS ONE WAY TO REALLY ENSURE THAT THE MIDDLE EASTERN NORTH AFRICAN COMMUNITY HAS A NUMBER AND THE RESOURCES TO FIGHT FOR THE ISSUES THAT THEY NEED AND THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THEM. >> AND YOU MENTIONED THE PREVIOUS BILL THAT DISAGGREGATED ASIAN AMERICAN DATA. SO IS THIS BILL STRUCTURED IN THE SAME WAY, OR ARE THERE ANY MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO BILLS? >> THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR. THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR. IT WOULD REQUIRE ANY STATE AGENCY, BOARD, COMMISSION, THAT ISSUES DEMOGRAPHIC DATA TO DISAGGREGATE BY, IN THIS CASE, THE ASIAN POPULATION. AGAIN, SO YOU'RE SEEING WHO'S KOREAN AND WHO IS FILIPINO AND WHO IS BENGALI AND SO ON, SO FORTH. AND THIS ONE WOULD SAY, OKAY, YOU HAVE THIS WHITE CATEGORY, HOW MANY PEOPLE CONSIDER THEMSELVES MIDDLE EASTERN, NORTH AFRICAN AND THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM EGYPTIAN, TO MOROCCAN, TO ALGERIAN TO YEMENESE, TO MANY OF THE COUNTRIES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE MIDDLE EASTERN AND NORTH AFRICA. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT. AND IT'S REALLY MODELED BY THE SAME PIECE OF LEGISLATION. >> AND IF ALL GOES WELL AND THE BILL IS PASSED, WHAT ARE SOME OTHER WAYS THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO BETTER SUPPORT THIS COMMUNITY? >> WELL, THE FIRST THING IS TO GET IT PASSED. WE HOPE TO CELEBRATE WHEN IT'S SIGNED INTO LAW. AND THEN WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY PRESSURE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE AGENCIES, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ACTUALLY DO THEIR JOB AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING UP ON THAT REQUIREMENT. IT WILL GO INTO EFFECT IN 2025. SO IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BECAUSE WE WANT TO GIVE THESE AGENCIES TIME TO START, YOU KNOW, DISAGGREGATING THAT DATA AND CREATING PUBLIC MEANS OF SHARING THAT. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT. >> WILL THERE BE ANY BENCHMARKS OR GUARDRAILS THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE TO HELP THESE AGENCIES THAT DISAGGREGATE THE DATA OR DO THEY HAVE FULL REIN TO APPROACH IT ANY WAY THEY SEE FIT? >> IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE BILL THE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN THAT ARE INCLUDED WITHIN THE MIDDLE EASTERN NORTH AFRICAN POPULATION. AGAIN, WE'RE WATCHING THE WAY IN WHICH THE AAPI BILL IS BEING EXECUTED. IT'S IN VERY EARLY STAGES SO WE'RE SEEING HOW THAT'S GOING. SO THAT'S SORT OF SOME OF THE BENCHMARKS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. BUT IT IS VERY CLEAR WHO IS CONSIDERED MIDDLE EASTERN AND NORTH AFRICAN BY THE LANGUAGE IN THE BILL. >> NOW THAT WE'RE IN THE FINAL DAYS OF SESSION, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEAR HEADING INTO THE SUMMER AND PREPARING FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION EARLY NEXT YEAR? >> THERE'S A COUPLE OF BILLS WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH OVER THE FINISH LINE. ONE, THE MENA BILL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. THE MIDDLE EASTERN AND NORTH AFRICAN DATA BILL AND WE'RE LOOKING AT MANAGED LONG-TERM CARE PROGRAMS AND A BILL THAT WOULD ENSURE TRANSPARENCY OF THE DATA. AND AGAIN DATA IS POWER. I HAVE MANY BILLS THAT LOOK AT WAYS THAT DATA IS SHARED BY THE STATE TO THE PUBLIC. WE'RE ALSO PUSHING FOR A BILL THAT WOULD CREATE A COVID-19 COMMISSION THAT IS A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION THAT INCLUDES EXPERTS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH FIELD TO DO AN ASSESSMENT IN THE WAY IN WHICH THE STATE OF NEW YORK HANDLED THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN ORDER TO GATHER INFORMATION AND RESOURCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. AND, OF COURSE, I'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR COVERAGE FOR ALL, WHICH IS A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO SUBMIT A FEDERAL WAIVER TO USE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO ALLOW PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED IN NEW YORK ENROLL IN OUR NEW YORK STATE ESSENTIAL HEALTH PLAN. IT WILL SAVE THE STATE MONEY. IT WILL CREATE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT PASSED IN THE STATE SENATE TWICE, THANKS TO MY AMAZING SENATOR, SENATOR RIVERA. BUT IT'S STILL BEEN DIFFICULT TO MOVE IN THE ASSEMBLY, AND WE NEED THE GOVERNOR'S SUPPORT AS WELL BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PASS A BILL AND HAVE THE GOVERNOR VETO IT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PASS A BILL SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE GETTING ACCESS TO THE HEALTHCARE THAT THEY NEED. AGAIN, IT'S FISCALLY SMART BUT IT'S ALSO JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO. SO WE'RE STILL IN THAT PUSH AND WE REALLY HOPE TO GET IT OVER THE FINISH LINE BY THE END OF SESSION. IF NOT, REALLY QUEUE US UP FOR EARLY NEXT YEAR. >> WELL, CERTAINLY A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO. BUT WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE YOU BACK ON THE SHOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> WE WERE SPEAKING WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER JESSICA GONZALEZ-ROJAS, A QUEENS DEMOCRAT. >> THANK YOU. [MUSIC] >> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE BILL THAT WOULD DISAGGREGATE MENA DATA ON OUR WEBSITE, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG. NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOPIC. IN 2019, THE CLIMATE AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT FORMALLY ESTABLISHED BENCHMARKS FOR THE STATE TO REACH ITS CLIMATE GOALS. AND TO HELP REACH THOSE GOALS, THE HEALTH AND MANAGEMENT OF THE FORESTS IN THE STATE IS NOW EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. PRODUCER DANA WRIGHT SPOKE WITH ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE STATE IS APPROACHING THIS IMPORTANT WORK. HERE'S THAT STORY. [MUSIC] >> THE STUNNING CATSKILLS. THE MAJESTIC ADIRONDACKS. THE MANGLED SHRUBS THAT ARE TAKING OVER MY BACKYARD. >> NEW YORK'S FORESTS ARE IMPORTANT FOR COUNTLESS REASONS. THEY GIVE US A CHANCE TO ESCAPE TO NATURE, WHICH HAS SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS. THEY'RE ALSO ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR STATE. THEY PROVIDE HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE, AND THEY HELP COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE BY SEQUESTERING CO2. WITH NEW YORK'S NEW CLIMATE ACT, WHICH AIMS TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE THE STATE'S NET CARBON EMISSIONS, WE'RE ALSO NOW RELYING ON OUR FORESTS TO SEQUESTER ENOUGH CARBON FOR US TO HIT OUR STATE GOALS, MAKING FOREST HEALTH AS IMPORTANT AS EVER. SO WITH ALL THE WAYS OUR FORESTS TAKE CARE OF US, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ASK, HOW CAN WE TAKE CARE OF OUR FORESTS? THE STATE'S CLIMATE PLAN CITES THE IMPORTANCE OF FOREST MANAGEMENT. BUT HOW DOES ONE MANAGE A FOREST? THIS IS WHAT I SET OUT TO LEARN, AND WHO BETTER TO LEARN FROM THEN, WELL, A FORESTER. MEET ANNABEL ROBERTS-MCMICHAEL. SHE WORKS IN THE HUDSON VALLEY ADVISING LANDOWNERS ON WAYS THEY CAN IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THEIR FORESTS. THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK BECAUSE ALMOST THREE-FOURTHS OF NEW YORK'S FORESTED LANDS ARE PRIVATELY OWNED. >> THE SORT OF CLASSIC FORESTER IS SOMEONE WHO WILL INVENTORY A FOREST, UNDERSTAND WHAT SPECIES ARE PRESENT AND CREATE A FOREST PLAN FOR HOW TO BOTH HARVEST TIMBER FROM THE FOREST AND TAKE CARE OF IT OVER THE YEARS. >> THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF FOREST MANAGEMENT SHE SHOWED ME WAS A LOGGING SITE AT TOMORROW TOMORROW FARM. >> WE'RE AT A LOGGING JOB TODAY. WE'RE TRYING TO MELD A COMMERCIAL LOG SALE WITH A CUT THAT'S JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING FOREST HEALTH. SO WE'RE HERE IMPROVING THE OVERSTORY AND TRYING TO CREATE A SEED SOURCE OF TREES THAT ARE REALLY HEALTHY FOR THE FUTURE. >> IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU MAY BE THINKING, HOW CAN CUTTING DOWN TREES HELP FOREST HEALTH? ANNABEL EXPLAINS. >> WHERE WE LIVE, ALMOST EVERY FOREST WAS COMPLETELY CLEAR-CUT IN THE 1700S, 1800S. AND SO THE FOREST WHERE WE LIVE HAS GROWN BACK FROM NOTHING. AND IN THAT TIME, FOR THE MOST PART, WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE IS CUT DOWN THE NICEST TREES BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THEY MAKE GREAT LUMBER. OVER TIME, WHEN YOU DO THAT, THE FOREST HEALTH DECLINES AND YOU START TO HAVE HIGHER AND HIGHER PROPORTIONS OF UNHEALTHY TREES AND LOWER PROPORTIONS OF HEALTHY TREES FOR THE FUTURE. WE ACTUALLY NEED TO ACTIVELY INTERVENE ON OUR FORESTS TO UNDO THAT. >> SELECTING WHAT TREES TO CUT DOWN IS A VERY NUANCED PROCESS, WHICH INVOLVES BALANCING WHAT IS ECONOMICALLY VIABLE AND WHAT WOULD LEAVE THE FOREST IN A BETTER PLACE. BUT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNHEALTHY TREES DOESN'T MEAN ALL UNHEALTHY TREES SHOULD BE CUT. >> SO THIS ONE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A REASON WE DIDN'T MARK THIS TREE. YOU CAN GET ALL KINDS OF WILDLIFE LIVING IN THOSE CAVITIES. RED SQUIRREL CAN LIVE IN THEM AND THEY'RE ESSENTIAL TO PLANTING THE ACORNS OF THE FUTURE FORESTS. YOU CAN GET A WHOLE FAMILY OF RACCOONS OR OWLS. WE TRY TO NEVER CUT DOWN A CAVITY TREE. >> ANNABEL OFTEN SPOKE OF LOOKING TO THE FORESTS OF YORE FOR INSPIRATION. >> IF THIS WAS AN OLD GROWTH FOREST, THERE WOULD BE THESE OPEN SUNNY PATCHES WHERE A VERY LARGE OLD TREE HAD COME DOWN DUE TO DISEASE OR INJURY. AND THAT IS WHERE ALL OF THE YOUNG REGENERATION OF TREES COMES UP. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO IMITATE IN THIS FOREST MANAGEMENT. >> I HAD A GREAT TIME LEARNING ABOUT HOW LOGGING PLAYS A ROLE IN FOREST MANAGEMENT. BUT WHEN YOU'RE AT A SITE WHERE TREES ARE BEING FELLED, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO REMEMBER... SAFETY FIRST. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I WENT TO SEE ANOTHER PROJECT ANNABEL WAS WORKING ON. >> NOW WHAT WE HAVE IS THIS STATEWIDE REGION-WIDE ISSUE OF FOREST REGENERATION. OUR FORESTS AREN'T REGENERATING SO THERE ISN'T ANOTHER CLASS OF BABY TREES COMING UP. THE REASON THAT THE YOUNGER TREES ARE NOT GROWING RIGHT NOW, THE REASON THAT WE HAVE NO SEEDLINGS AND SAPLINGS IN MOST FORESTS IS BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE OF DEER BROWSE. DEER ARE CURRENTLY EATING SUGAR MAPLE AND WHITE OAK AND A LOT OF OUR MAJOR HARDWOOD SPECIES THAT ARE REALLY CORE AND KEYSTONE SPECIES OF OUR ECOSYSTEM. SO TODAY WE'RE HERE TO PROTECT REGENERATION WITH A DEER FENCE. THEY'RE CALLED DEER EXCLOSURES. >> SO WHAT MAKES THIS PARTICULAR SPOT GOOD FOR FOREST REGROWTH? >> YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT OF VEGETATION IN THE UNDERSTORY HERE. AND THAT IS INDICATIVE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF SUNLIGHT HITTING THE FOREST FLOOR. WE ALSO HAVE SOME REALLY REMARKABLE, BEAUTIFUL OLD SEED TREES THAT WILL CREATE A REALLY WONDERFUL NEXT GENERATION OF TREES. >> IT'S A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. ANNABEL ALSO SHOWED ME SOME SHRUBS THAT TYPICALLY NEED TO BE CLEARED TO MAKE ROOM FOR REGENERATION. >> THIS IS A JAPANESE BARBERRY, THESE ARE SOME OF THE INVASIVE SHRUBS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING INTO FOREST UNDERSTORIES. THEY ARE TAKING UP A LOT OF THE AVAILABLE SUNLIGHT THAT NATIVE SPECIES COULD BE IN. BUT THE REASON THAT THEY ARE TAKING UP THAT SPACE IS BECAUSE THE DEER ONLY EAT THE NATIVE SPECIES. THE NATIVE PLANTS WOULD ACTUALLY BE GROWING VERY ABUNDANTLY AND JUST AS WELL AS THESE SPECIES IF IT WEREN'T FOR BEING HAMMERED BY DEER. >> SO NOW WE KNOW SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE HANDS-ON WORK THAT SETS UP OUR FORESTS FOR SUCCESS. BUT WHAT LARGE-SCALE WORK NEEDS TO HAPPEN IF WE WANT IMPROVED FOREST HEALTH AND SEQUESTRATION STATEWIDE. NEW YORK'S CLIMATE SCOPING PLAN OFTEN REFERS TO PARTNERING WITH UNIVERSITIES LIKE CUNY ESF AND CORNELL TO DEVELOP FOREST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR THE STATE. SO I INTERVIEWED COLIN BEIER, A PROFESSOR AT CUNY ESF TO TALK BIG PICTURE STRATEGY FOR FOREST HEALTH. >> THE THREE BROAD STRATEGIES FOR USING FORESTS AS A CLIMATE SOLUTION ARE: AVOIDING CONVERSION OR AVOIDING DEFORESTATION. ADDING NEW FOREST LAND TO THE LANDSCAPE, ENHANCING, IMPROVING OR ADJUSTING THE MANAGEMENT OF WORKING FORESTS. WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT THE PRESSURE TO SELL FOREST LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT IS FAR EXCEEDING WHAT MOST CAN GENERATE REVENUE-WISE SUSTAINABLY FROM THE LAND. SO YOU'RE TRYING TO CREATE INCENTIVES. YOU'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE RESOURCES. THE CLIMATE LOG COUNCIL ON FOREST ON LANDOWNERS RIGHT TO OFFSET THE EMISSIONS OF SECTORS THEY REALLY HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH. WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO CREATE FURTHER DISINCENTIVES FOR FOREST LANDOWNERS IN NEW YORK TO OWN AND TEND THEIR LAND SUSTAINABLY. WE CAN ADD NEW FORESTS, BUT IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD IT'S GOING TO TAKE DECADES FOR THOSE NEW FORESTS TO REALLY START SEQUESTERING CARBON. FOR EVERY ACRE THAT'S DEFORESTED, EVEN IF WE REPLACE IT WITH THREE, FIVE, 10 ACRES OF REFORESTED LAND. THERE'S A TIME GAP THERE, RIGHT? ALL THE CARBON IS GOING BACK TO THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE RATE AT WHICH THE REFORESTED LAND IS ABLE TO PULL SOME OF THAT LAND BACK DOWN, THERE'S A MISMATCH THERE. KNOW THAT REFORESTED LAND IS A GOOD THING. WE NEED TO DO IT NOW. WE NEEDED TO DO IT YESTERDAY. WE NEEDED TO DO IT A WHILE AGO, BUT IT'S NOT SO SIMPLE AS LIKE TAKING SOMETHING OUT OF THIS LEDGER AND ADDING IT OVER HERE. >> COLIN ALSO NOTED AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM RUN BY DEC CALLED REGENERATE NEW YORK WHICH PROVIDES FUNDING FOR LANDOWNERS WHO SEEK TO MANAGE THEIR FORESTS OR ESTABLISH NEW FOREST LAND ON THEIR PROPERTY. HE SAID THAT REGENERATE NEW YORK IS A GOOD START, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF FOREST LAND TO ADDRESS. THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TIME TO GET TO TODAY. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE LEAVING BEHIND OUR LOVELY FORESTS BECAUSE NEXT EPISODE WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT BIRD HABITATS AND MIGRATION. MAYBE WE'LL EVEN HEAR THE CALL OF SOME BEAUTIFUL SONGBIRDS. [BIRD CHIRPING] >> MAYBE NOT THAT ONE. UNTIL NEXT TIME, I'LL SEE YOU OUTSIDE. [MUSIC] AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FOREST MANAGEMENT IN NEW YORK STATE AND FOR NEW YORK AND CLIMATE EPISODES, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE. AGAIN, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG. NOW TURNING TO OUR LAST TOPIC. AS PART OF OUR SERIES FOCUSED ON AGING NEW YORKERS - WE WANTED TO SHARE A SEGMENT ON THE WORK BEING DONE TO ENSURE SENIORS OVER THE AGE OF 60 MAINTAIN THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND STAY CONNECTED. THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE STATE OFFICE OF AGING, SENIORS WHO ARE PART OF A NEIGHBORHOOD NATURALLY OCCURRING RETIREMENT COMMUNITY - ARE PROVIDED RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO AGE IN THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD. HERE'S THAT STORY. >> STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN FROM SCRATCH, COMING FROM SOMEPLACE WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW ANYBODY AND WHERE YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM IS AN HOUR AND 20 MINUTES AWAY, THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT. IT CAN BE REALLY DEVASTATING, IN ADDITION TO THE LOSS OF YOUR LIFE'S PARTNER. AND THE NNORC HELPS FILL IN THE GAPS. [MUSIC] >> THE NNORC STANDS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD NATURALLY OCCURRING RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, PART OF A FEDERAL INITIATIVE TO HELP OLDER ADULTS AGE 60 AND UP STAY IN THEIR HOMES SAFELY, WELL AND WITH SUPPORT. >> NEW YORK STATE OFFICE FOR THE AGING DID A STUDY ON NEIGHBORHOODS WHO WERE APPLYING TO RECEIVE THIS GRANT, AND THEY FOUND THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAD A HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF OLDER ADULTS. >> THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO SUPPORT OLDER ADULTS TO AGE IN THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOME AND IN THE COMFORT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WE DO THIS BY PROVIDING FOUR CORE SERVICES THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE GRANT. THOSE CORE SERVICES ARE HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT, HEALTHCARE MONITORING, CARE MANAGEMENT, AND INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE. IN ADDITION TO THOSE FOUR CORE SERVICES, WE PROVIDE LOADS OF SOCIALIZATION, ACTIVITIES, RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS. >> I'VE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 20 YEARS. I ATTEND ALL THE BREAKFAST CLUB PROGRAMS, THE ONES ON HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES AND DIET AND NUTRITION. >> THEY HELP ME LIVE MY LIFE A LITTLE BETTER. >> I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE MET THROUGH THE NNORC, WE'RE MORE OR LESS IN THE SAME BOAT IN THAT THIS IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT IT TO BE THE BEST COMMUNITY IT CAN BE. BUT THERE ARE ALSO, THEY'RE EITHER LIVING ON THEIR OWN OR THEY'RE REALIZING THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES AS YOU GET OLDER. AND SO WE'RE ALL HELPING EACH OTHER, TOO. >> AND FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON AGING IN NEW YORK, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE. AGAIN, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG. YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER BY GOING TO NEWSLETTER.NYNOW.ORG OR BY SCANNING THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN. WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW.

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