I will fight to strengthen climate resilience, meet our emissions standards and ensure environmental policy works for New Yorkers in ways they can see and feel in their daily lives. In Lower Manhattan, climate change is immediate: coastal flooding, extreme rainfall, aging sewer infrastructure, dangerous heat, and declining air quality all pose real and growing risks. We must take a whole-of-government approach to the climate emergency.

I will cosponsor the NY HEAT Act and demand full implementation of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, including its requirement that at least 35 percent of climate investment benefits disadvantaged communities. But implementation must be disciplined and equitable. I will push for policies that reduce emissions while lowering utility burdens through targeted retrofits, electrification support, and affordability protections. I also support reforms to our gas system that prioritize long-term cost savings and a fair and affordable transition for tenants and small property owners.

I will make major climate resilience infrastructure before the next disaster a top priority. That means accelerating coastal protections, stormwater and sewer upgrades, and flood-proofing for public housing, schools, small businesses, and critical facilities. Our district sits at the center of Lower Manhattan’s long-term resiliency strategy, but too many projects remain underfunded or delayed. I will fight to ensure the state is a full funding partner and that new development meets enforceable resilience standards to reduce our district’s vulnerability.

I will address extreme heat as a public health emergency. Heat kills more New Yorkers each year than any other weather-related hazard. I support expanding access to cooling, weatherization, tree canopy, and building retrofits, with a focus on seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income tenants in older buildings. Climate policy must start with protecting our most vulnerable residents in their homes, reducing both risk and energy costs.

I will enforce environmental justice laws. I support stronger action against illegal dumping, chronic pollution, and environmental health hazards, along with expanded monitoring and accountability. I will work to ensure transparency about issues including air quality, recognizing the harms caused through a lack of such transparency in our history, such as after the 9/11 attacks. We must invest in parks, open space, and air quality improvements in underserved areas to address long-standing disparities.

Finally, I will hold corporations accountable for waste through policies like extended producer responsibility and modernization of recycling systems. Environmental policy should reduce costs, improve health, and make our neighborhoods cleaner and more resilient—and I will fight to ensure Albany delivers those outcomes.