Sandy Nurse

This bill would require the Department of Citywide Administrative Services to submit a master plan for the redevelopment of Rikers Island for sustainability and resiliency purposes, including wastewater treatment, renewable energy generation and storage, offshore wind converter stations, and composting and organic waste processing. The plan would include a proposed capital project plan, estimated implementation timeline, details about the design, funding, and construction timeline for each proposed project, and evaluations of physical alterations or infrastructure improvements that Rikers Island may require to support the new infrastructure. The plan would also include a proposed schedule for all necessary land use approvals and environmental reviews, and, for each proposed capital project, a preliminary scope of project and a recommendation as to whether the project should be included in the relevant agency’s departmental estimate for the purpose of requesting capital funding. At least sixty days before submitting the master plan to the Mayor and City Council, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services would have to post a draft plan that is open to public comment.

This bill would clarify that in tenant harassment claims, lawful occupants may not be denied injunctive relief, including restoration of possession, because they are not tenants, or on the basis that the court deems such restoration futile because the lawful occupant would be subject to a meritorious claim of possession against them, as long as no such judgment of possession has actually yet been granted.

This bill would amend the Department of Sanitation’s enforcement routing program to allow for businesses to receive fines for sidewalk cleanliness violations during their hours of operation, provided that the business’s hours are posted in plain view and the business is generally open to the public. Other commercial premises will be liable to receive fines for littering between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M.

This bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) to install, replace, or upgrade 500 outdoor drinking fountains by 2035. The bill would require such fountains to have bottle filling stations and be accessible to people with disabilities. Additionally, Parks would be required to report the locations of the 500 fountains, and assess the feasibility of year-round outdoor drinking fountains. The bill would also require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in consultation with the Department of Transportation, to install 10 new outdoor drinking fountains in public places other than parks within communities that are underserved by publicly accessible drinking fountains. Finally, DEP would be required to make recommendations on whether the program should be expanded, and what challenges and issues are presented by the program.

This bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection to test for the presence of microplastics when it collects and analyzes samples of drinking water.

This bill would amend existing law to require the Department of Finance to record tax liens on property in the city in the ACRIS database once the lawful debt on such property exceeds $5,000 past due for a period of three or more years.

This bill would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to install at least 35 electric bicycle (e-bike) battery stations in commercial corridors each year for a five-year period, and at least 25% of those would be installed in the street next to the curb and allow for e-bikes to be parked and secured. DOT would also be required to report on the installation and operation of the battery stations and post the locations of the battery stations on its website.

This bill would require DSNY to adopt rules which allow community composters to charge the general public for organic waste collection at drop-off sites. The bill would also allow community composters to sell compost generated from drop-off sites to the public.

This bill creates record keeping and reporting requirements for entities that purchase or accept second-use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that power devices such as e-bikes and electric scooters. The entities would be required to maintain and submit records to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), on information pertaining to the number and type of rechargeable batteries purchased or accepted and how such rechargeable batteries were disposed of. Additionally, all records would be made available to the Department of Sanitation and Fire Department upon request; and DCWP would be required to submit an annual report summarizing information gathered pursuant to this law.

Local Law 89 of 2023 requires that the Department of Sanitation, by April 1, 2024, establish and operate no less than 30 organic waste drop off sites citywide, and ensure that no less than 3 such sites are established in each borough. This bill would clarify that organic waste drop off sites, for the purposes of complying with Local Law 89, cannot be considered to simply be a standalone receptacle for organic or any other waste.