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Greenpoint Environmental Benefit Projects. Community Meeting 1 March 21, 2012. Meeting Objectives. Provide background and overall process for Greenpoint Environmental Benefit Projects (EBPs) Discuss types of projects eligible for funding Conduct project charrette
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Greenpoint Environmental Benefit Projects Community Meeting 1 March 21, 2012
Meeting Objectives • Provide background and overall process for Greenpoint Environmental Benefit Projects (EBPs) • Discuss types of projects eligible for funding • Conduct project charrette • Explain role of General Administrator and discuss community’s preferred selection criteria
ExxonMobil Consent Decree • Legally-binding settlement with ExxonMobil that resolved “land-side” (i.e., Exxon’s Greenpoint facility and in the surrounding community) portion of case brought by NY State in 2007 • Approved by Court on February 28, 2011
Settlement Terms Cleanup Requirements • ExxonMobil contamination will be cleaned up by the company • All media are covered: “free product” (oil floating on the water table), contaminants dissolved in groundwater, soil contamination and vapors in the soil • ExxonMobil will pay for entire cost of clean-up
Environmental Benefit Projects (EBPs) • $19,500,000 for projects “designed to secure significant environmental improvements” in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Environmental Benefit Projects (EBPs) • In accordance with NYSDEC EPB Policy, projects must: • Be in addition to all existing legal obligations of ExxonMobil; and • Provide a “discernable” environmental benefit
GREENPOINT EBP MODEL WE ARE HERE Project Ideas Community Input Preparation General Administrator Project Solicitation Community Input Proposed Projects Community Input Project Selection Projects Administrator Projects Administrator Projects Administrator Projects Administrator Community Input Project Implementation Final Small Projects Final Projects Final Projects Final Projects
GREENPOINT EBP MODEL WE ARE HERE Project Ideas Community Input Preparation General Administrator Project Solicitation Community Input Proposed Projects Community Input Project Selection Projects Administrator Projects Administrator Projects Administrator Projects Administrator Community Input Project Implementation Final Small Projects Final Projects Final Projects Final Projects
GREENPOINT EBP MODEL WE ARE HERE Project Ideas Community Input Preparation General Administrator Project Solicitation Community Input • Technical Scoring • Community Ranking • State Selection Proposed Projects Community Input Project Selection Projects Administrator Projects Administrator Projects Administrator Projects Administrator Community Input Project Implementation Final Small Projects Final Projects Final Projects Final Projects
Environmental Benefit Projects (EBPs) – Draft Timeline • March 21, 2012 – Community Meeting #1 • September 2012 – Select General Administrator • September 2012 – Community Meeting #2 • October 2012 -- Issue RFP for Projects • January 2013 -- Closing Date for Project Proposals • May 2013 -- Community Meeting #3 • June 2013 -- Selection of Projects
State, CAP and ESE Roles • State Agencies • Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation • State Responsibilities • Oversight of Greenpoint EBPs, including community consultation and decision-making process • Fiscal accountability • Final decision-making responsibility
State, CAP and ESE Roles • Greenpoint Community Advisory Panel (CAP) • Bring local knowledge of Greenpoint needs and concerns to process • Provide direct input to State and ESE on community consultation and decision-making process for EBPs • Serve as ambassadors to the community • Assist with outreach to and solicit feedback from Greenpoint community
State, CAP and ESE Roles • Enviro-Sciences Engineering (ESE) • Independent community outreach consultant to the State • Assist State in organizing and conducting community consultation and decision-making process • Prepare a final report in April 2012
Greenpoint Environmental Benefit Projects • Goals of Greenpoint Environmental Benefit Projects (per NYS Consent Decree with ExxonMobil) • “EBPs will be designed to secure significant environmental improvements.” • “EBPs will address environmental areas of concern that include but are not limited to water quality, groundwater, open space, reduction of toxic pollution, and air quality.”
Greenpoint Environmental Benefit Projects • Eligible environmental benefit projects (per NYSDEC EBP Policy) • Projects must provide a discernible benefit to the environment and/or reduce risks to the environment • Projects must have a potential to yield significant benefits and be within the capability of the State to review and oversee • Project must be located in the geographic area or community adversely affected by the violation
Project Types • Project Types consistent with Greenpoint priorities, ExxonMobil CD and NYSDEC EBP Policy • Environmental education programs • Existing park/open space rehabilitation • Acquisition/creation of new park/open space • Stormwater management (such as green roofs) • Clean energy (such as solar panels)
Project Types (cont’d) • Project Types consistent with Greenpoint priorities, ExxonMobil CD and NYSDEC EBP Policy (cont’d) • Community facilities that provide a significant environmental improvement • Waterfront/waterway access • Urban forestry • Air quality Improvements • Biological remediation of soil and/or water
Community Exercise • What do you love about Greenpoint? • What could be done to improve the environment in Greenpoint?
Charrette • Consider eligibility criteria for projects • If possible, tie project idea to a location in Greenpoint • Project ideas should be as specific as possible • Prepare list of projects for report out at end of 30 minute discussion
Solicitation for Projects • Request for Proposals (RFP) will encourage proposals for different types of projects • For projects specified by community during charrette • For projects that are consistent with final list of project types; • For small projects (e.g., under $50,000)
General AdministratorResponsibilities • Project Solicitation, Review and Selection • Management of project solicitation, including RFP process, and proposer recruitment and assistance • Management of proposal review, including organizing independent technical as well as community review • Recommendations to State
General AdministratorResponsibilities (cont’d) • Project Implementation • Active, on-going oversight, management and assistance • Fiscal Management • Management of $19.5 M in funds • Execution, administration and oversight of contracts
General AdministratorResponsibilities (cont’d) • Community Consultation • Ensuring effective, on-going community involvement and decision-making • Reporting • Regular reporting to State, CAP and community on progress of Greenpoint EPBs • On-going status reporting to State on financial, administrative and other overall programmatic elements of EPBs.
General Administrator • CAP Input • Develop Preliminary Criteria for GA Selection • Work with State on RFP and GA selection to the extent allowed by NYS procurement rules • April 4, 2012 meeting to discuss further details • Community Input • Provide Preferences on Criteria for GA Selection
General Administrator • CAP’s Preliminary Criteria for GA • Expertise in managing large request for proposals and technical review processes • Local presence/experience • Community outreach experience • Financial management experience • Cost effective administration
Next Steps • Distribution of Fact Sheet with summary of meeting and projects discussed • April 4, 2012 CAP meeting to discuss process for soliciting and selecting GA • ESE to prepare report for State • Contact State, ESE or CAP members with additional ideas for projects
Contact Information • Project website: www.ag.ny.gov/environmental/ greenpoint-environmental-benefit-projects • Laura Truettner, ESE at ltruettner@aol.com • Michelle Moore, NYSDEC at mmmoore@gw.dec.state.ny.us • Peter Washburn, NYSAG at peter.washburn@ag.ny.gov