Campaign for New York's Future

LI HAS A BIG STAKE IN NYC’S FUTURE
From the economy to air pollution, our region is connected - and so are the answers to our shared problems

BY SARAH LANSDALE
Sarah Lansdale is executive director of Sustainable Long Island, a not-for-profit organization that helps plan and implement sustainable development initiatives.

May 29, 2007

With his PlaNYC 2030, unveiled last month, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made a commitment to creating a sustainable future for New York and its environs. The proposal includes 127 initiatives addressing the region's air, water, land, transportation, jobs, housing and energy challenges.

The reaction of Long Islanders reflects our complex relationship with our neighbors to the west. Some Islanders are thrilled to be living close to one of the most dynamic cities in the world. Other suburbanites consider our closeness to Manhattan and the boroughs an unwelcome circumstance of birth. Most opinions fall somewhere in the middle, in a classic love (the culture, the cuisine) and hate (the crowds, the commute) relationship.

Whatever your stance, some facts are inescapable: The air we breathe and the water we drink on Long Island are affected by our urban cousins. Our economy is vitally linked to the economy of the city. Our transportation issues, our energy concerns, our security - none of those exist in a bubble that stops at the Queens-Nassau border. Contrary to today's popular catchphrase, what happens in New York City does not stay in New York City, any more than what happens in the 'burbs stays in the 'burbs.

For the most part, the powers that be in New York City have recognized this interdependence. Moreover, they've set the stage for a bold plan to address the region's most pressing concerns.

Unfortunately, the initiative that you've probably heard about most is congestion pricing - an $8 fee for driving into Manhattan below 86th Street during weekday rush hours. Although this fee would directly affect the pocketbooks of only commuters who drive into the city for work, its impact on alleviating traffic congestion and improving air quality would be substantial.

Long Islanders need to get past their gut-level negative reaction to this idea and recognize the benefits it will produce for the entire region.

The uproar that has greeted this single initiative has had a dampening effect on Long Islanders' enthusiasm for the rest of PlaNYC. That's an enormous shame, and not only for city residents. While "NYC" is embedded in the plan's title, the initiatives would have an overwhelmingly positive effect on the tristate region. In fact, some of the initiatives involve actions that would have a specific and powerful impact on Long Island.

For one, PlaNYC calls for expanded transit access to underserved areas. It specifically mentions the Nassau County Hub project, which involves the creation of a transit loop connecting Long Island Rail Road stations to employment centers in Mineola, Hempstead and Garden City. That would be a huge boon to the economic growth of those areas, reducing congestion and creating jobs.

The plan also recommends the addition of a third track on the Long Island Rail Road's main line - an initiative that does not lack for controversy but must be discussed if we are going to manage the growth in commuter traffic.

Few Long Islanders have any argument with clean air and water. Because winds tend to blow from the west over Nassau and Suffolk, we're literally breathing New York City's air. The goal of PlaNYC is to reduce soot by 39 percent, giving New York the cleanest air of any big city in the nation. When you consider Suffolk County's recent failing grades in air quality in an American Lung Association survey, the importance of reducing air pollution is immeasurable.

Local activism is critical but without a regional and even global approach, we're sunk. As Myron Orfield points out in his widely respected book "Metropolitics," central-city neighborhoods and suburbs increasingly share common social and economic problems.

The Bloomberg administration is reaching out to community groups within the region to inspire residents to think about these issues. What's missing is the connection that Orfield recognizes - that it is in New York City's and Long Island's best interest to engage in the process because both economies are so interdependent.

One important step: A delegation of Long Islanders should be appointed to an ad-hoc suburban-exurban committee for PlaNYC 2030. Long Island also needs to create its own sustainability plan, so that the issues of importance to Long Islanders that are not addressed in PlaNYC are brought to the table.

Yes, we have issues that are unique to Long Island, including the multiple layers of government that regulate land use. And we must be aware of those challenges in crafting plans for Long Island. But they should not stop us from thinking and acting regionally.