Just 11 Department of Buildings staff members will be in charge of enforcing the city’s landmark new climate law that restricts carbon emissions.
Watchdogs and experts say that’s not nearly enough to implement the rules going into effect this year. The staffers have a daunting workload that will only grow as Local Law 97’s requirements are phased in over the coming years.
By the end of 2024, the owners of roughly 50,000 of the city’s largest buildings are required to make certain energy conservation upgrades, such as insulating pipes and installing more efficient windows. Starting next year, those landlords must also submit annual emissions reports detailing fossil fuel use.
The bulk of the work done by the DOB team dedicated to Local Law 97 involves reviewing and auditing landlords’ reports for accuracy and pursuing enforcement when necessary.
Currently, 10% of large buildings are out of compliance with energy efficiency upgrades that must be made this year, according to the buildings department.
Raya Salter, an environmental lawyer on the state’s Climate Action Council, wondered if the promise of the city’s climate laws can be realized with such a small team in charge of enforcing the rules.
“When you look at the number of buildings and all the paperwork and substantive work that needs to be done, it could take a small army to make sure that we get this done,” Salter said.
Local Law 97 was passed nearly five years ago and requires landlords to reduce carbon pollution from their buildings by 40% by 2030, with a goal of making them emissions-free by 2050.
The Adams administration rolled out a plan last year that focused on implementation and compliance with the law. Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi said the administration’s plan “puts New York City on the cutting-edge of real climate policy implementation.”
But analysis by the city found that the majority of buildings are not in compliance with benchmarks that go into effect at the end of the decade, when the…
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