Summary

The Clean Deliveries Act establishes an indirect source rule for e-commerce mega-warehouses 50,000 square feet or greater and directs the Department of Environmental Conservation to conduct a facility by facility review of these warehouses. Based on this review, warehouse operators will have to minimize pollution by implementing emissions reductions strategies for their facilities and fleets. This legislation would reduce transportation emissions and improve air quality in communities.

Explanation

This legislation establishes an indirect source rule for e-commerce warehouses of 50,000 square feet or greater. This will ensure these facilities are properly accounting for their environmental impacts on surrounding communities.

E-commerce warehouses are facilities that process and deliver goods directly to customers. The facilities can generate a significant amount vehicular traffic in and out of the sites. Those vehicles emit harmful pollutants including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds – contributing greatly to the transportation emissions that make up 28% of the state’s total.

Transportation emissions not only contribute to the warming of our planet, but to poor air quality in surrounding communities. Breathing in particulate matter from heavy duty vehicles greatly increases ones risk for asthma, cancer, and heart problems. According to a recent report, 1 in 4 New Yorkers live within a half mile of a mega-warehouse statewide and BIPOC and low-income populations live near warehouses at much greater rates than would be expected based on statewide demographics.

To address this issue, Clean Deliveries Act requires the Department of Environmental Conservation to promulgate rules requiring the facility by facility review of these warehouses. Warehouse operators must minimize pollution by implementing emissions reductions strategies that include acquiring zero emissions vehicles and charging infrastructure, utilizing solar and storage on-site, considering alternative modes of transportation where appropriate, and/or paying additional fees for their operations.

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