Companies and organizations could soon have huge incentives to report their own violations of anti-pollution regulations, if a draft “self-auditing” policy is implemented by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. Entities that use pesticides, treat wastewater and store hazardous chemicals could have penalties reduced or waived if they agree to report violations, according an internal […]
Question
On Monday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a new natural gas pipeline to New York City . The 20-mile transmission line will carry up to 800 million cubic feet of gas each day from Linden, N.J., into Manhattan’s West Village. The pipeline faced stiff opposition from environmental and community groups concerned that it would pass through […]
At the end of this month, the Taxi and Limousine Commission will consider a taxi fare hike of up to 20 percent. It would be the first fare increase since 2004. But it’s not a done deal yet. We want to know: How does the TLC decide to increase taxi fares? If you have information or insight […]
This month, the Chicago Tribune published a devastating investigation about the use of flame retardants in furniture and other common household products. Not only do flame retardants fail to prevent fires, the Tribune found, but the chemicals included in them cause cancer and threaten the development of fetuses and young children. These chemicals have subsequently […]
Yesterday U.S. District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin granted class-action status to a lawsuit condemning the NYPD’s stop and frisk practices. Her decision comes in a 2008 suit filed by four men claiming their fourth amendment constitutional rights were compromised by the NYPD, and allows thousands more plaintiffs to take part in the legal challenge. The […]
New York State legislators on both sides of the aisle had a conference on Wednesday pushing for the legalization of medical marijuana with a bill that is being considered by the state Assembly. This comes right as the latest Sienna poll shows 57 percent of New York voters support legalizing medical marijuana, with 33 percent opposed. Sure, New […]
Today, the City Council is expected to pass the Responsible Banking Act, which would require banks to report to a new board within the New York City Department of Finance about how they are meeting the credit needs of the city’s lower-income neighborhoods. The city would then be required to consider the information when deciding […]
In a big upheaval for the New York political calendar, this year’s congressional primaries will take place on June 26, following a court order that rolled back federal elections from their previous September spot. Incumbents who usually spend their spring months focused on business in Washington are now looking over their shoulders at this year’s crop of challengers, […]
Today’s question, in honor of President Obama’s public stand in support of gay marriage, follows up on the protests last year that greeted New York State’s legalization of same-sex marriage. Shortly after the state legalized same-sex marriage, three town clerks in New York – Rosemary Centi from Guilderland,, Laura Fotusky from Barker, and Ruth Sheldon […]
The NYPD’s controversial stop and frisk policy is failing in the very area it was designed to target — gun control — according to new analysis released by the New York Civil Liberties Union today. The detailed interrogation of the police department’s own stop-and-frisk records indicates a record 685,724 people were stopped and frisked by […]
