The City College of New York Policy Solutions for Governors Island: Creating a Green Island for 2030 Zubair Bhuiyan James Fallon Mahreen Ijaz Sophia Palumbo Macaulay Seminar 4: Shaping the Future of New York City Professor Morazan May 8, 2013 I. Introduction New York City is one of the most energy efficient cities in the nation. In spite of a remarkable population density, the average New Yorker consumes less energy on average than inhabitants of similarly sized US cities (Hooven). Despite this, a burgeoning population has led to growing energy demands in a limited space (Ibid). Upon evaluation of available land in New York City, it has become evident that Governor’s Island is one of the few places in the city where there continues to be space available for new expansion. As a result, the topic of developing the island has slowly crept to the forefront of public policy debates conducted by city officials in recent years. One aspect of the policy debate that has yet to be adequately addressed is the future of energy on the island. Specifically, there has been little talk of where the power for the developing island is going to come from, how the environmental impact of future projects will be offset and how overall sustainability will be achieved on the island. Consequently, we seek to address these issues by examining the policy history of Governor’s Island, mapping the current policy debate of the island, and offering a range of detailed policy proposals concerning the future of the island with respect to the adaptation of green policies and projects on the island that address the issue of sustainability for the future. In light of recent It is our hope that, within the next 15 years, Governor’s Island will serve as a model for sustainable living and be an interesting, relaxing, and scenic place for bona fide New Yorkers and tourists alike. Furthermore, we intend to bring Governors Island to the attention of the greater public as an extraordinarily unique, beautiful, and promising place for New York City to further develop. II. Policy History of Governors Island In the past few centuries, Governors Island has passed among the hands of different countries, governments, and militaries. The island has accumulated a diverse group of past policies, due to its past functions. Governors Island has served as a retreat, a fishing and hunting ground, a military base, and currently, a recreational area for the public (“Trust for Governors Island – History of Governors Island”). The original inhabitants of the island were the Lenape Native Americans, who called the island Pagganak or “Nut Island” due to the island’s abundance of oak, hickory, and chestnut trees. The Dutch arrived in New York in the 1620s, and the Dutch government seized the island in 1638. The island was then passed to Great Britain, who used the island for “benefit and accommodation of His Majesty’s Governors.” Eventually, the ownership of Governors Island fell into the hands of the United States of America (Ibid). From the Revolutionary War to 200 years after, Governors Island was used as a military facility due to its strategic maritime location. In the year 1800, the City of New York gave the island to the United States Military, allowing the island to play different roles in several wars throughout American history. During the War of 1812, troops were stationed on the island. During the Civil War, it housed a jail for Confederate prisoners. Finally, during both World Wars, it served as a military supply base (Ibid). The Coast Guard took residence on the Governors Island in 1966, still prohibiting the public from entering the island. The coast guard left in 1995, and the federal government, in 2003, finally sold 150 acres of the island to the State of New York under the condition that the land would be used only for public benefit (Ibid). 2 From this time period to 2010, little to no redevelopment took place on Governors Island. The island was stuck in a joint ownership with New York State and New York City, which created complications. The state did not allocate enough funds to redevelop the island, while the city yearned to transform the island into beautiful parkland (Barbaro, Sulzberger). In April 2010, the state gave complete control of Governors Island to New York City. The Empire State Development oversaw the transfer of power from state to city. After the transfer, the Bloomberg administration formed the not-for-profit Trust for Governors Island, or the Trust, to take charge of all redevelopment plans and island operations (Ibid). With a steady source of funds and a motivated owner, Governors Island is now, as a park, being built to its full potential. The island is already hosting cultural events such as festivals, exhibitions, and concerts (“Host Your Event on the Island”). The city is actively accepting Request for Proposals (RFPs) from companies and individuals for ideas on what to include in the redevelopment of Governors Island (“Public Notices and Procurement Opportunities”). In term of sustainability, New York City as a whole is constantly implementing sustainable technology into new and existing infrastructure. The renewal of Governors Island is no exception. It is therefore inevitable that Governors Island will become a “green” island. III. Mapping the Policy Debate While the history of Governors Island spans many centuries, significant policy developments have taken place mostly in the last century, with the bulk of activity taking place in the last decade. In the past, activity on the island was stagnant due to New York State’s inability to allocate funds for projects on the island. In addition, legal and bureaucratic complications created by the island’s joint state-city ownership hindered attempts at redevelopment by city administration. When Governors Island transferred from state to city ownership in 2010, however, Mayor Bloomberg, city officials and a number of private and public organizations such as universities immediately jumped at the opportunity to redevelop the island (Barbaro, Sulzberger). The most prominent among these policy actors are the Mayor and his administration, the National Park Service, the Trust for Governors Island, a number of prestigious universities and a sparse number of public advocacy groups. The Bloomberg administration created the not-for-profit corporation known as the Trust for Governors Island, or the Trust, following the transfer of the island to city ownership. The Trust is responsible for the master plan for the redevelopment of Governors Island and oversees all aspects of planning and operations (Ibid). There is one area of the island, however, in which the Trust has no authority. This area is the 22-acre national monument on the southern face of the island that encloses Fort Jay and Castle Williams, is owned by the National Park Service, a federal government agency associated with the United States Department of the Interior. The Trust and the NPS share adjacent parkland, operate under a Cooperative Management Agreement (The United States Department of the Interior), and have a common mission to preserve the history and culture of Governors Island, while making sure the island is an enjoyable destination for both tourists and native New Yorkers. Despite their shared interests, the NPS and Trust operate under different policies and have separate responsibilities. In particular, the NPS serves mainly to protect the national monument while the Trust is a more progressive organization geared towards implementing new plans for Governors Island. Policy Camps and their Goals 3 The NPS’ General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (GMP/EIS) is not a specific plan for Governors Island, but rather a widespread management plan for all national parks. The General Management Plan illustrates the intended use of resources and planned visitor experiences over the course of the next twenty years (“General Management Plan – FAQ”). Our policy recommendations cannot interfere with the land owned by the NPS, which is a part of a federal agency. We cannot, by law, alter any part of this National Monument. In particular, we cannot construct and hydro turbines near Castle Williams and Fort Jay, for the sake of protecting the historic coastal fortifications (“National Historic Preservation Act of 1966”). The NPS has its own twenty-year agenda (“General Management Plan – FAQ”). It is unlikely that this agenda would change based on our policy recommendations. Our proposals, therefore, would be evaluated and (possibly) implemented by the Trust, on their share of Governors Island. The Trust, which is essentially a part of the New York City government, is responsible for providing public access to the island, providing fire and emergency services, and for allocating land for the use of the public (“Trust for Governors Island – History of Governors Island”). The Trust has already collected diverse proposals for land use on Governors Island, and the organization has a specific aim for sustainability in its Master Plan (“Design Principles”). Considering these facts, the Trust should be open to our policy goal of further improving the island’s sustainable infrastructure. On its website that details the Master Plan, the Trust notes “A Sustainable & Feasible Design” as one of the major principles of the redevelopment plan. (govislandpark.com) The city aims to create sustainable space that is “environmentally progressive.” According to the Trust, this means that the park will endure the effects of climate change by implementing specialized sustainable features (Ibid). Our policy recommendations are also sustainable, but have varying degrees of feasibility. In order to gain approval from the City of New York and fit the Trust’s vision, our policies must be cost-effective and broken down into easily- manageable phases. The availability of resources and level of practicality for our policies will play a vital role in gaining approval from the City of New York.