Attorney General James and DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar Announce Completion of $68.6 Million Environmental Investment Program in Greenpoint

NEW YORK – In celebration of Climate Week, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar today announced the completion of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund (GCEF), an innovative, community-led grant program that invested more than $68.6 million in environmental initiatives for Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The GCEF was established with funds from New York state’s 2010 settlement with ExxonMobil that addressed the company’s responsibility for allowing millions of gallons of oil to contaminate the land and groundwater in Greenpoint for more than five decades. The Greenpoint oil spill was one of the largest spills recorded in the United States. Throughout its 13 years, GCEF created a wide range of public space enhancements, infrastructure improvements, and environmental education programs, including a new, state-of-the-art public library and environmental education center, a tree planting program, and major park upgrades. In total, GCEF awarded 77 grants, ranging from $5,000 to more than $5 million, to initiatives selected with the input from the Greenpoint community.

“After we held ExxonMobil accountable for its careless destruction of the Greenpoint environment, the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has invested millions of dollars in restoring the neighborhood and bringing residents together,” said Attorney General James. “From a new public library to vibrant green space improvements, this community-led effort directly supported the initiatives that residents wanted. It has been an honor to work so closely with this community and our partners at DEC to deliver a cleaner, healthier, and greener Greenpoint for generations to come.”

“The successful implementation of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund is an excellent example of state government working with New Yorkers to hold responsible parties accountable for legacy industrial pollution to benefit both community residents and the environment,” said DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar. “In Greenpoint, nearly $68 million is being invested to improve green infrastructure, renew and restore the waterfront, and advance environmental stewardship programs that will leave a lasting impact on this community and the environment.”

Greenpoint residents played a direct role in the GCEF and its investments. Residents prioritized four specific areas of investment for the program: 1) funding education and environmental stewardship; 2) greening the community; 3) revitalizing neighborhood parks and open spaces; and 4) restoring the waterfront and its infrastructure. An advisory panel, comprised of members of the Greenpoint community, guided every stage of the program’s development and implementation.

As a result of GCEF’s investments, residents were able to attend environmental lectures and events at the library, participate in a birdwatching tour at the park, spend recess learning to care for the trees and plants on the playground, learn about the neighborhood’s history on a canoe tour, and watch the sunset with friends from a rooftop garden. Projects funded by GCEF include:

• Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, a $5 million brand new, state-of-the-art, sustainable public library with dedicated community green space, and $100,000 to provide ongoing environmental programming for Greenpoint families. 
• Greenpoint Eco-Schools, a project that developed and implemented more than 40 environmental education programs at eight schools in Greenpoint, providing hands-on environmental education and enrichment to more than 4,700 students by transforming the way they learn about and care for nature and their community. 
• Greening Greenpoint, a multi-year initiative that engaged nearly 3,000 community volunteers in planting more than 1,000 new trees and over 27,000 flowers and other plants throughout the neighborhood. 
• Monsignor McGolrick Park Restoration and Upgrades, an ongoing investment of approximately $840,000 to support planting and beautification efforts and introduce community engagement programming, including nature walks and birdwatching groups, at a beloved park in the heart of Greenpoint. 
• Various other community-led initiatives that included but were not limited to the creation of 25,000 square feet of community rooftop gardens for gardening, education, and enjoyment; upgrades to 19 parks, community gardens, and other shared greenspaces; and the creation of nearly eight acres of new natural areas.

The GCEF was established by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and DEC in 2011 after New York state obtained a settlement with ExxonMobil over its massive oil spill in Greenpoint. The spill released at least 17 million gallons of oil, contaminating more than 50 acres of soil and groundwater in Greenpoint. DEC required ExxonMobil to contain and cleanup the massive underground plume of oil for more than a decade, and it will continue to require ExxonMobil to take actions to protect Newtown Creek.

With matching contributions from grantees, the GCEF program was able to more than triple the funds won in the ExxonMobil settlement into a total investment of more than $68.6 million. The GCEF convened nearly 70 community meetings, attended by more than 2,600 people, to educate Greenpoint residents about the program, identify their funding priorities, and assist them in developing projects for funding. The GCEF’s biggest investments were determined by community vote—more than 1,000 Greenpoint residents cast votes for their preferred projects.

The short film “Greening Greenpoint” highlights the program’s innovations and years of success in the community. A full report detailing GCEF’s history, design, implementation, and a description of each project funded is available online and in print at the Greenpoint Library. 

“Our communities are on the frontlines in the fight against climate change, and nowhere is this more apparent than on the banks of Newtown Creek” said Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez. “Over the last decade, this significant investment has gone a long way to provide the Greenpoint community with more resources to fund environmental programs, green infrastructure and great community facilities like the library and environmental center. I’d like to recognize the work of Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation for securing this restorative funding, as well as the perseverance and advocacy of the Greenpoint community.”

“The Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has been such a valuable investment in our community,” said Assemblymember Emily Gallagher. “Although no amount of money can make up for the environmental harm ExxonMobil brought to our neighborhood, funding these incredible projects has been a beautiful start. We are so grateful to Attorney General Letitia James and DEC for their efforts to restore our community, and for helming this project to support and sustain North Brooklyn.”

“The Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has been a tremendous success. GCEF has been a model for holding a corporate polluter accountable and reinvesting Exxon-Mobil settlement funds into transformative new investments - like a new public library building, environmental education programs, parks improvements and more,” said Council Member Lincoln Restler. “I'm extremely grateful to the leadership of Attorney General Letitia James and her team for creating this framework and smartly selecting the most impactful investments that were determined with substantial community input.”

“Although GCEF has come to a close, I know the legacy of its achievements will remain for many years to come,” said Christine Holowacz, Greenpoint environmental advocate. “I am very proud of what GCEF accomplished in Greenpoint and I am excited by the foundation it helped lay for an even ‘greener’ future for our community. I thank the Attorney General’s Office and DEC for their commitment to GCEF and the residents of Greenpoint.”

“GCEF offered transformational grants for so many environmentally focused organizations in Greenpoint; not only giving local, volunteer-run non-profits like North Brooklyn Community Boathouse the ability to expand programs and capacity but creating synergies between grantees, such as our partnership with the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center,” said Dewey Thompson, Greenpoint environmental advocate. “The Office of the Attorney General and DEC deserve tremendous credit for bringing this highly successful program to life in our community. GCEF was a game-changer for local environmental projects, and I think its impact will resonate for years to come.” 

“We are deeply thankful for the continued GCEF support for McGolrick Park, a key gathering place and an extension of many families’ homes in Greenpoint, Brooklyn,” said Janine Murphy and Jodie Love, Steering Committee, Friends of McGolrick Park.  “Thanks to past investments, the park now features a thriving ecosystem, recognized as a Monarch waystation and part of the New York State bird trail. Recent upgrades such as new benches, repaved paths, and reseeded lawns have made our ‘local backyard’ safer and more inviting. Partnering with our strong community to envision and help implement this next phase of the GCEF grants will help sustain and enhance McGolrick Park for all our neighbors. We look forward to collaborating on the last phase of GCEF grants, with heartfelt appreciation for AG James, Interim DEC Commissioner Mahar, and local officials' dedication to preserving and enhancing McGolrick Park.”

“Four years after opening the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, I am thrilled to report it is one of the busiest branches in the borough. Patrons stop by for story time, to enjoy our outdoor space, learn about the plants on the rooftop, or attend programming about sustainability. Working together with the community, and with the generous support of GCEF, we were able to turn the tragedy of an oil spill into a modern, green library which will serve the community for generations to come,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library. “We extend our sincerest thanks to the Attorney General’s Office and DEC, who funded and championed the library early on and who have continued to support environmental programming to this day.”

The OAG and DEC have received support from GCEF’s general administrators, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the North Brooklyn Development Corporation, Community Outreach Consultants Laura Truettner and Laura Treciokas, Graphics and Design Consultant SooYoung VanDeMark, the GCEF Community Advisory Panel, and former State Assemblymember Joseph Lentol.

This matter was handled for DEC by attorneys in the Office of General Counsel and Region 2 Public Participation Specialist Adanna Roberts.

This matter was handled for OAG by Policy Advisor Peter C. Washburn of the Environmental Protection Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. The Environmental Protection Bureau is part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.