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Dear New Yorkers,

New York’s progress hitting its clean energy goals may be as cloudy as the sky this morning, but one beam of light is cutting through: solar.

The state has installed almost 5.7 gigawatts of solar power, just shy of its target of 6 gigawatts by 2025. And it is on track to exceed its solar targets even as other climate goals slip.

The 6 gigawatts of solar — enough to power over a million homes — are part of the state’s mandates under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

The law also requires making 70% of New York’s electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2030 but the state is poised to miss that deadline by about three years, as THE CITY previously reported.

Read more here about the state’s advancements in solar.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Wednesday's Weather Rating: 3/10. Heavy rain from this morning shifts south of the area. High temperatures only reach the lower 70s and dew points are a bit lower too, but it's still damp out there with periods of light showers and drizzle. The vibes remain unsettled today.

Our Other Top Stories

In July 2022, the city Department of Correction opened “de-escalation units” in almost every facility on Rikers Island to transfer detainees after fights or slashings. They were meant to be an alternative to solitary confinement. But the de-escalation units have rarely been used and are now almost totally empty, according to the latest report by a federal monitor.  If former President Donald Trump’s claim that the flood of immigrants to the United States are taking jobs from Black workers were true, the evidence should be clear in New York City — where more than 210,000 migrants have arrived in the past two years as the city struggled to recover from the pandemic recession. But on the contrary, a new study shows the percentage of New Yorkers born in the U.S. who are employed and in the workforce is at a record high, and the unemployment rate among Black and Hispanic workers has declined — both signs that migrants are not taking jobs from New Yorkers of color.

Reporter’s Notebook

Bronx Metro-North Rezoning Plan Heads to Final Vote

The New York City Council Land Use Committee unanimously approved a major rezoning plan that would overhaul housing and transit in the East Bronx.

The committee, chaired by Rafael Salamanca Jr., whose district includes portions of the project, voted 8-0 in favor of the plan. It would add four Metro-North stations in Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park and Co-Op City, along with a rezoning that would allow for an estimated 7,000 homes, approximately 10,000 jobs and increased retail and public spaces.

Before the committee’s vote, the Adams administration agreed to invest $500 million in local infrastructure as a result of negotiations with the City Council, and to provide “500 units of homeownership opportunities,” according to a press release from the Council.” ”

The proposal now awaits approval from the full Council body, with a vote expected on August 15.

— Jonathan Custodio

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Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Wednesday, Aug. 7: A Teen Arts Trail Nature Walk hosted by the Queens College School of Arts and the Godwin-Ternbach Museum, which will explore how found trail items can be used to create art. Free from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Roy Wilkins Recreation Center in Queens. Friday, Aug. 9: A Game Devs of Color Expo hosted by the New York Public Library. This in-person meetup includes a showcase of 10+ new games by local talent. Free ($20 suggested donation) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Manhattan. Saturday, Aug. 10: A community science event hosted by Brooklyn Bridge Park staff and marine biologists, during which they’ll use a seine net to catch and release organisms living below the surface of the East River. Free from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Pier 4 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

THE KICKER: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s “greenest block” winner is in Crown Heights, reports Gothamist.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Wednesday.

Love,

THE CITY

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