Local Law No. 10 - Fall
Team Members: Sonali Deshpande, Jeremy Antoine Raguain. Ellie Alter, Ian Kang Choo, Skye Embray, Tarun George, Vasu Jayanthi, Tamara Jeffries, Sarah Malott, Clarisa Marambio, and Yazan Zafar
New York City Local Law 10 of 2023 advances environmental justice by requiring the identification and assessment of city-owned land suitable for urban green infrastructure (UGI) deployment. Communities such as Mott Haven in the South Bronx face disproportionate environmental burdens, including flooding from stormwater runoff, elevated temperatures from the urban heat island effect, and high levels of air pollution. Spatial and environmental analysis demonstrated that these stressors overlap significantly with historically marginalized neighborhoods, reinforcing inequities in public health and climate vulnerability. Scientific review confirmed that UGI—such as green roofs, bioswales, permeable surfaces, and expanded tree canopy—can reduce stormwater overflow, mitigate heat stress, and improve air quality when deployed strategically and at sufficient scale.
Program design evaluation assessed multiple administrative structures and implementation pathways to determine how Local Law 10 could achieve measurable impact. Analysis identified interagency coordination, funding stability, and performance measurement as critical determinants of success. A recommended centralized implementation model within city government improves accountability and accelerates site identification, prioritization, and project delivery. Findings emphasize the need for equity-driven site selection criteria, long-term maintenance funding, and community engagement to prevent unintended consequences such as green gentrification. By integrating environmental data with socioeconomic vulnerability indicators, the program can target investments where they generate the greatest environmental and public health benefits. Effective implementation positions Local Law 10 as a scalable framework for embedding environmental justice into urban climate adaptation policy.
Learn more about the MPA-ESP Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management.