Yesterday, President Obama officially declared parts of New York state a federal disaster area because of the extreme flooding caused by Irene, and Governor Cuomo has said that damages in the state are likely to reach a cost of $1 billion. But the worst part
Getting approval to modify buildings that are historical landmarks in New York City can be tough, even if the change is small. But thanks to green initiatives like PlaNYC, city agencies and other organization are working to change that. As part of an ongoing
When New York City gets a normal heavy rain, our ancient combine sewer system almost always overflows, sending raw sewage and other contaminants into our waterways. Now that Tropical Storm Irene just blew through, dumping some 13 inches of rain in many areas,
If you’ve turned on the TV or opened the newspaper in the past few days, you’ve probably heard of a little storm named Irene. Correction: a massive Category 2 hurricane named Irene that is barreling towards the East Coast and expected to slam into North Carolina
As Hurricane Irene heads towards us, New York City will shut down the entire mass transit system beginning at noon on Saturday. This includes bus, subway, and railroad service. The shutdown will most likely continue through Monday. The complete shut down was
The Eastern United States, let alone New York City, may not be prone to earthquakes, but that doesn’t mean we completely forgo seismology on the East Coast. Two of New York’s best universities — Fordham and Columbia — have been abuzz with activity as seismologists
After months of heated debate and jumping through bureaucratic hoops, the US Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the release of $450 million in federal funds to upgrade the rail electrical systems and tracks along the Northeast Corridor.
New Yorkers are resilient animals that deal with traffic, overcrowding, cockroaches, rats, and slum landlords on a regular basis — not to mention navigating on public transportation during heavy rain, blizzards, and even tornados. But earthquakes? We have
Despite housing America’s most unstable and dangerous nuclear reactor, the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant has no reported damage after today’s 5.9 earthquake, epicentered in Virginia. A spokesman did however relay that Abnormal Operating Procedures have
If you’re anywhere in the 5 boroughs of New York, you probably just felt a considerable tremor that shook your shelves and left you a little perplexed. The earthquake you just felt was a magnitude 5.8, with an epicenter in Mineral, Virginia. The quake was
Indian Point Energy Center, located just upstate from New York City, houses the country’s riskiest nuclear reactor.
The White Roof Project has officially tripled their success of last year by painting 35,000 square feet of rooftops in the Lower East Side white to save energy. A lot of rooftops in New York City are painted with black tar which can reach temperatures of up
You’d think the Department of Education would’ve learned their lesson after the recent PCB debacle went spiraling out of control as more and more of the City’s negligence was starting to come to light. But at a meeting last week with parents, Chancellor Dennis
From vegan ice cream parlors and chocolate shops to vegan pop-up restaurants and high end dining, it’s pretty easy to live a vegan lifestyle in New York City, but if there is one thing that doesn’t make you think “vegan-friendly,” it’s the bodega. But our veg-only friends can rejoice because one New Yorker is working hard to change that by opening the city’s first vegan bodega in the Lower East Side. Using the fundraising website IndieGoGo, Eric Hopf, a vegan stay-at-home dad is hoping to raise $15,000 to secure the space, stock the shelves, and open the doors for NYC’s first and only one stop shop for vegan groceries.
Despite a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge dismissing the lawsuit against the Prospect Park West bike lane, opponents are not giving up. We all hoped that the lawsuit’s dismissal would mean the end of the outrageous anti-bike lane media campaign by Neighbors for
In a huge victory for the community and street safety advocates, Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Bert Bunyan has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to stop the redesign of Prospect Park West to include a two-way bike lane. The lawsuit was brought by Brooklyn Borough
A few short months ago, the idea that Apple would be moving into Grand Central was just a rumor, but this week, detailed renderings of the new space have been revealed and the tech company began construction. The renderings, released by the MTA, show a space
In the new energy saving frontier, focus is often given only to the newest of inventions, ideas, and gadgets, but sometimes all you need is a little diligence and a good old Post-It note to do the job. The Mount Sinai School District on Long Island has managed
