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Volume XVIII • Number 21 • April 28 - May 4, 2011 •
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Bloomberg plan could cost tenants and co-ops big $$$ By BRENDAN McHUGH New regulations adopted last week require buildings to phase out grades of heating oil that is both the most polluting and the least expensive. And this well-meaning initiative will have to be paid by co-ops and tenants, and could cost each apartment dweller hundreds of dollars each year. “The new rules adopted today will phase out Number 6 heating oil by 2015 and Number 4 heating oil by 2030,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said in a statement. “But such regulations are only part of the answer. They tell building owners: ‘Thou shalt not.’ We’ve got another message to deliver, too: ‘We can help you do the right thing.’” The announcement comes as part of an update to Bloomberg’s environmental agenda, PlaNYC, and it will affect about 10,000 buildings in the city. According to a press release issued by the mayor’s office, only 1 percent of the buildings use Number 6 or 4 heating oil but are responsible for more than 85 percent of all the soot
pollution from buildings. Not only do local co-ops not believe the statistic, but they also say it will be difficult and costly to afford the change. Stephen Budihas, president of the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives and Condominiums, says virtually every building in Riverdale burns Number 6 oil. ARC represents 128 buildings and more than 15,000 units. Each Riverdale co-op burns, on average, 57,000 gallons per year, according to Budihas. Larger buildings such as the Whitehall burn much more. “Thousands of shareholders will be told they need to pony up to convert, and it will cost tens of thousands of dollars that we don’t have in our budget but we have to come up with now because it’s law.” Number 2 heating oil, a less noxious oil the city wants buildings to convert to, cost $4.25 per gallon in April. Number 6 cost $3.18. One North Riverdale co-op, Fieldstondale, is already stressed to afford the Number 6 heating oil, having to
assess shareholders 77 cents per share to make up more than $80,000 after the price of Number 6 rose significantly in the past year. The cost of Number 2 increased more than a dollar per gallon since last year. Because the new rule takes effect over time—full phase-out will not be reached until 2030—the city will work with Con Edison and National Grid to accelerate upgrades to the natural gas distribution system in neighborhoods that are underserved and to aggregate buildings that are ready to convert to gas. According to the mayor’s office, large numbers of buildings converting to natural gas or low-sulfur Number 2 oil in tandem will create economies of scale that will reduce the costs of conversion. But co-op groups say now is not the time to pressure city residents with the costs of conversion. Mary Ann Rothman, executive director of the Council of New York Cooperatives, said, “I wish the city gave Continued on Page 10
Local cops vie for the title of ‘The Biggest Loser’
By MIAWLING LAM They’re already professional crime fighters, but now you can add fat fighters to the list. Officers from the 50th Precinct have spent the past 16 weeks trying to slim down in an internal “Biggest Loser”-style campaign. A total of 25 officers voluntarily signed up for the weight-loss program and have been actively toning their stomachs, legs and arms since January 25. The program, run in collaboration with the Riverdale Y, will culminate with the community 5K-10K run this Sunday. Riverdale Y Fitness and Wellness Director Lisa Bruskin acted as the officers’ mentor during the 16-week campaign. She tracked participants’ progress by conducting monthly weigh-ins and collecting their waist and hip measurements. At the final weigh-in last Thursday, Bruskin said she was incredibly proud of her charges. “They seem to be so much better. If I tell you where they were, you wouldn’t believe it,” she said. “They had no idea how to eat or how to move their bodies. I wanted them to change their habits, and they’ve done it.” Bruskin could not provide the total number of pounds lost as several officers still needed to be weighed and measured.
Each participant was given a personalized fitness program, which was regularly adjusted to accommodate changes to their health goals. Of the 25 officers who signed up, Bruskin said 15 “really pulled through.” Two became pregnant, meaning they couldn’t be counted. Although the program will wrap up this weekend, she said she will follow up with the officers for the rest of the year to ensure they stick to their regimes. Among those who have vowed to continue embracing their healthier lifestyle is Judith Moreno. The five-oh police officer dropped 2.5 pounds, shed 3.5 inches off her waist and another inch off her hips during the campaign, “I would’ve preferred to have lost more weight, but I’m definitely happy with the results because I feel better,” she told the Riverdale Review. “I can see the difference in my energy levels. Now, I can go to the gym and stay on the treadmill. “At first, I couldn’t even do half a mile without huffing and puffing, and now I can finish three miles, no problem.” Deputy Inspector Brandon del Pozo said the initiative was borne out of a desire to establish
a healthier police force. He said it was all about encouraging officers to “get fit, stay fit and create a culture of fitness” that would remain strong well after the program concluded.
Although he had yet to see the final results, del Pozo predicted it would have a lasting impact on multiple levels. “It benefits everybody. It benefits the public, it benefits the
officers and it benefits the city at large because a healthy cop costs less in health insurances, does a better job, feels better about him or herself and projects a more positive image.”
Officer Adolfo Enciso is being weighed by Officer Judith Moreno (left) as Officer Mindy Ramos loks on