Brooklyn Assemblywoman Targets Last-Mile Warehouse Emissions With New Bill

A new bill proposed by New York State Assembly members will incentivize New York City’s warehouses and fulfillment centers to curb the air pollution associated with their delivery services.

E-commerce retailers like Amazon saw profits skyrocket during the depths of the pandemic, when more consumers were ordering goods to be delivered to their homes. But those delivery services contribute to air pollution in low-income communities of color, disproportionately affecting residents in those areas, The City reported. 

That could change with a bill introduced to the state legislature on Monday by Assemblywoman Marcela Mitaynes, who represents Red Hook and Sunset Park, an area home to several existing or proposed fulfillment centers.

Under current proposals, the bill would require the New York City Department of Environmental Conservation to designate warehouses and parcel centers “indirect sources” of air pollution.

If passed, the law would require warehouse operators with facilities larger than 50K SF to submit air pollution reduction and mitigation plans. Fulfillment centers would have to report the average number of daily trips using vehicles and delivery routes publicly, as well as agree to measures to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, like installing solar panels or using electric vehicles. 

Facilities would earn points for each measure complied with. Warehouses would then have to keep their point tally above a certain number to avoid penalties. 

Additionally, any new plans for major e-commerce fulfillment sites in New York would need to seek a permit demonstrating that the sites’ construction and operation wouldn't violate national air quality standards established under the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Plans would also be subject to environmental reviews, allowing for public input from the local community before permits are issued.

Warehouse space is tight in NYC: The city’s industrial vacancy rate was 1.6% in Q4 2021, according to JLL data. While some fear that warehouse operators like Amazon — which specialize in last-mile delivery of products bought online to consumers’ homes — could relocate if costs mount, environmental advocates told The City that measures like Mitaynes’ bill are the only way to get NYC toward its goal of cutting emissions drastically by 2050.