Speeches

Remarks of Joseph Leary, director, Southeast New York Public and Governmental Affairs, at the Hunts Point Post Office, Bronx, New York, July 7, 2004.

Thank you, Postmaster (Tony) Rosario.  It’s great to be here in Hunts Point at one of the city’s newest post offices.  And it’s a special privilege to officially present to you these electric mail delivery vans—giving new meaning to the expression “e-mail.”

These are among eight new electric two-ton vans that the New York Power Authority is providing to the U.S. Postal Service for use in the Bronx.  Three will operate out of this facility and the other five will be based at the Mott Haven post office.

The electric vans are in keeping with Governor Pataki’s commitment to improve air quality and cut dependence on imported oil through increased reliance on clean transportation alternatives.

The emission-free vans are replacing diesel trucks—a big improvement right there.  They’re ideal for short, predictable routes with lots of stop-and-go driving.  Each can go about 40 miles on a single charge—a range that can easily accommodate the typical mail delivery route of 15 to 20 miles a day.

The new vans also continue the Power Authority’s productive relationship with the Postal Service.  We’d previously supplied some of the funding for 22 electric delivery trucks that now help carry the mail in New York City. 

The latest additions to the electric fleet are part of the Authority’s ongoing efforts to be a good neighbor in the Bronx.

Three years ago—at about the time this fine post office was being built—we installed a series of small, clean power plants here and elsewhere in the city to stave off threatened electricity shortages. 

We equipped each unit with the most advanced environmental controls—making these the city’s cleanest power plants.  And—working with the communities—we developed a $23 million program to more than offset even the small emissions from the plants by reducing pollution from other local sources.

The new electric postal trucks are a key part of this program.  So are the eight clean fuel cell power plants we’ve installed at city wastewater treatment facilities—including three fuel cells at the nearby Hunts Point treatment plant.  And so are the emissions controls we’re providing on about 1,000 New York City school buses. 

Meanwhile, we’re assisting Borough President (Adolfo) Carrion (Jr.) and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation in implementing a separate $7 million program just in the Bronx.  The Power Authority is funding this program—which will include various energy-efficiency, clean energy and electric transportation measures proposed by the community.  

Mr. Borough President, we greatly appreciate your indispensable foresight, drive and cooperation in the development of this initiative.

We have a strong foundation to build on. Under Governor Pataki’s leadership, the Power Authority has doubled its annual expenditures for energy efficiency. In the Bronx alone, we’ve invested more than $108 million in completed projects at schools and other public facilities—cutting greenhouse-gas emissions by close to 100,000 tons a year.

We’re also helping to clean the borough’s air with our fuel cell at North Central Bronx Hospital; our rooftop solar project—one of the world’s largest—at the Gun Hill Bus Depot; and the truck stop electrification project we helped fund at the Hunts Point market. 

Today we take another important step toward improving air quality—and strengthening our economy and our national security by reducing reliance on foreign oil.  With these new vans included in the total, the Power Authority has now helped to put close to 60 electric or hybrid-electric vehicles in service in the Bronx.  Statewide, the figure stands at more than 700.

The need for such vehicles is more critical than ever.  And so it’s my pleasure to present the keys to one of the vans to Postmaster Rosario—and to ask Borough President Carrion to join us.