Alejandro Cintron Carrasco

The GreenNY Council meeting focused on supporting the progress of executive order 22, which directs state agencies to adopt sustainability and decarbonization programs. Key topics included reviewing and approving minutes from the September meeting, updates on agency engagement for Green New York, a recap of the recent Green New York forum, and a sustainability coordinator mentoring program. Additionally, there were discussions on greening the Empire State Plaza, green procurement specifications, and working group and guidance updates.

The GreenNY Council Quarterly Meeting included discussions on engagement, Greening the Empire State Plaza, procurement specifications, and working group updates. The GreenNY Mentorship Program was highlighted, aiming to foster collaboration among NYS agency and authority Sustainability Coordinators. The GreenNY Forum 2025 recap showcased success stories, policy updates, and networking opportunities. Updates on the Empire State Plaza Waste Initiative, fleet conversion to zero-emission vehicles, and decarbonization efforts were presented. GreenNY Procurement Specifications Updates covered reviews and votes on various specifications. Working group updates included training on procurement, embodied carbon analysis, ZEV conversion plans, and renewable electricity initiatives. The NYPA and OGS implementation of Public Power for Public Entities was discussed, along with the waste diversion plans and sustainable and resilient design network.

The meeting included discussions on the release of the 13th Annual Greening New York State Report Covering FY 23-24, BuildSmart 2030 program, GreenNY procurement specification updates, and working group and guidance updates. The council discussed several proposed and updated specifications for items such as brooms, cloths, binders, floor maintenance pads, and surface cleaning wipes. Updates were provided on training, embodied carbon guidance, ZEV fleet conversion, procurement initiatives, renewable electricity, reporting, waste management, and sustainable and resilient design.

This document is the Thirteenth Progress Report on State Green Procurement & Sustainability for New York State, covering Fiscal Year 2023-2024. It details the efforts of 75 Affected Entities under Executive Order 22 (EO 22) to minimize the environmental and health impacts of State government operations. The report highlights progress in key strategic areas including decarbonization, waste reduction, green procurement, decreased use of hazardous substances, and enhanced management of natural landscapes. The overarching vision is to achieve successful decarbonization and sustainable operations, lower the environmental footprint, improve environmental and health impacts, and reduce operating costs, positioning New York State as a leader in sustainable state operations.

The meeting included introductory remarks, a public comment opportunity, and subcommittee reports. The Operations and Engagement Subcommittee highlighted capacity building efforts, increased engagement, the annual Green New York forum, and the Action Challenge. The Reporting Subcommittee discussed the annual sustainability report, focusing on measuring waste, reducing toxic chemicals, conserving energy, greening transportation, and protecting natural resources. The 7th progress report was reviewed, noting a decrease in copy paper purchasing, the elimination of bottled water purchases, and an increase in the purchase of recycled content paper.