Environmental activists, union members, and several community organizations gathered outside Pittsburgh City Council Chambers today to support new legislation aimed at cleaning the city’s air and water.
Councilman Bill Peduto’s Clean Water Act of 2010 would require publicly-funded developers to try to contain storm water runoff. Its partner bill, the Clean Air Act, would mandate that diesel-powered construction vehicles be retrofitted with cleaner exhaust systems or replaced with cleaner vehicles.
Council members Bruce Kraus, Natalia Rudiak, and Doug Shields also support the bills.
Pittsburgh United Executive Director Barney Oursler says Council should have six yea votes in order to get the measures passed, because Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s administration might not back the legislation.
Oursler says his group is working to garner support for the bills in Councilman Patrick Dowd’s district.
“We’re going to keep on pushing other Council members until we get to six, seven, eight, and nine, as we did with prevailing wage,” says Oursler. “We will win, but we will only win because we work really hard and stick together.”
Service Employees International Union spokesman Sam Williamson says Pittsburgh residents deserve clean rivers and clean air.
“We deserve a government that ensures that when we use public money, taxpayers’ money, to fund private development, we’re going to make our environment cleaner, not dirtier,” says Williamson.
Showing posts with label Doug Shields. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doug Shields. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monday, December 7, 2009
Bill Would Require Good Wages at City Developments
A bill that would provide good wages and benefits to workers employed at new city-subsidized developments has been introduced by Pittsburgh City Council President Doug Shields.
Janitors, food service workers, grocery store employees, and certain hotel workers stand to gain from the bill, which seven of nine council members sponsored.
Shields says one opponent of the legislation is Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s office, which he says put forth propaganda against the bill as soon as the idea was brought up.
Shields says many developers also oppose his bill, but he respects their position.
“It’s a fairly risky business, now more so than ever,” says Shields. “But at the same time, you’ve got to look at the big picture. You’ve got to look at the overall health and welfare of this community.”
A public hearing on the legislation will be held Thursday, December 10, at 2:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
A final vote on the proposition could come as early as Tuesday, December 15.
Janitors, food service workers, grocery store employees, and certain hotel workers stand to gain from the bill, which seven of nine council members sponsored.
Shields says one opponent of the legislation is Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s office, which he says put forth propaganda against the bill as soon as the idea was brought up.
Shields says many developers also oppose his bill, but he respects their position.
“It’s a fairly risky business, now more so than ever,” says Shields. “But at the same time, you’ve got to look at the big picture. You’ve got to look at the overall health and welfare of this community.”
A public hearing on the legislation will be held Thursday, December 10, at 2:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
A final vote on the proposition could come as early as Tuesday, December 15.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Climate Action Plan Approved, Holdoff on Stadium Authority Development Action Requested
At a Pittsburgh City Council meeting today, city legislators approved the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, designated the Salvation Army building (formerly the Malta Temple) a historic structure, and one council member shared his request that the Stadium Authority delay a final decision on several land parcel development deals until a public hearing is held.
The Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, a measure sponsored by Councilman Bill Peduto, passed with a unanimous 9-0 vote. The Action Plan offers guidelines that the city can use to cut its carbon footprint by 20 percent. Peduto says the next step will be codification of the guidelines so that they are reflected in city code. He hopes this can be done by December.
The Salvation Army building was designated a historical structure. After being the center of an hours-long debate at last weeks legislative meeting. The measure passed without discussion with an 8-1 vote. Councilman Revered Ricky Burgess was the only dissenting member.
Finally, at the conclusion of the meeting during open forum, Doug Shields unveiled his plan to lobby the Stadium Authority to delay their decision on several North Shore land Development deals involving the firm Continental Development. Shields says that he would like to hold a public hearing on the deals prior to a final decision being made. He says that since the deal will greatly effect the public, their interests and concerns should be heard on the matter. Continental Development had an options agreement with the Stadium Authority but failed to act on it and it has since expired. The parties are currently negotiating a way to extend the expired contract to the dismay of several council members and the grassroots group Northside United.
The Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, a measure sponsored by Councilman Bill Peduto, passed with a unanimous 9-0 vote. The Action Plan offers guidelines that the city can use to cut its carbon footprint by 20 percent. Peduto says the next step will be codification of the guidelines so that they are reflected in city code. He hopes this can be done by December.
The Salvation Army building was designated a historical structure. After being the center of an hours-long debate at last weeks legislative meeting. The measure passed without discussion with an 8-1 vote. Councilman Revered Ricky Burgess was the only dissenting member.
Finally, at the conclusion of the meeting during open forum, Doug Shields unveiled his plan to lobby the Stadium Authority to delay their decision on several North Shore land Development deals involving the firm Continental Development. Shields says that he would like to hold a public hearing on the deals prior to a final decision being made. He says that since the deal will greatly effect the public, their interests and concerns should be heard on the matter. Continental Development had an options agreement with the Stadium Authority but failed to act on it and it has since expired. The parties are currently negotiating a way to extend the expired contract to the dismay of several council members and the grassroots group Northside United.
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