‘Green Police’ Targeting Unsustainable Criminals in NYC

Adam Eisman - Contributing
Posted on Saturday 6th June 2009
The Department of Environmental Conservation is a law enforcement office in New York City that sees sustainability as no laughing matter. Cruising around the streets of New York City, they have the jurisdiction to pull over motorists whose vehicles appear to be spewing more greenhouse gas than the allowed amount. Those motorists who fail the on-site emissions face initial fines of $700, though without a proper follow-up, including bringing your emissions up to date legally, the fine can jump to $1,300. The Department of Environmental Conservation is often mistaken for the Parks and Recreation Department, as they are clad in the green uniform with a cowboy hat, although people stop laughing at the idea of being pulled over by Ranger Rick when they see the fines they will be facing for not living up to the codes instituted by the city to create a more sustainable environment. The office says that they write about 300 violations each month, with the number steadily increasing as the laws written years ago finally get proper enforcement. In addition to filthy motorists, the department is tasked with ensuring the safety and import practices of the fish merchants across the city. For instance, clams harvested from certain waters may be endangered or less safe, and are therefore banned from sale. The department also inspects the size of certain fish sold to make sure those types are not being over-fished. In tough economic times, one certainty is the necessity of local governments to hand out and collect fines, and the Department of Environmental Conservation is effective at that. Merely not posting the origin tags along side the clams you sell at the market will cost you $500 from the DEC. Hopefully, word of mouth will explain to these merchants and motorists that ignorantly harming the environment is no longer being tolerated in New York City.

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