Page 9 - QT CURRENT EDITION #17

THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024 THE QUEENS TIMES PAGE 9

Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar Declares Victory Con Edison Researchers Earn Coveted
In War Against Illegal Smoke Shops, Passes Awards For Findings To Advance Clean

“Smokeout Act” In State Budget Heat And Help Stymie Climate Change

(Continued from page 7) gratulations to Assemblywoman the lives, the health and wellness They Are Among 10 Company during summer.
Rajkumar for her exemplary of all New Yorkers, our economy, Winners Whose Work Enhances Air-source heat pumps move
calities will now have the power to leadership and collaboration on and our most precious commod- Safety, Reliability and Aids the heat from inside a building to the
shut down illegal cannabis shops this crucial initiative.” ity–our children– at risk. We will Clean Energy Transition outside like an air conditioner. In
on their own, without waiting Assemblywoman Rebecca A. not allow the siege to continue! winter, they pull heat from outside
for the State Office of Cannabis Seawright said, “We applaud the New Yorkers will soon be able to Three Con Edison employees and bring it into a building.
Management. In New York City, SMOKEOUT Act’s passage in breathe a sigh of relief as we move have won prestigious awards from The other Con Edison Technol-
the Office of the Sheriff will now this year’s budget. Not a day goes to do what we said we’d do and the energy industry’s top research ogy Transfer Award winners are:
be able to deputize the NYPD by without us hearing about the SHUT THEM DOWN!!” organization for a study into op- • Jade Wong, project manager
and all agencies to help padlock illegal operations of smoke shops Tom Harris, President of the tions for heating buildings with in Research and Development.
the shops. This means New York in our neighborhood. Thanks to Times Square Alliance said, electricity and moving them off She was part of a team whose
City can use its full manpower to this legislation, cities can inde- “Nothing kills the buzz of a new of fossil fuels. research will help ensure that
get the job done. pendently close illegal smoke business opening like finding out The research fits perfectly utilities get the greatest benefit
Additional details of the pro- shops that compromise the legal it is selling cannabis illegally and with Con Edison’s Clean Energy from transmission lines without
visions in the budget include the market.” there is little that can be done. Commitment to help achieve affecting reliability or safety and
following: Assemblyman Juan Ardila We applaud Assemblymember New York State’s climate and while complying with new federal
Localities can padlock a shop said, “Almost every day since Rajkumar and Governor Hochul renewable energy goals. Heating regulations.
immediately provided that the I entered office, my constitu- for empowering local govern- buildings with electricity, as op- Transmission lines carry power
shop is an egregious actor, defined ents have demanded that we do ments to close down these illegal posed to fuels like oil, natural gas long distances and feed it into util-
as falling into any one of four something to stop the scourge of weed shops so the legal establish- or propane, is essential to creating ities’ local distribution systems
categories: 1. Selling cannabis illegal pot shops that have been ments can flourish and grow.” a low-carbon future equitably and like Con Edison’s in New York
to children 2. Operating next to plaguing neighborhoods like Francisco Marte of the Bodega efficiently with every New Yorker City and Westchester County.
a school 3. Selling unregulated Sunnyside, Ridgewood, Maspeth, and Small Business Association sharing in the benefits. • Brenda Hill, project specialist
cannabis 4. Having the presence Woodside and beyond. That is said, “We, the Bodega and Small The members of the team in Research and Development;
of illegal firearms. why I signed on as the first co- Business Association, thank As- that worked on the clean heat Prakash Kothari, a department
Illegal shops that do not fall sponsor to my Queens neighbor semblywoman Rajkumar for pass- project are among 10 Con Edison manager in Environment and
into one of the above categories Assemblymember Rajkumar’s ing the SMOKEOUT Act. This employees who won Technology Sustainability; and Steve Labudz-
can be closed upon a second in- SMOKEOUT Act, which with its bill will provide the tools that the Transfer Awards from the Elec- inski, also a project specialist in
spection. Any previous inspection inclusion in the state budget, will Mayor and law enforcement need tric Power Research Institute, Research and Development.
conducted before the passage of finally give municipalities the to shut down the illegal smoke or EPRI. They were part of a team that
this law counts for the purposes teeth they need to bring us closer shops selling drugs without any The group that studied building developed and tested a battery-
of padlocking. to permanently shutting down regulations, including to minors. electrification included: Shuchita operated tool utility workers can
Violating a padlock order is now stores that pose a public health Today is a victory for the health Prakash, a director in the com- use to remove manhole covers.
a Class A misdemeanor. danger to consumers and children and safety of all our communities. pany’s Strategic Planning group; EPRI said the tool could “have
In the interests of fairness, everywhere.” Most of our members are immi- Sarah Murphy, an analyst in a dramatic impact in reducing
there are due process provisions Assemblywoman Monica Wal- grants who came to New York for Strategic Planning; and Terrell ergonomic risk” for workers who
that give violators a chance to cure lace said, “Unlicensed cannabis the American Dream, and because Skipper, strategy manager in Cus- remove covers, which can weigh
and be heard. Violators can file shops are a public health hazard of the Assemblywoman’s fine tomer Clean Energy Programs. up to 300 pounds.
an appeal within 7 days. They are in our state. These illicit stores sell work we will not have to worry “Our great workers apply • Richard Alcalde, technical
entitled to a hearing on the appeal unregulated, unsafe, and untested about smoke shops attracting their expertise and curiosity specialist in Corporate Security;
within 3 days of filing. A decision cannabis, threatening the health armed robberies or hooking our every day to come up with new Serena Lee, project manager in
on the appeal must be rendered 4 and wellbeing of anyone who children on drugs.” strategies to reduce greenhouse Research and Development; and
days after the hearing. Failure to purchases it. They are operating David Schwartz of Gotham gas emissions and ensure a safe, Piotr Lisowski, senior specialist
appeal leads to a default judgment illegally, and it’s time we gave our Government Relations said, sustainable region and planet for in Corporate Security.
against the violator. local law enforcement officers the “Thank you to our Assembly- generations to come,” said Mat- The team developed and tested
Municipalities outside New power to shut them down.” woman Jenifer Rajkumar for thew Ketschke, the president of technology that collects in-depth
York City will have the power to Senator Rob Rolison said, delivering a big win for all New Con Edison. “We are proud to see forensic data about certain utility
create their own cannabis enforce- “I am a proud co-sponsor of the Yorkers by passing the SMOKE- their contributions earn recogni- equipment that the utility can use
ment schemes by passing new SMOKEOUT Act because illegal OUT Act. The legitimate retail- tion from EPRI, the pre-eminent after a cyberattack to determine
local laws. retail cannabis sellers are targeting ers and distributors have been organization when it comes to whether the equipment was com-
Assemblyman George Alvarez our children and flooding Hudson decimated in New York City at energy research.” promised.
said, “I was proud to co-sponsor Valley communities with illegal the hands of thousands of illegal The study, “Assessment of Con Edison’s showing in this
Assemblywoman Rajkumar’s and unregulated marijuana prod- smoke shops, which are criminal Building Electrification Tech- year’s awards continues the com-
SMOKEOUT Act, one of the most ucts, the vast majority of which enterprises that sell illegal canna- nologies for New York State,” pany’s long-standing success in
important bills of this session. originate outside New York State. bis, illegal untaxed cigarettes and published in May 2023, examined earning recognition from EPRI.
Because of the Assemblywoman’s As a member of the Senate’s Can- illegal vapor products. The City the effectiveness of the technolo- The company and its employees
work, we will be able to immedi- nabis Subcommittee, I have met and State are losing billions of dol- gies landlords and owners can use regularly win multiple Technol-
ately shutter the illegal cannabis with concerned stakeholders and lars every year. These illegal shops to heat their buildings with elec- ogy Transfer Awards.
shops endangering communities small business entrepreneurs and are a scourge on society and now tricity. The study looked at each Con Edison is a subsidiary of
in my district and across the State. their message to Albany has been we must follow through and fulfill technology’s effectiveness when Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE:
These shops are popping up in unanimous: hold illegal storefront the mandate of the SMOKEOUT it comes to reducing emissions, ED], one of the nation’s largest in-
Black and Brown communities, sellers accountable, now. Thanks Act and shut down these illegal the economics of the technologies vestor-owned energy companies,
the same communities cannabis to the passage of today’s SMOKE- stores immediately.” and their impact on the state’s with approximately $15 billion
legalization was supposed to em- OUT Act, we have done exactly Community leaders in Har- electricity needs. in annual revenues and $66 bil-
power, where they are selling to that and delivered for our Hudson lem thanked Assemblywoman Con Edison offers custom- lion in assets. The utility delivers
our children and attracting armed Valley farmers and startups who Rajkumar. ers incentives for switching to electricity, natural gas and steam,
robberies. Now we have the full have been calling for a safe, pre- Tiffany Fulton of Silent Voices geothermal and air-source heat and serves 3.6 million customers
force of the NYPD to shut them dictable, and regulated cannabis United Inc. and renowned Harlem pumps for their space heating. in New York City and Westchester (Continued from page 3)
down for good, a victory for our market.” community leader said, “With Geothermal heat pumps rely County. For financial, operations
children and all New Yorkers.” Edgardo R. Marrero of the the unwavering leadership of As- on the constant underground and customer service information,
Assemblyman Anil Beephan New York State Department of semblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, temperatures to heat and cool a visit conEd.com. For energy ef-
of the Republican Caucus stated, Health said, “For months, we have the SMOKEOUT Act becomes a building. The systems transfer ficiency information, visit coned.
“I am elated to see the ‘SMOKE- rallied and stood strong, raising beacon of hope, safeguarding our heat inside during cold winter com/energyefficiency. Also, visit
OUT Act’ included in the State our voices, sending a clear and children and community from il- months and then remove heat us on Twitter and Facebook.
budget. After addressing the il- resounding message: NOT IN legal, unlicensed shops. Victory
legal dispensary bus situation in OUR COMMUNITIES!! NOT is ours, and we carry it forward,
my hometown of East Fishkill, IN NEW YORK!! Albany heard guided by faith and determina-
I knew I needed to partner with us and we are grateful to Gover- tion.”
Assemblywoman Rajkumar on nor Hochul, the New York State Darrell “Brother Gifted” Fulton
this bipartisan policy to empower Legislature, and most especially of Medianus Inc. said, “Words
local municipalities to safeguard New York State Assemblywoman cannot express the gratitude I
their communities from illegal Jenifer Rajkumar, the principle have for Assemblywoman Jennifer
dispensaries. As I said earlier in architect of the SMOKEOUT Act Rajkumar. Thank you.”
this endeavor, unlicensed vendors for giving New York City and Tameka Silva, Owner and Execu-
are no different than drug dealers municipalities across the State the tive Director of Heaven’s Tiny Tots
peddling unvetted products that resources and authority necessary Daycare in Harlem, where an ille-
we have seen laced with fentanyl to shut down these illegal cannabis gal smoke shop was opening next
and other dangerous additives. shops that have been a scourge
I extend my gratitude and con- on our communities and have put (Continued on page 10)