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Critical Milestone: Gas and Electric Networks in Brooklyn to be Completely Fossil-Free by 2050

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WALTHAM, MA, and BROOKLYN, NY – National Grid has launched a path to a more affordable, reliable clean energy future that enables customer choice and combats the increasing threats of climate change. With National Grid’s Clean Energy Vision: A fossil-free future for cleanly heating homes and businesses, the company has announced it will seek to eliminate fossil fuel from its gas networks, replacing it with renewable natural gas (RNG) and green hydrogen, while also maximizing energy efficiency and helping customers electrify their heat, if they so choose, in targeted areas.

“This fossil-free vision is an historic announcement for National Grid and the United States,” said John Pettigrew, Chief Executive Officer, National Grid. “We have a critical responsibility to lead the clean energy transition for our customers and communities. Just as we are investing in renewables like wind and solar to decarbonize the energy running through our electric network, we are committing to decarbonize our gas network by transitioning it completely to renewable natural gas and hydrogen by 2050 or sooner.”

National Grid acknowledges that Massachusetts and New York have ongoing public proceedings to help guide implementation of the critical plans needed to fight climate change. The company is actively participating in those proceedings and will continue to engage in the public feedback sessions for our states’ climate action plans, highlighting the benefits of our fossil-free vision for all residents and businesses.

Fighting climate change requires significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions across the board. National Grid is tackling those reductions across the power sector, the transportation sector and – with this vision – the building heat sector, which is responsible for nearly 40 percent of emissions in Massachusetts and New York.

Combined with targeted electrification and enhanced energy efficiency, a 100% fossil-free gas network can deliver a clean energy future that is more affordable and more reliable to over 20 million people across New York and Massachusetts. National Grid’s fossil-free vision will not only achieve a net zero energy future, and achieve the climate goals of the states in which we operate, but it will also provide additional, affordable clean energy choices so no customer or community is left behind on our clean energy transition:

  • Affordable Pathway to Net Zero: Avoids costly and premature equipment upgrades for homes and businesses
  • Adds Clean Energy Choices: Customers can choose whether to fully electrify or continue using the gas network, which would be fueled by new, fossil-free energy
  • Protects Good Jobs: Protects thousands of union jobs for uniquely skilled workers
  • Improves Reliability and Resiliency: Provides added reliability and resiliency through diversification of clean energy sources
  • Cost-Efficient: Utilizes existing infrastructure, making it more cost-efficient for customers, and continues to utilize our highly skilled workforce

National Grid is committed to bringing this fossil-free vision to life in partnership with policymakers, regulators, and our customers. The report details the critical policies and regulations necessary to help safely, reliably, and affordably achieve this shared net zero vision on behalf of customers, including adoption of a renewable heating portfolio standard.

National Grid’s fossil-free and net zero vision creates a clear roadmap for decarbonization and addresses the hardest-to-tackle issues of how to cleanly, affordably, and reliably heat our homes and business in a cold northeast climate. The announcement comes on the heels of National Grid’s successful award of an offshore wind lease in the New York Bight in its joint venture with RWE, and an announcement of HyGrid, one of the first green hydrogen projects for blending hydrogen into homes in the US.

Renewable Natural Gas

Renewable natural gas (RNG) is an immediately available resource released into the atmosphere by decomposing materials at farms, landfills, wastewater, and other sources. RNG provides a double benefit as greenhouse gas can be captured before being released and therefore before it impacts our climate. We can then harness and purify it to flow through our existing infrastructure in place of natural gas, which is a fossil-fuel. This fossil-free energy is a double win in our fight against climate change.

Green Hydrogen

National Grid continues to lead our nation in offshore wind development, and these assets can be used to develop hydrogen through the process of electrolysis. Because the only byproduct of this production process is water vapor, the hydrogen produced is carbon-free. Hydrogen is particularly valuable because it can be stored for future use when conditions are such that our wind or solar assets are not producing high levels of power. This is a fossil-free way to decarbonize multiple sectors including heat, power generation, and transportation.

For more information on National Grid’s Clean Energy Vision: nationalgrid.com/fossilfree

NASA Assigns Astronaut Jessica Watkins to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 Mission

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NASA Assigns Astronaut Jessica Watkins to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 Mission

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins is scheduled to fly to space for the first time as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission launching to the International Space Station.

Credits: NASA/Bill Ingalls

NASA has assigned astronaut Jessica Watkins to serve as a mission specialist on the agency’s upcoming SpaceX Crew-4 mission, the fourth crew rotation flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.

This will be Watkins’ first trip to space following her selection as an astronaut in 2017. Watkins joins NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Robert Hines, as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, as a crew member for the Crew-4 mission.

NASA previously announced the assignments of Lindgren and Hines as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, in February, and ESA announced Cristoforetti as a mission specialist for the mission in May.

Crew-4 is scheduled to launch in April 2022 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a six-month science mission aboard the microgravity laboratory.

Watkins was born in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and considers Lafayette, Colorado, her hometown. She earned a bachelor’s degree in geological and environmental sciences from Stanford University and a doctorate in geology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Watkins conducted her graduate research on the emplacement mechanisms of large landslides on Mars and Earth. She began her career at NASA as an intern and has worked at the agency’s Ames Research Center in California and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. At the time of her astronaut selection, Watkins was a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology, where she collaborated as a member of the Science Team for the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity.

For more than 21 years, humans have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station in low-Earth Orbit, advancing scientific knowledge, demonstrating new technologies, and making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth.

Through the Commercial Crew Program and broader commercial efforts, NASA is working with private industry to develop human space transportation services and a robust low-Earth orbit economy that enables the agency to focus on building spacecraft and rockets for deep space missions to the Moon and Mars.

Follow Watkins on Instagram throughout her mission and get the latest space station crew news, images and features on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Antonio Reynoso Formally Inaugurated as “King” of Kings County

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Antonio Reynoso Formally Inaugurated as “King” of Kings County

Announces New Brooklyn Maternal Health Taskforce

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, the first Latino Brooklyn Borough President, celebrated his inauguration on April 24. Reynoso, who had served two terms as City Council Representative for Council District 34, is a native Brooklynite, born and raised in the Southside of Williamsburg to parents who emigrated from the Dominican Republic.
Hundreds of constituents, supporters, family, friends, mentors, and Federal, State, and City elected officials attended the event that featured Brooklyn’s rich diversity through cultural performances that included Nieves Latin Dance Studio and the West Indian American Day Carnival Association.

Politicos came out: Among the crowd of supporters there’s Attorney General Letitia James, seen here in the middle rear behind Senator Chuck Schumer who is next to Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and Public Advocate Jumanne Williams. Photo: Brooklyn Borough President Office


 “It’s an honor of a lifetime to not only serve as the Borough President for the greatest place in the world, Brooklyn, but also to bear the responsibility of its future,” said Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso. “There is work to do in order to preserve Brooklyn’s culture and heritage, make it a safer, more livable place to raise families, and allow individuals to reach their definition of the American dream, but I’m confident that the team we’ve built will accomplish this and much more.”


The ceremony featured remarks from a long list of supporters, mentors, and colleagues, including former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, NY Attorney General Letitia James, NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, NYS Director of Operations Kathryn Garcia, District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat, and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez.


This week, Reynoso also released his administration’s Transition Report, which outlines priorities, goals, and proposed strategies that will help guide and implement his vision for Brooklyn. Led by a representative group of leaders from throughout the borough, the report is organized into seven themes – Green Brooklyn, Equitable Brooklyn, Working Brooklyn, Creative and Cultural Brooklyn, Educated Brooklyn, Civically Engaged Brooklyn and Healthy Brooklyn.


A new Maternal Health Taskforce has been set up by Reynoso to reduce the racial disparities seen in maternal mortality and morbidity rates in Brooklyn. A NYC government study showed that Black women in New York City are 8 times more likely to die due to a pregnancy-related cause than white women.


The Reynoso administration intends to work closely with Brooklyn-based health care facilities in order to provide a significant increase in postpartum care and mental health support, while also supporting policies that increase the length of health insurance coverage for birthing people, and also facilitating the increase of midwives in maternity wards. He plans to use the majority of his office’s capital budget to upgrade the birthing facilities at Brooklyn’s three public hospitals.


Reynoso told Crain’s New York that he became “obsessed” with the issue after his wife gave birth to their first child four years ago at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull. “My wife was having our baby and, at that point, was seven to eight times more likely to die during childbirth than a white counterpart. I just couldn’t believe that Black and brown women’s disparity when it came to childbirth was so high,” he said. “I also noticed that the amount of investment and work that was going into all of this—by elected officials, by government—was just incremental changes that weren’t making enough of an impact on saving women’s lives. State-of-the-art birthing centers are important, but also the marketing and educational component are important. I want to make Brooklyn the safest place for all women to have babies.”


The Maternal Health Taskforce he convened is comprised of Black women that are healthcare professionals and advocates. The taskforce is co-chaired by NYC Health + Hospitals Chief Women’s Health Service Officer Dr. Wendy Wilcox and NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull Director of Midwifery Services Helena Grant. Other members include former Councilmember Hon. Una Clarke, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Brooklyn Neighborhood Health Assistant Commissioner Dr. Zahirah McNatt, Brooklyn Perinatal Network, Inc. Executive Director Ngozi Moses and mental health advocate Christina Sparrock.

First Black Man on White House Secret Service Detail finally gets Justice 

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First Black Man on White House Secret Service Detail finally gets Justice 

TheGrio Staff
www.thegrio.com  
In 1961, Abraham Bolden became the very first Black Secret Service agent to serve on a White House detail. Within months, after witnessing laxity by other colleagues assigned to President John F. Kennedy, Bolden spoke out — then faced retaliation in the form of an accusation of “offenses related to attempting to sell a copy of a Secret Service file.”


The groundbreaker faced federal charges and was ultimately tried twice and convicted — before key prosecution witnesses admitted that they lied in their testimony at the official’s request — and he ultimately served several years in federal prison.


However, according to The Chicago Sun-Times, Bolden, atop the roster of those pardoned this week by President Joe Biden, has always said he was innocent.


The Sun-Times writes that the Chicago man “has steadfastly maintained his innocence, arguing that he was targeted for prosecution in retaliation for exposing unprofessional and racist behavior within the U.S. Secret Service.”


Bolden aimed to clear his name by seeking the support of three presidents: Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, but it was Biden who finally pardoned the 87-year-old man. 


“When my attorney called me on Monday night and said Biden was going to grant me a pardon, I was elated,” Bolden told The Sun-Times. “It was so long coming. I’m overwhelmed.”
“It’s been nearly 60 years,” he said. “I thought it would happen. I knew God was in the plan all along because I had faith that justice would be served. If it weren’t served here, it would be served eventually. I would see it. That’s faith.”


According to the report, Biden pardoned three people this week and commuted the sentences of 75 others serving long prison terms for nonviolent drug offenses, inmates who would have been eligible for shorter sentences under current guidelines. 


Bolden’s son, Dr. Daaim Shabazz, an associate professor of global business at Florida A&M University, said his father was able to carve out a good life for his family despite his ordeal, sustaining a marriage for 49 years and raising three children.


Two of those children and Bolden’s wife have passed away, said Shabazz, adding that “They certainly would have been proud that his name was cleared.” 
Shabazz was only 2 years old when his dad was imprisoned. 


“I want people to know his story,” said Shabazz, “what he endured, what he went through, what he struggled to do, and how he maintained his dignity and stood on the truth until the end. If he was not pardoned, the lessons are still great lessons to learn.” 

Critical Milestone: Gas and Electric Networks in Brooklyn to be Completely Fossil-Free by 2050

Editor, Our Time Press
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Critical Milestone: Gas and Electric Networks in Brooklyn to be Completely Fossil-Free by 2050

WALTHAM, MA, and BROOKLYN, NY – National Grid has launched a path to a more affordable, reliable clean energy future that enables customer choice and combats the increasing threats of climate change. With National Grid’s Clean Energy Vision: A fossil-free future for cleanly heating homes and businesses, the company has announced it will seek to eliminate fossil fuel from its gas networks, replacing it with renewable natural gas (RNG) and green hydrogen, while also maximizing energy efficiency and helping customers electrify their heat, if they so choose, in targeted areas.


“This fossil-free vision is an historic announcement for National Grid and the United States,” said John Pettigrew, Chief Executive Officer, National Grid. “We have a critical responsibility to lead the clean energy transition for our customers and communities. Just as we are investing in renewables like wind and solar to decarbonize the energy running through our electric network, we are committing to decarbonize our gas network by transitioning it completely to renewable natural gas and hydrogen by 2050 or sooner.”


Combined with targeted electrification and enhanced energy efficiency, a 100% fossil-free gas network can deliver a clean energy future that is more affordable and more reliable to over 20 million people across New York and Massachusetts. National Grid’s fossil-free vision will not only achieve a net zero energy future, and achieve the climate goals of the states in which we operate, but it will also provide additional, affordable clean energy choices so no customer or community is left behind on our clean energy transition.


National Grid’s fossil-free and net zero vision creates a clear roadmap for decarbonization and addresses the hardest-to-tackle issues of how to cleanly, affordably, and reliably heat our homes and business in a cold northeast climate. The announcement comes on the heels of National Grid’s successful award of an offshore wind lease in the New York Bight in its joint venture with RWE, and an announcement of HyGrid, one of the first green hydrogen projects for blending hydrogen into homes in the US.

Renewable Natural Gas
Renewable natural gas (RNG) is an immediately available resource released into the atmosphere by decomposing materials at farms, landfills, wastewater, and other sources. RNG provides a double benefit as greenhouse gas can be captured before being released and therefore before it impacts our climate. We can then harness and purify it to flow through our existing infrastructure in place of natural gas, which is a fossil-fuel. This fossil-free energy is a double win in our fight against climate change.

Green Hydrogen
National Grid continues to lead our nation in offshore wind development, and these assets can be used to develop hydrogen through the process of electrolysis. Because the only byproduct of this production process is water vapor, the hydrogen produced is carbon-free. Hydrogen is particularly valuable because it can be stored for future use when conditions are such that our wind or solar assets are not producing high levels of power. This is a fossil-free way to decarbonize multiple sectors including heat, power generation, and transportation.

For more information on National Grid’s Clean Energy Vision: nationalgrid.com/fossilfree

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