The Adams administration is quietly preparing to pad eight city agency payrolls with so-called “decarbonization” czars — who’ll pull in six-figure salaries to meet woke clean-air goals.
The jobs, which were advertised publicly this month, will cost taxpayers $1.62 million.
The initiative aims to meet goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions outlined in a local law approved four years ago under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The NYPD, NYC Health + Hospitals, and the departments of Education, Parks, Citywide Administrative Services, Cultural Affairs, Sanitation, and Correction will all get a “chief decarbonization officer.”
The duties of the eight new hires are similar, but tailored to each agency.
The smoke czar overseeing public schools will be responsible for “implementing energy management and emissions reductions activities” across the DOE’s 1,400 buildings.
The Sanitation Department will have similar oversight over its 59 district garages and lead electrification initiatives for its truck fleet.
The new hires are each expected to haul in $170,000 yearly helping ensure the city’s operations and infrastructure “achieve 40% emissions reductions by 2025 and 50% reductions by 2030,” the job postings say.
It remains unclear whether more departments will get decarbonization chiefs.
Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens) ripped the new positions, saying they’re a blatant waste of tax dollars.
“While taking care of our environment and tackling climate change is important, there is no need for so many people doing the same job in different agencies,” he said. “Our city’s finances are heading towards a cliff, and we’d be better off spending our money wisely, like upgrading city facilities to confront the climate challenge head-on.”
Until recently, the city’s former director of energy conservation, Anthony Fiore, handled the duties of “chief decarbonization officer” and oversaw the management of carbon emissions for all government operations.
He left the $213,000 job this year to take a post as chief program officer of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Councilman Ari Kagan (R-Brooklyn) said it’s “typical of New York City” to “spend taxpayers’ dollars to create unnecessary, nonessential bureaucratic jobs.
“Why not invest in the infrastructure needed to actually work towards decarbonization?” he added. “Those who think this is the answer aren’t serious people.”
Reps for Mayor Eric Adams didn’t return messages.
