Fossil Fuels on Newtown Creek: Our Solutions and Vision for North Brooklyn & Across the Creek to Queens

Hosted by: Sane Energy Project, Newtown Creek Alliance, American Institute of Architects, and local residents

📅 When: Saturday, April 11, 2026
📍 Where: Cooper Park (meet near bathrooms/playground) MAP
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Optional Happy Hour: 2:30 – 4:00 PM near McGolrick Park

(Rain Date: Sunday, April 12, 2026, at 11:00 am)

Why Join

See how fossil fuel infrastructure, utility decisions, and pollution affect neighborhoods on both sides of Newtown Creek, and explore how communities are building alternatives.

While we’ll be walking along the North Brooklyn waterfront, we’ll also highlight how the creek impacts our neighbors just across the water in Western Queens.

This isn’t just a tour, it’s a hands-on experience to learn, imagine, and take steps toward solutions that put people and the planet first.

Schedule (Approximate)

11:00 – Welcome & Grounding (Cooper Park)

• Set intentions and overview of the route

• Meet your fellow participants

11:30 – Depart

11:45 – Newtown Creek Waterfront (Maspeth Ave)

• Hosted by Newtown Creek Alliance

• Waterfront access, cleanup efforts, and history of pollution

12:30 – Beadel St (Local Residents)

• Hear from neighbors about how industrial infrastructure affects daily life

1:00 – Lombardy St / Greenpoint LNG Facility

• Hosted by Sane Energy Project

• Explore pipelines, fracked gas, and the connection to rising utility bills

• Understand the stakes of the LNG facility in North Brooklyn

1:20 – Under the K Bridge Park (Solutions + Refreshments)

• Hosted by the AIA Fellowship project: “Energies of Repair: Visualizing Community Power in NYC” by Andrea Johnson and Ashley Dawson

• Imagine a restored, community-controlled Newtown Creek

• Participate in a light visioning activity to share ideas

1:40 – Walk to Penny Bridge (Closing & Next Steps)

• Review concrete actions you can take:

  • Engage with the upcoming National Grid rate case

  • Support campaigns for public power and environmental justice

  • Stay connected with local groups working on waterfront access and cleanup

2:00 – Close at Penny Bridge

What’s at Stake

• National Grid plans to expand fracked gas infrastructure into the 2050s, ignoring New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

• Toxic facilities like the Greenpoint LNG site sit in the heart of North Brooklyn, next to homes, businesses, and playgrounds.

• Every month, our utility bills pay for this pollution. Without action, we could be locked into decades of climate damage and health risks.

• This spring, National Grid will ask the Public Service Commission to raise rates again—your voice can make a difference.

What’s Our Vision

• What would a healthy, accessible Newtown Creek look like?

• How can communities shape energy systems to prioritize people and the planet?

• How can design and storytelling make struggles for public power visible and actionable?

How You Can Participate

• Learn the issues and share your perspective on community solutions

• Take action on the upcoming rate case

• Support local environmental justice and waterfront access initiatives

• Stay connected with Sane Energy Project and partners

📢 Disclaimer & Notes

• This event will be filmed for a May 2026 exhibition at AIA 536 LaGuardia Place. Participants will be asked to sign a photo/video release form. If you prefer not to be documented, that’s completely fine — we’ll support any level of comfort.

• Refreshments will be provided to keep our energy strong and healthy throughout the walk.

Come for the walk. Stay for the vision. Leave with the power to act.