Astoria Pol's Renewable Rikers Act Plans For A Post-Jail Future

ASTORIA, QUEENS — City officials want to transform Rikers Island into a hub for renewable energy sources.

City Council Member Costa Constantinides, whose district includes Rikers, will introduce a three-bill legislative package Thursday to lay a foundation for the island's future after the city shutters its notorious jail complex.

The bill package, called the Renewable Rikers Act and co-sponsored by City Council Member Helen Rosenthal of Manhattan, would transfer control of Rikers from the corrections department to the city's Department of Environmental Protection.

The bills would also require the city to assess renewable energy capacity on the island and how much wastewater could be diverted there, enabling the city to close several old wastewater facilities and repurpose that land.

"These bills are a downpayment for a brighter future for this island — one that actually serves New York communities instead of tearing them apart," Constantinides, who chairs the council's environmental protection committee, said in a statement.

"As we made the bold decision to close these jails, we must be as courageous in making this type of investment in a Renewable Rikers," he added.

Rikers Island mainly comprises landfill from ash and garbage, which Constantinides says makes it an unsafe place for housing. Former Rikers corrections officers have attributed health problems to their time spent on the island.