The leaves are still falling, but New York City lawmakers are already talking about clearing snow.
The City Council’s sanitation committee will take a closer look at how the city prepares for winter storms and snow removal on Monday, after two major winter storms buried streets and sidewalks earlier this year and lingering low temperatures kept piles of snow frozen for weeks.
Lawmakers will also consider a bill requiring the city’s Department of Sanitation to keep and publish snowplowing records on its PlowNYC website. Right now, the site lets New Yorkers see the last time their block was cleared of snow, but it doesn’t keep historical data.
In a memo supporting the bill, primary sponsor Councilmember Ty Hankerson said the legislation would give New Yorkers greater transparency during and after snowstorms.
“Snow plows are often a contentious issue, with accusations that certain parts of New York receive many more snow plows than others,” Hankerson wrote. “As the City navigates this issue, it must do so with all of the relevant data publicly available to everyone.”
The hearing comes as federal forecasters predict a warmer-than-average winter in New York City, partly due to El Niño, a weather pattern linked to warming Pacific Ocean waters. But meteorologists have said a major snowstorm is still possible.
Last winter was particularly brutal, bringing prolonged cold and heavy snowfall to the city.