The New York Post e-Edition

The Wrong Time To Slam Bodegas

Sometimes, officials are too eager to move after a media exposé. Case in point, the reaction of the state Department of Environmental Conservation to reporting by The City that no grocery or bodega had been fined for ignoring the new ban on single-use plastic shopping bags.

Boom: Within hours, DEC announced it had issued 12 violation notices, to nine small businesses and three larger entities, including grocery chain Gristedes.

Hello: There’s a pandemic on, adding to the dangers of (already unsanitary) reusable bags and leaving residents, especially in lower-income areas, even more dependent on the closest-available food store.

The DEC, in short, had every reason to just issue written warnings (64 as of April 14) and hold off on fines. But now it has vowed to get tough, including $250 to $500 fines for ignoring warnings.

If Gov. Cuomo wants some good press, he should loudly order the DEC to return to its policy of mercy. Tell the environmental activists to hold their whining until the pandemic is over.

OPINION

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2021-05-11T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-05-11T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://nypost.pressreader.com/article/281904481057376

New York Post