Pizza Today - September 2023 - 14

Man on the Street
Pizza
Vs. City
Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott's Pizza Tours
and SliceOutHunger.org
It's been a confusing
month for pizzerias in New
York City, particularly those
burning coal or wood in their
ovens. A few weeks ago, media
outlets exploded with news
about a new law that would
destroy the city's storied pizza
culture. Th ey claimed the law
would cripple famous pizzerias
by forcing them to install
expensive equipment in the
futile pursuit of environmental
protection. It sent a shockwave
of fear through pizzerias and
pizza fans (which is every single
New Yorker) and spun out into
a full-fl edged cultural clash
framed as Oppressive Government
vs. Small Business. As it
turns out, very little of that was
true.
It all started in 2015 when
the city's Department of Environmental
Protection passed a
law requiring businesses using
solid fuel burning " cook stoves "
to install emissions suppression
units. Th ese units, called
" scrubbers, " prevent dangerous
particulate matter from leaving
an oven's exhaust line. Th e law
went into eff ect in May 2016
and all solid fuel burning cook
stoves installed since then have
been required to install these
units.
Th e recent hubbub came
about when the city decided
it was time to start enforcing
installation requirements for
ovens installed prior to the
2016 law. NYC is famous
for its century-old coal fi red
pizzerias. Places like Patsy's in
Harlem, Arturo's on Houston
Street, and Totonno's on
Coney Island put out crisp
charred pizza that predates the
thin foldable slices that rose to
popularity in the second half
of the 20th century. Th ey're
sacred to NYC's food history
so any suggestion of a future
without them truly terrifi es
the public.
One thing became very
clear from all the articles and
messages I received from pizzerias:
nobody actually read
the legislation. Th e biggest
misunderstanding was that
the expense of emissions
suppression units would be
so hefty they'd put pizzerias
out of business. In reality, the
14 / PIZZATODAY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2023
legislation allows exceptions
for businesses that are either
unable to reduce emissions or
unable to install the necessary
equipment. Some pizzerias
incorrectly assumed that the
equipment would somehow
alter the quality of their pizza.
Since scrubbers are installed
along the exhaust line and
not directly inside the oven,
this is simply not the case.
When the DEP held a public
hearing about the legislation,
they opened by clarifying all
the incorrect reporting and
assumptions.
Th e whole situation serves
as a good lesson on how
restaurants can react to potentially
worrisome legislation.
Th e fi rst step is to read the
actual text of the law. Th e
thing you're so worried about
might not be a real concern
or might be addressed by the
legislation. If there really is
something in the law you
disagree with, contact other
pizzerias and see if they agree.
Working together is much
more powerful than working
alone, which is why local and
national restaurant associations
are so helpful. If you
haven't joined your local
National Restaurant
Association chapter, you
should strongly consider it.
Next you can get in touch
with your local representative
to request a meeting. Small
businesses are extremely
important to local politicians
so there's a good chance they'll
listen to you, especially if you
come to them representing a
block of businesses.
Th e most important thing is
to react to the legislation itself,
not to media coverage.
http://www.SliceOutHunger.org http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
Pizza Today - September 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - September 2023
