David Portnoy, NJ pizza owners weigh in on NYC possible crackdown on pizza pollution

With all the problems New York City has, you would think the emissions from pizza ovens would be way down on the list. But nooooo!

The New York Post reports: "The New York City Department of Environmental Protection has drafted new rules that would order eateries using the decades-old baking method (wood and coal-fired pizza ovens)  to slice carbon emissions by up to 75%."

This could cost these pizzerias up to $20,000 on air filter systems.

Among those not happy with the plan, along with several pizza shop owners, is BarStool Sports founder, David Portnoy, whose One-bite Pizza Reviews are followed by millions.

"El Presidente", as he's called, went off on a rant that you can see here.

You know what pizzerias use coal ovens? All the best, all the best. Any pizza place that you’re like ‘oh, this is Manhattan, this is old school, this is what people think about when they think of NYC,’ they have a coal oven.

You’re gonna come after pizzerias for f—king global warming? Are you f—king nuts?

'Hey, Dave, you can't threaten people.' I can threaten people. Well this is a threat. If they come after John's of Bleecker. I will come for the throat, and I will never let go till I squeeze the life out of them. Leave the f**king pizzerias alone. The best ones in the world.

You can check out Portnoy's top 20 reviews here, Jersey Shore pizza reviews here, and his top 20 Central Jersey pizza reviews here.

Guy Madsen, founder of the Jersey Pizza Joints Facebook page which has over followers:

So, Mom & Pop businesses in NY and NJ have continued to take it on the chin while working very hard to make a living with some of the highest fixed costs in the world. This proposed law is obviously another attempt to push an agenda on the hopes that it will make a modest impact on the environment. Doesn't NYC have higher priorities than messing with Mom & Pops that may be forced out of business because they can't afford to spend on this technology?

Rob Brooklyn of Zoni's Brooklyn Brick Oven Pizzeria in Middletown explains;

 They are trying to control emissions from these ovens. I’m not too sure about wood ovens, but they are small ovens that have flutes to vent out the fumes and smoke.
Coal ovens work the same, but they are larger. Anthracite Coal burns cleaner the wood.

There is no smoke, just a clear fume coming out of the flute. Only when you first light it, (we use wood to start the oven) do we get a little.

NYC wants these established to add a scrubber to the vents to lessen carbon dioxide, or Sulfur. Anthracite coal burns less then 1% of sulfur.

Less than 100 places have to comply. Did you know NYC is about 300 square miles? These numbers make no sense. These are the same people who said the gas stoves in your home are not good also.

I do believe in helping the environment. Keep what we have, don’t add more. We have more electric cars on the road, don’t take away gas cars, we already lessened them. Most homes are using low watts LED lights too. Add more Solar Plants to help the environment too.

We are always going to have forest fires, building fires, backyard fire pits, home fireplaces, and millions of people smoking and vaping; just let it go.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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