GREENPOINT — Decades of toxic oil seeping into your neighborhood's soil and water has finally earned you something good — a free tree this spring.
If you live in Greenpoint and have a patch of back or front yard and live within the 11222 zip code, you're eligible for a free tree thanks to a slice of funds from the $19.5 million state settlement with ExxonMobil in 2011 that is going towards dozens of projects in the neighborhood to improve environmental conditions.
You can choose from a Japanese Snowbell, a Japanese Stewartia, a Cornelian Cherry Dogwood, a River Birch or a Chinese Lilac.
The saplings will be around 4 feet tall when you pick them up in May but can grow between 15 and 50 feet tall depending on the variety.
This spring's giveaway is part of a push to plant 500 new trees in Greenpoint that will purge around 13,000 pounds of local air pollution and absorb 787,500 gallons of storm water runoff each year, according to Greening Greenpoint, an offshoot of the City Parks Foundation, which is in charge of the tree planting.
The first of the 500 trees were planted last October.
Registration for your free tree ends on May 5 and pick up for the saplings is on May 20 and 21.
