(Washington Insider Magazine) Mayor Eric Adams Announces $390 Million Investment to Absorb, Store and Transfer Stormwater Caused by Flash Heavy Downpours in Four New Neighborhoods.
With an investment of nearly $400 million, Mayor Eric Adams announced the expansion of the Cloudburst program, which performs clustered stormwater management projects in flood-prone communities.
The plan will benefit four new neighborhoods, East New York, Corona, Kissena Park and Parkchester, marking an important milestone in the city’s ongoing resiliency efforts to better prepare for heavy rains and hurricanes as happened last year. 2021 with Hurricane Ida.
The new points are added to The Bronx and Brooklyn that have also been seriously affected by the extreme weather caused by climate change.
“Four months ago, DEP Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala and I announced our plans for managing rainfall to protect our city and prevent future tragedies like the one we saw during Hurricane Ida,” Mayor Adams said in a statement. “Today, we are pleased to announce a significant milestone in that plan. This $400 million investment in stormwater management projects cements New York City’s status as a national and global leader in green infrastructure and shows our commitment to protecting New Yorkers from disastrous flooding,” he added.
In Three Neighborhoods
The Cloudburst Program has already initiated changes to prevent flooding in three neighborhoods: South Jamaica and St. Albans, Queens and in East Harlem, Manhattan. The final four areas were selected by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks), the New York City Department of Transportation New York City (DOT) and the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC). The selection process used a framework that examined historical and future stormwater flood hotspots, existing urban projects, environmental justice areas, and social factors that may increase vulnerability to stormwater flooding.
Statement of DEP Commissioner
“Environmental justice is a hallmark of Mayor Adams and DEP’s vision for a more resilient New York,” said DEP Commissioner and Climate Director Rohit Aggarwala. “This is the largest capital investment in shower design in the US and underscores the mayor’s commitment to environmental social justice.”
The projects are funded with a combination of federal and city funds. An eighth neighborhood has also been chosen in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and the city is looking at available financing options. More than two dozen additional locations are also being evaluated for inclusion in the Cloudburst Program. DEP will continue to aggressively solicit federal funds to support this vital work and expand this critical program.
“Climate change is real, so preparing for increasingly extreme storms is a must,” said DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodríguez. “We are proud to collaborate with our partners at DEP, NYC Parks and DDC to help address street flooding in these priority neighborhoods.”
This article is authored by Luis F. Cañarte.