Plan to save Jamaica Bay

Emily Lloyd, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan Advisory Committee held two public meetings to discuss the progress of the Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan.
The first of two public meetings was held on January 11, at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. A second public outreach meeting was held at York College’s Performing Arts Center this past week to describe the implementation of Local Law 71 and explain the process of developing the watershed protection plan for Jamaica Bay.
Local Law 71, signed by Mayor Bloomberg on July 20, 2005, established a pathway towards restoring and maintaining the water quality and ecological integrity of Jamaica Bay by evaluating threats to the Bay and coordinating environmental remediation and protection efforts in a focused and cost-effective manner. Jamaica Bay encompasses almost 93,000 acres and borders both Brooklyn and Queens.
In addition, the DEP was required to create an advisory committee to provide recommendations to the Commissioner and City Council on the final watershed protection plan. The advisory committee is comprised of seven members, three of whom were appointed by the speaker of the Council and four by the Mayor.
“This is one of DEP’s most urgent and important projects. The preservation of the Jamaica Bay watershed is essential to maintaining its function as an ecological wetland as well as a recreational location for city residents who use the Bay for fishing and boating,” said Lloyd. “Over the years, Jamaica Bay has been harmed by overdevelopment and pollution. The DEP’s current mission is to investigate sources affecting pollution and to develop an action plan for the future.”
The Advisory Committee and the DEP made brief presentations during the public meetings which were devoted to providing members of the public and other interested persons with the opportunity to make comments and recommendations to the Advisory Committee and DEP related to current Bay conditions and potential protection strategies.
“We want to ensure that interested citizens have a voice in our planning process,” added Commissioner Lloyd.