Mayor Eric Adams visited Queens Village on Monday to highlight flood prevention and disaster preparedness investments across the five boroughs, before testing positive for COVID-19 and entering isolation at Gracie Mansion.
The Mayor provided an update on new and ongoing efforts to protect public safety and property by combating flooding and safeguarding residents from the effects of climate change while marking the third anniversary of Hurricane Ida, which brought the heaviest rainfall in city history and claimed the lives of 13 New Yorkers, eight of them in Queens.
Since the start of Adams’ administration, the city has invested $1.2 billion in infrastructure improvements, ranging from traditional sewer overhauls to innovative green infrastructure, which has been shown to prevent seven times as much damage as compared to the original investment.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is my most important responsibility — and that responsibility includes protecting New Yorkers from the clear and present danger to life and property that flooding poses,” Adams said. “Our investments in green and gray infrastructure, as well as flood preparedness, will save lives and prevent billions in property damage, particularly for low-income New Yorkers living in these low-lying areas who simply can’t afford to rebuild following flood after flood.”
He emphasized how city agencies completed major sewer upgrades, tripling drainage capacity in College Point and doubling it in Maspeth, along with installing five flood sensors in Corona, and 200 of the sensors citywide.
Additionally, the city broke ground on its first Cloudburst project at NYCHA’s South Jamaica Houses, which will keep nearly 3.5 million gallons of stormwater out of the sewer system each year. Adams held his press briefing on Hillside Avenue and 88th Avenue, where the Department of Environmental Protection transformed three acres of concrete medians into subsurface drainage chambers of engineered rock and soil with ornamental grasses and perennial wildflowers that can collectively manage 5 million gallons of stormwater that would otherwise contribute to flooding.
“A year ago today, these medians were concrete. They funneled millions of gallons of water into our sewers, and when our sewers couldn’t handle it, that water ended up flooding basements and streets,” Adams said. “Today, the green infrastructure can prevent 5 million gallons of flooding. I’m also proud that we have completed two major projects in the frequently flooded Queens communities of Maspeth and College Point. Projects have added miles of new sewers to water mains and catch basins in our city’s infrastructure.”
Several Queens lawmakers were present, including Assemblymember David Weprin, who chairs the Committee on Insurance. “I’ve been working to find ways to keep property insurance rates down,” he said. “I hosted a public hearing to discuss the impact of severe weather events on policyholders. I will continue to implement and boost solutions for New Yorkers to offset the negative impacts of climate change related to severe weather events like Ida.”
Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar remembered those who lost their lives in the flooding caused by Hurricane Ida. “Most of them were immigrant New Yorkers from Queens who were trapped in basement apartments that flooded dangerously,” Rajkumar said. “This shows the toll on low-income immigrant communities, and it shows just how much climate justice and racial justice are interlinked.”
She added that Queens is being impacted by stronger storms with bigger downpours and more destructive flooding. “And by the end of the century, the 20% of our city that lies in a floodplain may actually be threatened by the rising sea levels,” Rajkumar said. “This is common-sense use of taxpayers dollars: studies show that every $1 in flood hazard mitigation saves $7 in recovery costs. Together, we will keep all New Yorkers high and dry and stop floss damage in its tracks.”
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky alluded to the recent DEP project in Queens Village. “Last year, we announced the creation of green spaces to replace concrete medians in this neighborhood,” she said. “This dedicated funding for stormwater infrastructure in Eastern Queens shows the continued commitment we all have to mitigate flooding for our constituents. I thank the mayor and the New York City Council for making these projects a priority here and throughout the city.”
