ANNOUNCEMENTS
JBRPC Supports Increased Transportation to the Rockaways
October 15, 2014
Dear Mayor de Blasio:
The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is dedicated to improving the 10,000 acres of public parkiand around Jamaica Bay and throughout the Rockaway peninsula. One of the greatest challenges to making these extraordinary open spaces accessible to local communities and visitors alike—and aiding in the ongoing post-Sandy recovery—is the limited transportation options. Consequently, JBRPC would like to express its support for increased public access to the Rockaways through expanded and improved subway, bus, and ferry service.
The City has made great strides in improving public transportation—from Bus Rapid Transit routes to bike lanes to its once-neglected waterways. Ferry service has increased along the East River, to and from Staten Island, and thanks to the quick response of the Economic Development Corporation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, to the Rockaways at Beach 1 08 th Street. JBRPC commends these efforts and encourages the City to not only maintain Rockaway ferry service, but to expand it to other destinations on the peninsula—particularly to isolated areas of Far Rockaway as well as across Jamaica Bay to serve the communities of Canarsie and East New York—and provide much-needed weekend service.
This past summer, JBRPC sponsored the Rockaway! public arts festival to celebrate the reopening of historic Fort Tilden and recognize the ongoing recovery of the Rockaway peninsula. In its two-month run, the festival attracted approximately 15,000 people, increasing the demand for the limited ferry service provided by the National Park Service at Riis Landing. JBRPC would very much like to work collaboratively with the City and continue to provide recreational, educational, and other opportunities that attract park users, thereby increasing ridership and supporting the City’s investment in the Rockaway ferry.
Sincerely,
Jackie Snyder
Executive Director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy
Department of Environmental Protection Releases 2014 Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan
October 7, 2014
Plan Provides Assessment of Completed and Ongoing Projects as well as Upcoming Initiatives to Improve Water Quality and Restore Natural Ecological Functions within the Bay
New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Emily Lloyd today released the 2014 update to the Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan. The plan, first issued in 2007, focuses on water quality improvements, ecological restoration and enhancing valuable natural resources. The update outlines the numerous initiatives DEP has undertaken, along with state and federal partner agencies, environmental advocates, leading educational institutions and community groups, to protect one of the most bountiful wildlife habitats in the Northeastern Unites States. Ongoing initiatives include wastewater treatment plant upgrades, oyster and ribbed mussel pilot restoration projects, wetlands restoration, green infrastructure projects and Geographic Information System mapping. The updated plan can be viewed on the DEP website here.
“Jamaica Bay is one of New York City’s most unique natural environments and we are committed to protecting and enhancing its overall health and expanding public access,” said DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd. “The Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan sets a framework for this critical work that will be accomplished through partnerships between many different levels of government, local educational institutions, environmental leaders and dedicated community groups.”
Jamaica Bay is a 31-square-mile water body with a broader watershed of approximately 142 square miles, which includes portions of Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau County. The bay is a diverse ecological resource that supports multiple habitats, including open water, salt marshes, grasslands, coastal woodlands, maritime shrublands, and brackish and freshwater wetlands. These habitats support 91 fish species, 325 species of birds, and many reptile, amphibian, and small mammal species. Below are updates on some of the ongoing initiatives to protect and enhance the ecological health of Jamaica Bay:
Ribbed Mussel Pilot
In 2011, DEP established a demonstration project of Ribbed Mussels in Fresh Creek, a tributary to Jamaica Bay. Ribbed Mussels are naturally occurring in the Bay and filter water. The project is being monitored to determine whether a more robust population within the center of the channel could remove substantial quantities of impurities from the water, particularly near combined sewer and stormwater outfalls. Monitoring of the mussel colonization density and water quality will continue through late fall of 2014 and a report will be issued in 2015.
Paerdegat Basin Restoration
DEP has restored 52 acres of tidal wetlands and coastal grasslands adjacent to Paerdegat Basin, a tributary of Jamaica Bay. The $35 million project also included the establishment of a five acre ecology park, which highlights many of the city’s ecosystems. This work, in combination with the construction of a $357 million combined sewer overflow retention facility at the head of the basin, has contributed to significant improvement in Paerdegat Basin water quality.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades
DEP operates four wastewater treatment plants located along Jamaica Bay or its tributaries that have the capacity to treat up to 240 million gallons of wastewater every day. Nitrogen is a naturally occurring element that is found in food and other organic materials and is present in wastewater when it enters treatment plants. Because nitrogen is not a pathogen and poses no threat to human health, the wastewater treatment plants were not originally designed to remove it from the treated water before it is discharged into the receiving water body. However, high levels of nitrogen can degrade the overall ecology of a waterway by reducing levels of dissolved oxygen and promoting excessive algae growth, especially in warm weather months. At a cost of $230 million, DEP is implementing advanced technology at the four treatment plants that will reduce daily nitrogen discharges by up to 60 percent.
Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay
In 2011, the City and the federal government announced a new cooperative agreement to improve the parklands adjacent to the Bay. In 2013, the partners established the Science and Resilience Institute to act as a top tier research center, with invaluable local experience from the region’s most respected scientific institutions, which will execute an intensive research program focused on the restoration of Jamaica Bay and advance the role of science in managing resources and building regional resilience to future storms. Earlier this summer, the Institute was awarded a $7.7 million grant from New York State to build a new center to house the research activities as well as to purchase a new research vessel. It also secured a $3.6 million grant to support research efforts.
Marsh and Wetland Restoration
Over the last 150 years, Jamaica Bay has lost a significant amount of marsh and wetland areas due to a variety of factors, including sea level rise, dredging and filling throughout the Bay, a loss of sediment, and increased tidal heights. Many of these changes have permanently altered sections of the bay. As such, habitat restoration along the periphery of Jamaica Bay continues to play a significant role in meeting the goals of creating highly productive ecological areas and improved habitat. The City has been leveraging $7 million of its funds, along with matching federal and state contributions, to help restore over 150 acres of salt marsh islands. In all, DEP has secured $14 million in federal and state funding for wetland restoration in Jamaica Bay over the last 6-years. It is expected that the City can leverage another $8 million to secure an additional $16 million in matching funding over the next few years. Local communities are also taking a strong role in restoration through funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and DEP. Non-profit organizations such as EcoWatchers, Jamaica Bay Guardian, and the American Littoral Society have completed a community-based planting effort to vegetate thirty new acres created at Black Wall and Rulers Bar in June 2013.
Marsh Island Wave Attenuator Study
DEP will construct a floating wetland wave attenuator at Brant Point along the southern shoreline of Jamaica Bay. A wave attenuator is an anchored island of floating material offshore of a wetland or shoreline which deflects and reduces the energy of waves. The pilot study will evaluate the potential for wave attenuation on a specific section of eroding wetland shoreline to investigate the growth of beneficial wetland building sediments and the anticipated decreased rate of shoreline loss. The temporary floating wetland structures will be a “proxy” for potential future oyster beds around wetlands to evaluate their wave energy reduction value. DEP has obtained the permits needed for construction to proceed and it is expected that work will begin later this year or in early 2015. Once completed, the attenuator and adjacent shoreline will be monitored for a period of time and the data will be included in a summary report.
Belt Parkway Green Infrastructure Installations
DEP is partnering with the New York City Department of Transportation to build green infrastructure along the medians and shoulder areas of the Belt Parkway. The stormwater that falls on the Parkway, including its bridges, rather than be diverted directly into the Bay and its tributaries, is directed to the green infrastructure where it can be naturally absorbed into the ground. During construction, the installations are excavated and then backfilled with layers of stone and engineered soil. These layers contain void spaces that store the stormwater and promote infiltration. The addition of hardy plants further encourages infiltration through root growth and increases its capacity through evapotranspiration. In addition to naturally filtering and absorbing excess stormwater, the green infrastructure provides important habitats for native plants. Construction is complete at the Paerdegat and Rockaway sites and preliminary observations indicate that they are meeting project objectives. Similar installations for the Gerritsen Bridge are being planned.
Jamaica Bay Watershed Green Infrastructure
DEP is currently engaged in a citywide effort to soften the impervious urban landscape to help absorb rainwater that would otherwise drain into the combined sewer system and contribute to combined sewer overflows into local waterways. A focal point of this effort is the installation of specially designed curbside gardens, or bioswales, in sidewalks throughout neighborhoods that are served by combined sewers, including the Jamaica Bay watershed. The bioswales resemble standard street tree pits, except that they vary in size, have curb cuts that allow stormwater to enter and overflow, and have been designed in a way that will allow them to manage between 1,300 and 3,000 gallons each during a storm. The construction of bioswales throughout the Jamaica Bay watershed will accelerate significantly in 2014-2015.
Area-Wide Sewer Upgrades
The post-World War II commercial and residential development of southeast Queens outpaced the extension of the City’s sewer system and many neighborhoods in the area are not yet equipped with catch basins or storm sewers to drain precipitation from the roadways. The multi-year, $6 billion effort to construct a comprehensive storm sewer system for the area includes projects such as the final stages of the $175 million Springfield Gardens upgrade that will bring nine miles of storm sewers and eight miles of sanitary sewers to the area, a $26 million upgrade for the Brookville Boulevard area, an $18 million project that will bring high level storm sewers to the Twin Ponds neighborhood, and a $5 million project to install an additional sewer line under 183rd Street at Jamaica Avenue.
Oyster Bed Pilot
The restoration of oyster colonies within Jamaica Bay could potentially help regenerate the natural environment of the Bay and also improve water quality. To evaluate whether environmental and climactic conditions are suitable for oyster growth in the Bay, DEP installed an oyster bed off of Dubos Point in Queens and oyster reef balls in Gerristen Creek, in Brooklyn. Monitoring showed adequate conditions for oyster survival and growth and they did in fact reproduce over several years, although there was no sign of new oysters joining the colonies. With $1 million in new funding obtained through the Hurricane Sandy Resiliency Grant Program, the pilots will be scaled up to a half-acre in size in early 2015.
Jamaica Bay Watershed Ecological Atlas
To better inform area-wide wetland protection programs, DEP has developed a Geographic Information System (GIS) based Jamaica Bay Watershed Ecological Atlas. It provides a complete and updated inventory of all vacant City-owned properties and a characterization of their habitat and stormwater attributes, a GIS-mapping and data layer that can be used to develop and leverage future stormwater management ecological restoration designs, and a prioritized list and map of potential sites for stormwater management and ecological restoration and conservation. The Atlas will be available on DEP’s website later this fall.
The 2007 Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan was the result of research and dialogue with stakeholders and consultation with the Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan Advisory Committee. The plan was undertaken in accordance with Local Law 71, which requires DEP to assess the technical, legal, environmental and economic feasibility of protection measures for Jamaica Bay and produce a report every three years. A portion of the money used for the marsh and wetland restoration projects was from environmental benefit funds paid by the City as part of the resolution of an enforcement matter brought by the State pursuant to the First Amended Nitrogen Consent Judgment.
DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than one billion gallons of water each day to more than nine million residents, including eight million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 in the upstate watershed. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program, with nearly $14 billion in investments planned over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. This capital program is responsible for critical projects like City Water Tunnel No. 3; the Staten Island Bluebelt program, an ecologically sound and cost-effective stormwater management system; the city’s Watershed Protection Program, which protects sensitive lands upstate near the city’s reservoirs in order to maintain their high water quality; and the installation of more than 820,000 Automated Meter Reading devices, which allow customers to track their daily water use, more easily manage their accounts, and be alerted to potential leaks on their properties. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/nycwater, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/nycwater.
Contact: DEP Press Office
Phone Number: 718-595-6600
Email: deppressoffice@dep.nyc.gov
The Future Penn and Fountain Parks Bus Tour on September 20
Join the Friends of Penn and Fountain Parks on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 9 AM for a fun-filled, educational bus tour of the 407 acres of potential parkland. With 360-degree panorama views, the parks offer stunning views of the flora and fauna, as well as the Manhattan skyline and Atlantic Ocean. The tour, which is approximately 2.5 hours long, is led by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection and the National Park Service.
Meeting Location: Brooklyn Sports Club, 1540 Van Siclen Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Registration: No pre-registration is required. Sign in at the door beginning at 9 AM. The event will begin with a brief presentation by NYCDEP followed by the bus tour. Fifty seats are available; first come, first served.
For more information, please contact the Friends of Penn and Fountain Parks at pennfountain@aol.com.
Sand Pumping to Repair and Restore Rockaway Beach Resumes
September 4, 2014
Crews have resumed pumping sand onto the beaches of Rockaway as part of the Corps of Engineers’ effort to repair and restore the engineered beach there to provide coastal storm risk management benefits to the community.
Work was temporarily stopped this summer when, as expected, crews moving east reached nesting areas of the endangered piping plover around Beach 61st Street. The plovers have fledged and the no-construction environmental window ended at the beginning of September so crews have now resumed sand pumping operations.
Sand pumping will begin in the area of Beach 61st Street and continue east to the eastern end of the project area at Beach 19th Street. Sand has already been placed from Beach 149th to Beach 61st. Sand placement work is expected to be completed by the end of October.
There will be rolling beach closures of roughly 1000 foot wide sections of the beach that will be fenced off where construction work is active, but the Corps of Engineers will make efforts to limit the impacts of the ongoing work on recreation without compromising public safety. Closures will be closely coordinated with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.
So far, crews have pumped roughly 3 million cubic yards of sand at Rockaway since Hurricane Sandy and will be placing roughly 500,000 cubic yards in this final push to complete construction.
The sand pumping will complete the overall repair and restore work at Rockaway Beach, which consisted of pumping roughly 3.5 million cubic yards of sand along Rockaway Beach since Hurricane Sandy to replace sand lost during the storm as well as place additional sand to restore the beach to its design profile from when the Corps initially constructed the current Rockaway Beach project in the 1970s.
The project, primarily a wide, flat elevated beach berm, is designed to reduce risks to the community by keeping the erosive power of the waves from reaching structures and infrastructure and reducing damages from waves, inundation, and erosion.
Once sand placement work is complete, Rockaway Beach will be higher and wider than it has been in decades. This work, combined with the New York City-funded elevated berm at the back of the project area, will provide a greater level of risk management than has ever existed along the Atlantic coast of Rockaway.
The repair and restore of Rockaway Beach is being completed through two contracts, both awarded to Weeks Marine of Cranford, New Jersey. The first contract, completed in the fall of 2013, was a $10 million contract and involved the placement of roughly 600,000 cubic yards of sand dredged from East Rockaway Inlet. The second contract, which started this spring and is being currently being finished, is a $26.4 million contract that involves the placement of roughly 2.9 million cubic yards of sand.
Contact: Chris Gardner
Phone Number: 917-790-8007
Email: christopher.p.gardner@usace.army.mil
Goldfeder, Addabbo Keep Toxic Materials Out of Jamaica Bay
August 18, 2014
Legislation Drafted by Senator Addabbo and Assemblyman Goldfeder to Protect Jamaica Bay From Toxic Dumping Becomes Law; Governor Signs Legislation to Preserve Jamaica Bay
State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. and Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder proudly announced that Governor Andrew Cuomo signed their legislation (A.2074A/S.3392A) to prevent state regulatory agencies from issuing permits to allow dumping hazardous materials into Jamaica Bay’s borrow pits, ultimately limiting the risk of water contamination.
“This legislation is a huge victory for our families in Broad Channel and every community surrounding Jamaica Bay,”said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. “This law will not only protect the waters of Jamaica Bay from hazardous dumping, but also ensures that thousands of endangered bird species and wildlife remain safe. Jamaica Bay is not only an environmental resource but has become an economic engine in southern Queens. I am thankful for the partnership with Senator Addabbo and the support Governor Cuomo to help preserve Jamaica Bay.”
“Communities surrounding Jamaica Bay can now breathe a little easier with the passing of this bill, both figuratively and literally. In the Legislature, we fought for this because our backyards and the beautiful bay waters are not a dumping ground for hazardous waste. Life in the water, on the water and around the water must be preserved,” said Senator Addabbo. "In the district, we were all fortunate enough to grow up with Jamaica Bay and I hope this legislation will ensure future generations can enjoy the serenity and beauty for years to come. I appreciate the persistent efforts of my colleague, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder and thank the Governor for his support."
Prior to the elected official’s legislation, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) did not have any guidelines for state waters, including Jamaica Bay. This new law will prohibit DEC from issuing permits that would allow hazardous materials from being dumped into the borrow pits of Jamaica Bay and contaminating the surrounding waters. Borrow pits include a number of locations throughout the bay that have an increased depth as a result of past Army Corp. of Engineer dredging projects that have removed sand from the bay floor to fill in adjacent areas.
"Assemblyman Goldfeder and Senator Addabbo's legislation will close a legislative loophole that has threatened Jamaica Bay for over thirty years," said Dan Mundy Jr. of the Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers. "The current regulation that allows contaminated fill to be placed in the waters of the bay has attracted numerous ill-conceived plans that are possibly driven by huge potential financial benefits to a few, while potentially destroying the bay forever! This legislation will end these plans and the threats they pose for good! Assemblyman Goldfeder has been at the leading edge in advocating for the protection and preservation of Jamaica Bay in order to ensure this treasured resource can be enjoyed by future generations."
“We commend Governor Cuomo for signing this legislation into law,” concluded Addabbo, Goldfeder. “Dredged materials leaching with toxins have no right to be dumped in our waters and now we finally have the laws in place to keep our families away from harm and preserve the natural ecosystem of Jamaica Bay for years to come.”
Gateway Begins Planning Process for Environmental Assessment For West Pond Project at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
June 26, 2014
The National Park Service, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD), is preparing an environmental assessment (EA) in support of a proposed project to address damage that resulted from a breach that occurred at the West Pond of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge during Hurricane Sandy.
NPS is asking the public to help the park define both the natural and cultural values and characteristics important for protection of this popular area. To do this, the Gateway National Recreation Area will host an open house public meeting on July 17, 2014, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. The meeting will be held in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at Cross Bay Boulevard, Queens, N.Y. The meeting is the first step in the development of an EA.
“We know that this is one of the most visible reminders of the damage from Hurricane Sandy in Jamaica Bay,” said Gateway Superintendent Jennifer Nersesian. “An environmental assessment will help us make the smartest choice for the west pond and what future storms may bring.”
The purpose of the proposed project is to provide for environmentally sensitive and resilient conditions along the West Pond Trail area that support a diversity of Jamaica Bay habitats and wildlife. The EA will address any potential impacts to natural or cultural resources that may result from the proposed project. NPS will gather input from park staff, other agencies and the public to consider the potential effects of the proposed project.
The EA will look at the area’s natural and cultural resources to be sure that they are protected as part of the assessment. “We will be asking the public to share their knowledge about this special area with us as a part of the work,” said Acting Chief of Resource Management Dave Taft. “We will gather information from the public, non-profit organizations, and other federal and state agencies to ensure that we understand fully what they value about this popular and important area of Jamaica Bay.”
The EA will be prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act to provide a decision-making framework that: 1) analyzes a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives; 2) evaluates potential issues and impacts to park resources and values; and 3) identifies mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts.
The public has two opportunities to formally comment on the project: during the public scoping period for the EA, and again during a 30-day public review following release of the EA. Public scoping comments about the proposed project may be submitted electronically from June 30 through July 30, 2014, at the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment web site:
Comments may be submitted online at http://www.nps.gov/gate/index.htm or mailed to the park at the following address:
Gateway National Recreation Area
ATTN: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, West Pond EA Comments
210 New York Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305.
Contact: Reina Becnel, Public Affairs
Phone Number: 718-354-4606
Download Press Release (PDF format)
Grants Announced June 16, 2014 from the Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Competitive Grant Program
June 16, 2014
In October 2012, a massive storm surge from Hurricane Sandy caused extensive damage to the eastern coast of the United States. In the weeks following the event, NFWF launched a fund to conduct rapid assessments of the ecological impacts of the storm and to support urgent
remedial actions.
In a race against the clock, NFWF worked with partners to restore beaches critical to Horseshoe Crabs and the threatened Red Knot. The investment resulted in a critical remedial action for fish and wildlife. By May, beaches were restored in time for thousands of Horseshoe Crabs to lay their eggs and initiate a feeding frenzy for the migrating Red Knot.
In August 2013, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced that NFWF would assist in administering the Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Competitive Grant Program which will support projects that reduce communities’ vulnerability to the growing risks from coastal storms, sea level rise, flooding, erosion and associated threats through strengthening natural ecosystems that also benefit fish and wildlife. ( see Grant Program Overview )
Download 2014 Grant List (PDF format)