- Sarah Crean on Exclusive: Proposed policy would allow industries to self-audit pollution-generating activities
- David Howard King on Bronx senator's health quest
- Cristian Salazar and Carla Murphy on Stops lawsuit given class status
- Cristian Salazar on NYC Council passes banking bill
- David Howard King on Senate Dems Look to Nat'l Issues
Waterfront Reports:
Sewage Overflows Caused By Sandy
Superstorm Sandy caused 11 billion gallons of partially or untreated sewage - the equivalent of Central Park stacked 41 feet high - to leak into rivers, lakes, and waterways, according to this report by Climate Central. New York City reported six sewage spills larger than 100,000,000 gallons, and 28 larger than 1 million gallons. New York authorities estimate it will cost nearly $2 billion to repair flood damaged sewage treatment facilities. Sewage overflow is common in the city, although not on this scale, and climate change will only make things worse, the group warns: "Climate change is making sewage treatment plants more vulnerable to major failures and overflows due to rising seas, more intense coastal storms, and increasingly heavy precipitation events." 2013-04-30
Infrastructure budget drops
According to an analysis by the New York Building Congress, 2010 was the capital investment peak of the Bloomberg Administration, with spending at $10.5 billion. Spending dropped to $9.5 billion in '11, and the city is on target to spend $9.1 billion in the current fiscal year. But the $7.2 billion of projected spending in '16 is a reduction of $3.3 billion from the '10 peak.
2012-07-17
Beach Water Quality
New York state ranks 19th in the nation for the quality of its beachwater this year, with 9 percent of samples exceeding national standards in 2010, according the NRDC. 2011-06-30
Enhancing the Waterfront
The Planning Department recently released this draft report of recommendations on how to enhance the city's waterfront and waterways. It outlines goals and policies for the entire city and for individual segments.
2010-10-08
Report Card on Beaches
With warm weather finally here, New Yorkers for Parks has released its report card on New York's seven city beaches. The report found conditions improved somewhat since 2007 but said "New York City's 14 miles of public beaches still need additional maintenance attention." 2009-08-14
Preserving Jamaica Bay
With the marshes of Jamaica Bay rapidly disappearing, the city Department of Environmental Protection has issued a two-volume report proposing strategies to restore and maintain the vital wildlife habitat. Among other measures, the Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan calls for reducing discharges into the bay. Such discharges, particularly of nitrogen from wastewater treatment plants, have been blamed for much of the area’s degradation. 2007-10-10
Grading Beaches
New Yorkers for Parks has issued a report card on the seven Department of Parks and Recreation beaches. The advocacy group rated them in four areas – bathrooms, drinking fountains, pathways and shoreline – and concluded, “Overall, beach performance is poor.” Midland Park on Staten Island got the highest grades, while, under the report’s ratings, Coney Island/Brighton Beach and Wolfe’s Pond scored worst. 2007-07-18
Caring For Emerging Waterfront Parks
New York City’s tremendous success in revitalizing its waterfront will require about $ 100 million a year to meet new management and operating needs, according a new report by Regional Plan Association. Close to 700 acres and 58 miles of new waterfront parks, greenways and other public spaces are being created in all five boroughs. To ensure that this legacy is well maintained and managed in the public interest, the Association has recommended more than a dozen specific policy recommendations to ensure that responsible public agencies have the resources and authority to take a primary stewardship role. 2007-06-17
Staten Island Ferry Fare
The Independent Budget Office estimates that if the Staten Island Ferry would start charging a fare of one dollar, but charge it only to tourists (commuters who lived or worked in Staten Island would be exempt), “costs would exceed fare revenues within the first seven years of operation. At a fare of two dollars, however, there would be an operating surplus for the foreseeable future.” All passengers have ridden the ferry for free since 1997, when a 50-cent fare was eliminated. 2006-11-13
