Brooklyn pols seek vital flood mitigation funds

Climate resiliency strategies for borough halls, courthouses, city office buildings are on the table

March 4, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Flash flooding in DUMBO in July of 2019. Eagle file photo by Mary Frost

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U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-West Brooklyn-Downtown Manhattan) recently joined Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-Manhattan) and seven fellow members of the New York City Congressional delegation in a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in support of New York City’s applications for nearly $117 million in funding through the ‘Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities’ (BRIC) and ‘Flood Mitigation Assistance’ (FMA) grant programs.

In the past few years, several heavy floods have hit Brooklyn, including a historic flood last September, one in 2021 that has been described as the remnant of Hurricane Ida, and one in 2019. Brooklyn has also been hit by major storms such as Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which flooded much of the borough’s coastline; and a year earlier, Hurricane Irene, which produced a storm surge of 4.36 feet at Coney Island.

If awarded, these 10 projects would significantly improve the future of New York City, allowing for “shovel-ready” climate resiliency projects to begin and for the planning of future projects. These capital projects will specifically reduce the impact of climate change and extreme weather events for New York’s most vulnerable communities.

Rep. Dan GoldmanPhoto: Craig Ruttle/AP — Rep. Dan Goldman. Photo: Craig Ruttle/AP

While several of these projects are expected to protect the entire coastline, only one, the “Flood Hazard Scoping Study for Vulnerable Multi-Service Community Centers,” is described as applying specifically to Brooklyn locations. It would explore flood-mitigation studies for five HRA centers in the city, including two in Brooklyn.

One measure, which would develop mitigation strategies for public buildings, would certainly include Brooklyn. According to Goldman’s statement, it would “include buildings such as City Hall, borough halls, courts and other administrative buildings that are critical to civic operations of New York City.

Brooklyn Borough Hall, the Brooklyn Municipal Building across the street from it, and the various Brooklyn courthouses in the Downtown area fall into this category.

Elsewhere in the city, specific locations targeted in the initiative include several locations in Harlem; East Elmhurst, Queens; the NYPD shooting range in Rodman’s Neck, The Bronx, and more.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-Brooklyn, talks with reporters outside the White House. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

“The city is a national leader in resilience and mitigation and has been a successful and impactful steward of federal natural hazard mitigation and resilience funded projects,” the lawmakers wrote. “We are strong advocates for agencies seeking funding sources such as BRIC and FMA. Critically, we recognize the value of implementation and will support these projects in efficiently building resilient and cost-effective infrastructure for New Yorkers.

“With so many New Yorkers facing flood risk and vulnerability to natural hazards, we have a moral imperative to protect our residents and advance infrastructure protection efforts throughout the city,” their statement said.

U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke. Photo: John McCarten/New York City Council

The letter was also signed by two more Brooklyn congresspersons, both Democrats: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, whose district stretches from Coney Island to East New York and then west to Williamsburg; and Rep. Yvette Clarke, whose district stretches from Gravesend to Crown Heights.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican whose district includes Southwest Brooklyn and all of Staten Island, was not listed as one of the signatories.