MINDS IN THE GUTTER call for submissions seeks stormwater designs!
By kate_zidar | January 7, 2010
MINDS IN THE GUTTER call for submissions seeks designs for stormwater management
in the public right-of-way for juried exhibition and resource guide.
Contact: Kate Zidar, info@mindsinthegutter.org, 718 909 5580
Minds in the Gutter - a project of the Stormwater Infrastructure Matters (SWIM) Coalition, NYC Environmental Fund and North Brooklyn Compost Project - is currently accepting submissions for innovative design solutions that manage runoff from roadways within the public right of way (that’s public space, streets and sidewalks).
Submissions must be received before 5pm on February 15, 2010. Details for submitting your project can be found online at www.mindsinthegutter.org.
Topics: Events, News, storm water runoff | No Comments »
SWIM Public Meeting: January 14, 2010, 2-4pm
By kate_zidar | January 5, 2010
Come kick off the new decade by supporting the urban watershed with SWIM Coalition!
January 14, 2009
2pm - 4pm
NYC Soil and Water Conservation District
121 Sixth Avenue, Conference Room
New York, NY 10013
Agenda:
- Presentation by Michael Heimbinder of HabitatMap, an “environmental health justice organization that leverages community knowledge to achieve just and sustainable urban places.”
- 2010 Goals and Workplan
- Minds in the Gutter call for submissions
- Update on the Long Term Control Plans
Planning to attend? Let us know at swimmablenyc@gmail.com!
Topics: meetings | No Comments »
Grant Announcement: Flushing-Gowanus Initiative
By raissa_dally | November 30, 2009
Follow this link for the PDF: Grant_Flushing-Gowanus_Initiative
Flushing Bay and Gowanus Canal Watershed Initiative
Stormwater Best Management Practices and Low Impact Development
Grant Program
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is
soliciting stormwater best management practice (BMP) and low impact
development (LID) proposals for the Gowanus Canal and Flushing Bay
watersheds. This project was undertaken in connection with the
settlement of an enforcement action taken by New York State and DEC for
violations of New York State law and DEC regulations.
DEP will award several grants to projects that help to remove stormwater
from the combined sewer system and treat urban stormwater runoff prior
to being discharged into local waterways. Examples of methods of
achieving this include the following:
* Improving stormwater runoff quality by directly removing
pollutants.
* Improving stormwater quality through soil or other media
* Increasing retention time to allow for greater soil
infiltration
* Improving or adding retention capacity
* Improving or adding detention capacity
* Reducing Combined Sewer Overflow volumes and floatable debris
from stormwater runoff.
A total of $2,900,000 will be available for potential projects. DEP
plans to award $1,450,000 for projects within the Gowanus Canal
watershed and $1,450,000 within the Flushing Bay watershed. The
breakdown of grant awards is expected to be:
* Up to five $20,000 grants for each watershed and
* Up to three $450,000 grants for each watershed.
While the work must be completed within these watersheds, individuals,
community and environmental groups, universities and other organizations
that are not based in the Gowanus or Flushing watersheds are still
encouraged to apply. The start of the application process is expected to
begin in late Fall 2009 with a period of proposal development of
approximately two months. Additional information regarding the program
will be available in Fall 2009 on this page.
Topics: Resources | No Comments »
New D.E.P. Commiss: Caswell F. Holloway
By raissa_dally | November 30, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 513-09
November 30, 2009
MAYOR BLOOMBERG APPOINTS CASWELL F. HOLLOWAY AS COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today appointed Caswell F. Holloway as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection. Holloway currently serves as Chief of Staff to Deputy Mayor for Operations Edward Skyler and as Special Advisor to Mayor Bloomberg. Since 2006, he has been tasked with spearheading solutions to some of the City’s most complex issues. For instance, he took a leading role in the writing and implementation of the Administration’s report on the health impacts of September 11th and led negotiations on 9/11 health legislation that has been introduced in both houses of Congress. Following the tragic fire at 130 Liberty Street, he led a comprehensive review of abatement and demolition operations that resulted in a recently completed overhaul of the asbestos abatement process. He also played a lead role in developing the City’s comprehensive cleanup plan for the Gowanus Canal, and in the passage and implementation of the City’s new Solid Waste Management Plan. He will replace Acting Commissioner Steven Lawitts, who has served as Acting Commissioner since the departure of Commissioner Emily Lloyd last October. The Mayor announced the appointment in the Blue Room of City Hall, where he was joined by Deputy Mayor Skyler. Commissioner Holloway will begin work at the Department of Environmental Protection in January.
Please follow this link for the rest of the press release: http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2009b%2Fpr513-09.html&cc=unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=1
Topics: News | No Comments »
Sewers at Capacity, Pollution Spills into Waterways
By dawn_henning | November 24, 2009
Great to see CSOs in the NY Times Sunday paper… Enjoy!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/us/23sewer.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1
Topics: News | No Comments »
EVENTS: 2 Upcoming Events- Stormwater Management Design & Energy Efficient Buildings
By raissa_dally | November 19, 2009
Click here for a printable flyer of the “Stormwater Planning and Design“ event on December 2nd
Click here for the printable flyer of the “Energy Efficiency and Existing Buildings” on December 4th
Topics: Events | No Comments »
EVENT: Jackson Heights Green Agenda / La Agenda Verde de Jackson Heights
By raissa_dally | November 6, 2009
The S.W.I.M. Coalition will be at this event!
What would a greener Jackson Heights Look Like?
Come! Bring your ideas and get involved in planning our future!
What: The Green Agenda for Jackson Heights
When: Saturday, November 7, 2009
Visioning Activities: 11am-1pm
Environmental Fair: 10am-2pm
Where: The Renaissance Charter School
35-59 81st St., Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Refreshments provided.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: adioguardi@qchnyc.org or 718-898-7461 ext. 31
¿Cómo se vería un Jackson Heights más Verde?
Ven! Comparte tus ideas y participa en la planificación de nuestro futuro!
Qué: La Agenda Verde de Jackson Heights
Cuándo: Sábado, 7 de noviembre de 2009
11am-1pm
Feria Ambiental 10am –2pm.
Dónde: Escuela Renaissance Charter
35-59 81st St., Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Se servirán refrescos
Para más información contacta a: adioguardi@qchnyc.org or 718-898-7461 ext. 31
Topics: Events | No Comments »
PHOTO: Swimming in Zurich
By raissa_dally | October 9, 2009
This in from Mike of culturesystem.org:
“Came accross this photo of people swimming in a river that runs through Zurich. I thought it was a beautiful image, the idea of being able to swim in a river in a city. Thought maybe you’d like to share it with your readers.”
Photo by Severin Koller:
http://severinkoller.at/blog/
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
ARTICLE: “Breaking ground with a $1.6 billion plan to tame water”
By raissa_dally | September 29, 2009
The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Breaking ground with a $1.6 billion plan to tame water”
by Sandy Bauers
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
ARTICLE: “NYC Gets $220 Million Clean Water Stimulus Grant”
By raissa_dally | September 21, 2009
From Stormwater Authority: http://www.stormwaterauthority.org/library/view_article.aspx?id=1348
New York City Gets $220 Million Clean Water Stimulus Grant
The city will receive $2 million to reduce flooding from heavy rains in the boroughs of Staten Island, the Bronx, and Queens by transforming existing roadway drainage into green infrastructure that the officials said will beautify neighborhoods and protect local waterways from untreated stormwater runoff.
To accomplish these objectives, the city will plant trees, build street planters, and landscape rain swales, which will capture and store more water during heavy rains. The Corporation has worked closely with the Mayor’s Office and New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to address flooding hotspots in neighborhoods such as Cambria Heights and Far Rockaway in Queens and Pelham Parkway in the Bronx.
Project construction is expected to begin next January and be completed in January 2012, at which time the property will be maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
The city will receive $20 million to restore 38 acres of wetlands and natural grasslands adjacent to the Paerdegat Basin Combined Sewer Overflow Facility located on the shores of Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn.
With nearly 500,000 residents living in the drainage area of the basin, stormwater runoff has increased five-fold annually since the 1930s. The city will implement an environmentally friendly stormwater management plan by reintroducing local vegetation, restoring the shoreline, and constructing a large catch basin to prevent rainwater runoff and street litter from reaching Jamaica Bay.
p> When the project is completed, five acres of parkland will become the Ecology Park, which will offer open access to salt marshes and grassland areas with permeable pavement walkways and viewing platforms. The park will include exhibits so that schools and tourists can learn about the coastal habitats in the New York City region.
Project construction is expected to be completed in January 2012 and then the property will be maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
The bulk of the Recovery Act funding will be spent on energy efficiency and equipment upgrades to save money and improve water quality at wastewater treatment facilities in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx.
Calling the funding “important and urgently needed,” Governor Paterson said, “These projects will provide a bounty to New York City by saving money through increased energy efficiency, protecting our waterways through improved wastewater treatment, reducing flooding after heavy rains and restoring precious wetlands.”
“The city has tremendous infrastructure needs and this funding is an important down payment on protecting and improving our urban waterways,” the governor said.
“We have the nation’s most sweeping urban environmental agenda, so we leave our children a greener, healthier city,” said Mayor Bloomberg.
“The infusion of stimulus dollars for water projects will bolster our aggressive programs and help us improve water quality in our rivers and bays, reduce flooding in areas that have long suffered from stormwater flooding – particularly in Southeast Queens, fund open space and open street greening projects and create jobs quickly with projects that will all begin in the next few months,” said the mayor.
Both officials thanked President Barack Obama and the New York Congressional Delegation for ensuring that money to help resolve New York’s water quality problems was included in the economic stimulus package.
This is not the first Recovery Act clean water funding New York has received.
In April, U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson awarded New York State a $432 million clean water grant from the stimulus package.
Since then, Governor Paterson has announced 39 clean water projects totaling more than $560 million that will receive financial assistance from the stimulus program in combination with Environmental Facilities Corporation low-interest Clean Water State Revolving Fund financing.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2009. All rights reserved.
Topics: News | No Comments »
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