Waterfront Justice Project
Waterfront Justice Project
In 2010, NYC-EJA launched our Waterfront Justice Project, New York City’s first citywide community resiliency campaign. When the City of New York initiated its overhaul of the Comprehensive Waterfront Plan (Vision 2020) in 2010, NYC-EJA began our advocacy campaign to convince the Bloomberg Administration to reform waterfront designations called Significant Maritime Industrial Areas, or SMIA’s. SMIA’s are zones designed to encourage the clustering/concentration of heavy industrial and polluting infrastructure uses. There are only six SMIA’s in the City – all classic “environmental justice” communities (i.e. – the South Bronx, Sunset Park, Red Hook, Newtown Creek, Brooklyn Navy Yard & North Shore of Staten Island) – predominantly low income communities of color. Development applications in SMIA’s are treated differently – and to a lower review standard – than other waterfront areas, thereby easing the siting and clustering of polluting infrastructure.
NYC-EJA discovered the six SMIA’s are all in storm surge zones, and that the City of New York had not analyzed the cumulative contamination exposure risks associated with clusters of heavy industrial use in such vulnerable locations. In collaboration with Pratt Institute, NYC-EJA prepared GIS maps showing the SMIA’s with storm surge zone overlays (see attached 2 of several maps). Following months of public testimony and media education by NYC-EJA and its members and allies, the Bloomberg Administration officials agreed in December 2010 to work with stakeholders on a reform agenda for SMIA community designations. In their March 2011 announcement of Vision 2020, the City officially announced its intention to reform SMIA’s and address related community resiliency/climate adaptation issues.
NYC-EJA Waterfront Revitalization Plan Testimony
The NYC Waterfront Revitalization Program, Part 1 (WRP overview & SMIA)
The NYC Waterfront Revitalization Program, Part 2 (WRP boundaries & Consistency Review)
Japan Tsunami, Katrina Memories Wash Into Waterfront Debate
A new city plan addressing competing claims on New York’s coastline draws praise. But there’s still plenty of debate over the details, especially over the risks that come with waterfront industry.
Draft Plan for Waterfront Promises Greenways, Silent on Ferries
With New York City in the midst of a wholesale rethinking of its more than 500 miles of waterfront, the Department of City Planning recently released a draft of its new comprehensive waterfront plan, Vision 2020.
Sandy Regional Assembly Recovery Agenda
Recovery from the ground up: Strategies for community-based resiliency in New York and New Jersey
On January 26, 2013 nearly 200 participants representing over 40 community, environmental justice, labor and civic groups from neighborhoods most impacted by Superstorm Sandy (and most vulnerable to future storm surges) convened the Sandy Regional Assembly to strategize how government officials should implement a Sandy rebuilding program. See: NY1 News coverage of Sandy Regional Assembly January 26th
On Monday April 1, 2013, these groups from across the NY-NJ region presented their Sandy Regional Assembly Recovery Agenda – a mix of suggested capital projects and policy recommendations – to advance 3 goals:
1) Integrate regional rebuilding efforts with local resiliency priorities;
2) Strengthen vulnerable communities & reduce public health threats, and
3) Expand community-based climate change planning, disaster preparedness & response.
The Sandy Regional Agenda will be presented to the federal Sandy Rebuilding Task Force chaired by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, Governors Cuomo & Christie, and Mayor Bloomberg.
Sandy Regional Assembly Recovery Agenda in the news:
. Fox 5 News:
Groups want more public input on storm rebuilding
. NY1:
Community-based task force offers advice on hurricane recovery
. City Limits:
A Grassroots Plan for Surviving Superstorms
. The New York World:
Rebuilding from the ground up
. WBAI Pacifica Radio 99.5FM:
A regional coalition demands a role in federal, state and city discussions over rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy
. Gotham Gazette:
Today’s Report: ‘Strategies for community-based resiliency in New York and New Jersey’
. News 12 Long Island:
Sandy Regional Assembly recommends grassroots Recovery Agenda
. Rooflines, The Shelterforce Blog. Published by The National Housing Institute
Recovery from the Grassroots
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