Page 13 - The Indian EYE 121225

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline DECEMBER 12, 2025 | The Indian Eye 13

Mayor Adams announces $68 Million Plan

to tackle Flash Flooding, Protect NYC

against Extreme Weather Events

Builds on Adams Administration’s Environmental Resiliency Work,

Including $146 Million Plan for Flooding Prevention at Jewel Streets in East New York

OUR BUREAU helping protect Prospect Park and
the surrounding neighborhoods
NEW YORK, NY
from flooding, which is critical as cli-
ew York City Mayor Eric mate change leads to more extreme
Adams, New York City De- weather events,” said NYC Parks
Npartment of Environmental Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa.
Protection (DEP) Commissioner “We look forward to working with our
Rohit T. Aggarwala, New York City partners to bring an inventive Blue-
Department of Parks & Recreation belt system to Prospect Park, com-
(NYC Parks) Commissioner Iris Ro- plementing the ongoing Lakeshore
driguez-Rosa, and the Prospect Park improvement project, and making
Alliance (PPA) have announced the ‘Brooklyn’s Backyard’ an integral
city’s plan to protect Brooklyn from part of New York City’s sustainable
flash flooding caused by climate future.”
change. The Adams administration “Prospect Park plays an essential
has allocated $68 million to build role in the health and well-being of
Brooklyn’s first Bluebelt in Prospect Conceptual rendering of restored pond that will drain Flatbush Avenue our community, and through this
Park and continue to restore the Bluebelt initiative, it will play an
park’s lakeshore. The Bluebelt will and help protect the zoo from flash flooding. Credit: DEP even more important role in pro-
use nature-based solutions — en- tecting our community from severe
hancing the park’s lake and wetlands storms and flooding,” said Morgan
— to manage intense rainfall. With up Monaco, president, PPA. “This proj-
to $50 million allocated from DEP for ect demonstrates the importance of
the Bluebelt, this investment comple- our city parks and green spaces as a
ments PPA’s ongoing $20 million lake- first line of defense against climate
shore restoration plan. These actions change and supports the work we are
will help protect Prospect Park, the accomplishing through our Lake-
Prospect Park Zoo, and surround- shore restoration, which will greatly
ing neighborhoods against extreme enhance Brooklyn’s only lake for the
weather events. benefit of all our visitors.”
“Today’s announcement marks The Adams administration’s
a major step forward in protecting investment comes after a year-long
Brooklyn from the growing threat study by DEP of flooding in the
of climate-driven flash flooding,” surrounding Brooklyn communities
said Mayor Adams. “By investing and how stormwater moves through
up to $68 million to create Brook- Prospect Park during heavy rain.
lyn’s first-ever Bluebelt at the iconic Lakeshore waterfront restoration master plan and rendering. Credit: Prospect Park Alliance Together with NYC Parks and the
Prospect Park, we’re harnessing the PPA, the nonprofit that operates
power of nature-based solutions to “By using Prospect Park to man- ing neighborhood. Thanks to the the park in partnership with the city,
strengthen the park’s lake and wet- age stormwater, we’re turning one partnership with NYC Parks and the DEP studied the park’s landscape
lands, and better manage intense of Brooklyn’s most cherished pub- Prospect Park Alliance, we are able and water systems to find ways to
rainfall. Working hand-in-hand with lic spaces into a powerful tool for to implement creative solutions that improve drainage. The study found
the Prospect Park Alliance, this climate resilience,” said DEP Com- will benefit both the park and the that during intense storms, rainwater
project will safeguard Prospect Park, missioner Aggarwala. “This project community.” often rushes over the ground instead
the Prospect Park Zoo, and the sur- brings Brooklyn its first Bluebelt and “Our public parks are more than of flowing into the park’s 60-acre
rounding communities for genera- demonstrates how restoring and en- just beautiful places to take in the lake, leading to flash flooding. The
tions to come. We are proud to make hancing the park’s natural drainage scenery — they are also natural in- 150-year-old lake also has limited ca-
this investment in resilience, sustain- not only preserves its scenic water- frastructure making our city more pacity, which can cause it to overflow
ability, and the future of Brooklyn.” ways but also protects the surround- resilient. With this investment, we’re and strain the sewer system.

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