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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                  APRIL 10, 2026    |  The Indian Eye 17

                                 Completed snow operations facility                   New bike-friendly grate (background) and slotted manhole cover (foreground)

            lies beneath the surface. The facility  hotspot,  the  administration’s  broad- it  comes  to  protecting  New  York- handling  increasingly  volatile  condi-
            clears  space  for  a  major  Combined   er $108 million plan targets systemic   ers,”  she  said.  “We’re  seeing  more   tions.
            Sewage Overflow (CSO) system — a  vulnerabilities across the city’s vast  intense rainfall than ever, and these   Mamdani’s framing of resilience
            cornerstone of the federal Superfund   drainage network.            investments… will help keep streets   as an “affordability strategy” reflects
            cleanup of the Gowanus Canal.         New  York  City  operates  more   passable, protect communities from   this shift. By investing upfront in in-
                The   planned   infrastructure   than 150,000 catch basins — curbside  flooding, and ensure our stormwater  frastructure, the administration ar-
            includes  a  4-million-gallon  under- grates that channel stormwater into   system is ready for climate challenges.” gues,  the  city  can  avoid  far  greater
            ground  storage  tank  designed  to   a 7,500-mile sewer system. These ba-  Kerson added that the initiative   costs  associated  with  flood  damage,
            capture  sewage  that  would  other-  sins are critical to preventing street  combines  “data-driven  inspections,  environmental  cleanup  and  emer-
            wise spill into the canal during heavy  flooding,  yet  many  are  outdated  or  modern  equipment  and  long-term  gency response.
            rainstorms.  By  intercepting  these   prone to blockage.           capital  upgrades,”  signaling  a  shift   This approach also seeks to inte-
            overflows, the system aims to signifi-  Under the new plan, the city will   toward more proactive infrastructure  grate environmental goals with every-
            cantly reduce pollution in one of New  replace 6,708 older catch basins over  management.             day services — from snow removal to
            York’s most contaminated waterways.  the next decade, beginning with work                             waste management — ensuring that
                DEP  Commissioner  Lisa  F.  in Queens this July. The redesigned   Climate Change Driving Policy  climate  policy  is  embedded  in  rou-
            Garcia stressed the urgency of such   basins incorporate modern standards,   Underlying  both  the  Brooklyn   tine governance rather than treated
            measures.  “Every  season  now  tests   including  improved  water  flow  and   project and the citywide upgrades is   as a separate agenda.
            our  resilience,  and  New  York  City  bike-friendly  features,  addressing  a  growing  recognition  that  climate
            is meeting that challenge with smart,  both safety and functionality.  change is reshaping urban risk.   Community Engagement
            climate-ready investments,” she said.   The investment builds on a sep-  Officials  repeatedly  pointed  to     and Design
            She noted that the CSO system will  arate $20 million purchase of 40 ad- more frequent snowstorms, extreme   A notable feature of the Gowanus
            help  “protect  the  waterway  against  vanced  catch  basin  cleaning  trucks,  cold  spells  and  heavier  rainfall  as   project is its emphasis on public en-
            more  frequent  rainstorms,”  linking  aimed at improving maintenance and   drivers of the new investments. The  gagement and neighborhood identity.
            local environmental restoration to   responsiveness.                convergence  of  these  threats  has  The facility’s design incorporates ele-
            broader climate trends.               Garcia  highlighted  the  impor- forced cities like New York to rethink  ments reflecting the area’s industrial
                The Gowanus project is only part  tance of these smaller-scale interven- infrastructure not as static systems   heritage,  including  sculptural  con-
            of a larger network. A second facility  tions. “No project is too small when   but as adaptive networks capable of  crete and textured metal.
            in Red Hook will add another 8 mil-                                                                       Officials say the project followed
            lion  gallons  of  storage  capacity.  To-                                                            extensive consultation with residents,
            gether, the systems will capture up to                                                                shaping  both  its  aesthetic  and  func-
            12 million gallons of overflow during                                                                 tional  components.  District  Manag-
            storms — a substantial step toward                                                                    er  Michael  Racioppo  credited  this
            mitigating decades of pollution.                                                                      process  with  ensuring  the  develop-
                Assembly Member Jo Anne Si-                                                                       ment  aligns  with  community  priori-
            mon described the combined efforts                                                                    ties. “This progress has been shaped
            as a “win-win,” highlighting improve-                                                                 through  meaningful  public  engage-
            ments in both water quality and oper-                                                                 ment, ensuring these facilities reflect
            ational capacity. “The new facilities                                                                 Gowanus itself,” he said.
            and  tank  will  not  only  improve  the                                                                  Future phases will expand on this
            water quality in the Gowanus Canal,                                                                   approach,  including  the  restoration
            but also strengthen our city’s ability                                                                of  public  education  spaces  and  the
            to  manage  snow  operations  and  ex-                                                                creation of two acres of waterfront
            pand composting,” she said.                                                                           open  space.  Plans  include  tidal  wet-
                                                                                                                  lands, a kayak launch and community
                Citywide Sewer Overhaul                                                                           programming  areas  —  an  effort  to
                While  the  Gowanus  project  ad-              New specialized catch basin cleaning vehicle       blend infrastructure with accessible
            dresses  a  specific  environmental                                                                   public amenities.

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