The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) along with Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez and other local elected officials, will host a town hall tonight, February 23, concerning the Army Corps’ plan to address climate resiliency in New York and New Jersey.

The Army Corps plans to construct a series of seawalls and storm surge gates in order to prevent flooding effects surely promised by the impending climate crisis. They have put forth a series of potential options, as detailed in an over 500-page plan released last year, though they currently favor alternative 3B. This option would include 12 storm surge gates and other massive pieces of infrastructure such as floodwalls, barriers, and levees. For Greenpoint, this would mean a storm surge gate at the mouth of Newtown Creek, connecting to a series of seawalls around the waterfront. The seawall could be as tall as 17 ft.

“The Army Corps estimates construction on the $52 billion project would begin in 2030 and be complete by 2044. The project must be first approved by federal, state and local officials and funded before any of the work can start,” reports THE CITY.

As part of that approval process, the Army Corps will solicit feedback from community members and stakeholders. As of now, the plan has received some pushback from the community, including Newtown Creek Alliance, which says that this plan does not adequately address concerns about rising sea levels. The group is also concerned about the potential effects the Newtown Creek gate could have on the water’s ecosystem.

“The structure, as proposed, would reduce the existing 400’ wide opening to just 130’,” the group said in a statement in November. “We need to better understand how this permanent restriction to water flow would impact the Creek’s water quality, sediment deposition, fish and marine wildlife passage, Superfund remedies, as well as maritime and recreational use near the mouth.”

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The meeting will take place online and in person at Triskelion Arts (106 Calyer Street) TONIGHT, from 7-9 PM. Though the event has reached its cap for in-person attendees, you’re still encouraged to sign up for Zoom online.

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