Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and State Assemblywoman Joanne Simon held a joint press conference today on Ida Flooding calling out Mayor Bill DeBlasio on flawed data and planning

This morning at 11 am, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and State Assemblywoman Joanne Simon held a joint press conference on the banks of the Gowanus Canal at the Whole Foods esplanade. 

They both spoke of the urgent need for the Gowanus Rezoning Environmental Impact Statement to reflect accurate information, use current, rather than the out dated data it now spews and to correct the inaccuracies and inconsistencies pointed out by EPA Region 2. 

Simply put, the Draft EIS is neither good enough or accurate and must be revisited and redone. 

Most importantly they stressed the absolute necessity that the Canal’s ongoing remediation and eventual clean up and therefore, the health and safety of our community not be compromised.

Compliance with EPA decisions and Administrative orders must be adhered to. 

We cannot ignore climate change, our totally outdated infrastructure as evidenced by the disastrous and tragic Events brought on by Hurricane Ida and welcome thousands and thousands more residents to Gowanus at the same time. 

We cannot ignore that Gowanus, for the most part, is a flood zone. It simply cannot be “business as usual” in Gowanus.

A letter to Mayor DeBlasio written jointly by Rep Velazquez and Assemblywoman Simon Is below. Please read and send your support of this letter to Mayor DeBlasio. 

Contact the Mayor: https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/contact-the-mayor.page

Contact the Mayor on Twitter. https://twitter.com/nycmayorsoffice?lang=en

Write to the Mayor Online. https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/mayor-contact.page

For more info:  https://www1.nyc.gov/site/planning/applicants/env-review/gowanus.page

Below:  Image of Brownstone Residence Basement Flooding on 2nd St near Smith Street in Carroll Gardens during Hurricane Ida last week

CG CORD