The Plan for Jamaica Bay
We recently joined with Brooklyn and Queens elected officials, community leaders, and environmental advocates to announce a $400 million plan to further improve the ecological health of Jamaica Bay. The plan includes an array of waterbody improvement projects including 50 acres of wetland restoration, seven acres of ribbed mussel installations, and environmental dredging — all of which will result in a healthier Jamaica Bay. The projects will also deliver economic, social, and ancillary environmental benefits, including healthier air and lower summer temperatures due to the addition of a significant number of new trees and plants. The plan was submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on July 2, and if approved, planning and design could begin as soon as 2019.
In order to continue restoring essential functions to Jamaica Bay, we are proposing significant investments in the restoration of wetlands and salt marshes. Ribbed mussels have also proven to be particularly effective at filtering impurities from the water and the plan calls for substantial installations in several of the Jamaica Bay tributaries. In addition, we will continue to expand the successful Green Infrastructure program to the communities surrounding the Bay.
The Plan calls for:
- Jamaica Bay (including Northern Channel, Inner-Bay and Rockaway Shore): 16 acres of wetland restoration
- Thurston Basin: 147 acres of green infrastructure expansion; 3 acres of ribbed mussel installations
- Bergen Basin: 323 acres of green infrastructure expansion; 232 greened acres within the watershed; 50,000 cubic yards of sediment removed through environmental dredging; 4 acres of ribbed mussel installations
- Spring Creek: 13 acres of wetland restoration
- Hendrix Creek: 3 acres of wetland restoration
- Fresh Creek: 14 acres of wetland restoration
- Paerdegat Basin: 4 acres of wetland restoration
