Congressman Dan Goldman Convenes Townhall to Improve Collaboration on Climate Resiliency Projects

Goldman Brings Together Local, State, and Federal Agencies to Update Community on Lower Manhattan Resiliency Projects
 
Watch a Recording of the Town Hall Here

New York, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) last night with Manhattan Community Board 1 brought together representatives from the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, NYC Parks, NYS Battery Park City Authority, U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers, and the NYC Department of Design and Construction for a town hall on climate resiliency projects in Lower Manhattan. The agencies gave updates to the community on the status of various projects ongoing throughout lower Manhattan that seek to address the impacts of climate change. Due to the multitude of projects that are happening simultaneously by a number of different agencies, there is often confusion and a lack of collaboration between agencies responsible for these projects, and the communities these projects happen in are too often left out of the process
 
Congressman Goldman convened this meeting to address these concerns and lay the foundation for better communication going forward.
 
“While we can all agree that climate change presents some of the most pressing issues facing our communities today, the often disjointed approach to resiliency projects leads to inefficiency and a lack of transparency,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “By bringing together the relevant agencies that are working to mitigate the impacts of climate change, we are ensuring that our processes are streamlined and complementary. My hope is that we will continue to have these conversations going forward so that we can all be better equipped to protect our communities from climate change well into the future.”
 
Chairperson of Manhattan Community Board 1 Tammy Meltzer said, “I would like to thank Representative Goldman for working with CB 1 to bring together all of the important players for Lower Manhattan Resiliency! The Congressman immediately seized on how important coordination will be between the incredible public servants of the city, state, and federal agencies to maximize the protection, engagement, and public benefits all with a watchful eye on costs."
 
Following updates given by the agencies, community members were able to ask questions and have their concerns heard. Members of the Lower Manhattan community were able to receive clarity on flood protecting projects as well as plans to expand climate resiliency to additional areas of Lower Manhattan. The community was specifically interested in the creation of a taskforce of agencies, partners, and community members to ensure consistent communication and progress on climate resiliency actions.
 
As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, Congressman Goldman continues to make mitigating the impacts of climate change a core issue priority during his first term.
 
Earlier this month, the Congressman convened a Town Hall for community members in Gowanus and Red Hook to hear from the US Army Corps of Engineers and successfully secured an extension to the public comment deadline on planned climate resiliency projects in the Brooklyn neighborhoods.
 
He also cosponsored the Energy Resilient Communities Act to maintain critical infrastructure in the aftermath of extreme weather events.

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