Eco-park to restore polluted Canarsie wetlands

01.19.10

The City of New York has announced a $15 million project to clean up 38 acres of wetlands adjacent to the Paerdegat Basin Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Facility on Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn.  According to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the project–slated for completion in 2012–will begin this Spring to improve water quality in the Paerdegat Basin by re-introducing native plants to the salt marsh and grassland habitats.

Central to the success of the project is an improved Combined Sewer Overflow facility.  The current facility is unable to treat the full volume of sewage entering the plant, forcing the overflow of untreated sewage into the Paerdegat Basin, especially during heavy rains.  Improvements will increase the capacity of the facility to 50 million gallons of raw sewage, restore the shoreline to improve storm water absorption and create a 5-acre “Ecology Park,” allowing the public access to the restored wetlands and an educational center with exhibits about coastal habitats.  The project is funded by a portion of the $220 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding received by the City for water infrastructure improvements through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

(via The New York Post and The Brooklyn Eagle)

Tags: infrastructure, New York City, parks, reclamation, recreation, urban planning