PHOTO: State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr., (pictured) has planned a rain barrel giveaway for April 30 in Howard Beach; while Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder and City Councilman Eric Ulrich will be in Broad Channel on April 17 co-sponsoring their own free rain barrel event. Courtesy of NYS Senate
By Forum Staff
Three area elected officials are sponsoring rain barrel giveaways this month in Broad Channel and Howard Beach.
Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach) and City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) are partnering with the Department of Environmental Protection on Sunday, April 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Broad Channel American Legion Hall at 209 Cross Bay Blvd. to provide homeowners with free rain barrels to help reduce home water bills and encourage water conservation.
“Rain barrels are a great way for families to reduce their water usage. Not only does this translate into real savings on monthly water bills, it also helps protect our sewer system and reduce street flooding,” Goldfeder said.
The assemblyman and Ulrich are urging homeowners to reserve their free barrels online ahead of April 17.
“These rain barrels will help Broad Channel homeowners save on their water bills while protecting the environment and easing street flooding,” Ulrich said.
According to the DEP, the barrels can be used to capture and manage water runoff during rain storms. This can help prevent the city’s sewer system from being overwhelmed by heavy rains, which leads to street flooding and pollution. The program also helps homeowners reduce costs on their water and sewer usage bills by capturing rain water for use in gardens and yards, or for washing cars.
At Sunday’s event, approximately 200 rain barrels will be provided. In order to claim a barrel, homeowners are required to pre-register by visiting FreeRainBarrelEvent.com. Anyone with questions regarding the event should contact either Goldfeder’s office at (718) 945-9550, or Ulrich at (718) 738-1083.
State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) and DEP have also planned a rain barrel giveaway on Saturday, April 30, at New York Families for Autistic Children’s Autism Center, located at 164-14 Cross Bay Blvd. Those who pre-register to receive a rain barrel at this event may pick theirs up from 10 a.m. to noon, and any remaining barrels will be given away from noon to 2 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis.
“Using rain barrels, which are designed to catch excess rain water, can have a major impact on our environment if we all take advantage of their benefits,” said Addabbo, a member of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. “Simple tasks such as watering plants or washing a car can be completed by using rain water already naturally available to us, rather than clean drinking water from our homes. Not only will this go a long way to help preserve water, but it will save homeowners money in the long run by not having to pay for water needed to carry out everyday household chores.”
Earlier this month, Addabbo co-hosted a rain barrel giveaway with Assemblymembers Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) and Cathy Nolan (D-Long Island City), in partnership with DEP, at the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council building on Summerfield Street in Ridgewood.
To register to receive a rain barrel on April 30, visit nysenate.gov/questionnaires/joseph-p-addabbo-jr/rain-barrel-giveaway-pre-registration. For more information, contact Addabbo’s Howard Beach district office at (718) 738-1111.
