By Michael V. Cusenza
Over the weekend, President Joe Biden signed into law a bill that seeks to combat excessive flooding in Queens, according to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Reps. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Queens and Bronx), who ushered the legislation through Congress.
The measure aims to address severe flooding like the type that Queens experienced from the remnants of Hurricane Ida and other storms. It authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers – in working with the City of New York – to spend nearly $190 million to enhance and upgrade environmental infrastructure in the borough such as improving water and wastewater infrastructure, storm water management and combined sewer overflows.
Biden signed the legislation as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, a key bill passed by Congress last month that funds water infrastructure projects across the country.
The bill’s enactment comes after Meng, Ocasio-Cortez and Schumer passed legislation into law last year that authorized the Army Corps to spend $120 million for similar flood mitigation projects in Queens (which was included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2022).
“Borough residents have not forgotten the devastation that Queens endured from Hurricane Ida and other heavy rainfall, and the threat of more floodwaters gushing down local streets and into homes and businesses will continue unless we act to protect our communities,” said Meng. “Hurricane Ida killed several of my constituents and caused extensive damage in my congressional district, and I saw firsthand the devastating impact that the storm had on the area. Lives and property cannot be put at risk. Mitigating this type of dangerous and widespread flooding remains a top priority of mine, and I’m proud to keep up the fight for the upgrades that Queens needs and deserves.”
Overall, Queens County—particularly southern Queens—has a major risk from flooding, according to First Street, a climate risk data organization. There are 100,908 properties in Queens that have risk of flooding over the next 30 years. This represents 31.1 percent of all properties in The World’s Borough.
According to First Street flood-recreation models, there have been three major flooding events in Queens: Superstorm Sandy (2012), Hurricane Irene (2011), and a Nor’easter in 2009.
The new law allows the Army Corps to spend the money to address the problem of flooding, and now that the measure has been enacted, Congress must allocate the funding for it so that the Corps can move forward with needed improvements.
“I’m proud to support this legislation which authorizes federal funding to combat flooding in Queens, which has caused immense damage to roads, businesses and homes, and even tragic loss of life following major storms like Hurricane Ida,” Schumer said. “I’ve worked hard with Representatives Meng and Ocasio-Cortez to secure more critical federal support for the Army Corps of Engineers to develop ways to minimize flooding from heavy rain events and to upgrade the city’s water and sewer systems. I’ll keep fighting to improve water infrastructure and management to help combat future flooding in Queens and across New York.”
