A pedestrian bridge between the neighborhoods of Old Howard Beach and Hamilton Beach was renamed in honor of former New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Joel Miele. DEP is collecting essential supplies to contribute to the Hurricane Maria relief effort. A new playground featuring green infrastructure elements has opened at P.S. 120Q in Flushing, Queens. DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza recently toured the Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant to inspect progress on capital improvement projects at the 80 year old A $19 million project is in progress to upgrade the drinking water supply connection to Randall's Island and Wards Island in the East River. More than 50 educators from various organizations participated in a tour to learn about the New York City water supply system.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) hosted its fourth annual Reservoir Cleanup Day, with a record 418 volunteers participating. A team from the Bureau of Wastewater Treatment (BWT) won second place at the National Operations Challenge at the Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) in Chicago. A newly reconstructed playground with green infrastructure elements, one of the first in Manhattan under the Community Parks Initiative (CPI), has been opened on the Lower East Side. Staff from BWT and the Bureau of Public Affairs and Communications (BPAC) recently hosted several community organizations on an informational tour of the Hunts Point Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) partnered with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to sponsor public high students in the A Day in the Life of the Hudson & Harbor event. DEP and the City College of New York (CCNY) have completed a water conservation project which will realize a savings of nearly 11 million gallons of water a year. Students from the Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning High School on Staten Island participated in a clean-up event at the Wolfe's Pond Bluebelt in the Prince's Bay neighborhood.
Work has been completed on an expedited storm sewer extension project to help relieve flooding in Rosedale, Queens, in addition to an investment of $2.5 million in new catch basins and sewer extensions throughout southeast Queens. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) participated in the 15th annual Open House NY (OHNY) weekend, offering public tours of the digester eggs at the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Seasonal flu vaccinations are offered to all New York City Employees; this year, four dates are planned for DEP sites at Lefrak, Valhalla, and the Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant.
On the fifth anniversary of Hurrican Sandy's landfall in New York, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is investing approximately $400 million to safeguard equipment and minimize disruption in critical services at wastewater facilities. DEP joined the New York Road Runners and the Trust for Public Land to unveil a green playground at CS 54 Harriet Tubman Learning Center in Harlem. DEP hosted its first ever Safety Day at its Lefrak City Headquarters.
New York City and the states of Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania have signed a long-term pact governing the quantity and timing of water released from City reservoirs in the Delaware River Watershed. The 10-year agreement, known as the Flexible Flow Management Program 2017 (FFMP), was signed by all parties under the conditions of a 1954 United States Supreme Court decision regarding the river's use. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced the completion of a $2.2 million sewer line extension project in the Town of Shandaken, Ulster County, which will provide centralized wastewater collection and treatment to additional homes and businesses. DEP joined the Church of St. Luke & St. Matthew in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill neighborhood to celebrate a recently completed rain garden and permeable pavement project on the church's property.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) joined with officials from Delaware County, local historians and veterans to mark the completed restoration of Pepacton Cemetery. The first phase of the New Creek Bluebelt on Staten Island is nearing completion, containing two out of an eventual 19 Bluebelt wetlands that will receive and naturally filter the stormwater that falls in the area. Two employees from the Office of Information Technology were honored at the 20th annual New York City Technology forum on November 1st.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has completed a $25 million sewer project in the Rosedale section of southeast Queens, which will improve drainage and help to mitigate flooding. Several United Nations officials toured the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant as part of City Hall in Your Borough: Brooklyn, showcasing NYC's leadership on the UN's Global Goals agenda for sustainable development. Discounted tickets are available for DEP employees, family, and friends to see the Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks on December 2nd in the Barclays Center.