The U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on August 15th that the House of Representatives passed the “2024 Water Resources Development Act” (WRDA), which includes provisions authorizing the collaboration between the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of New York to allocate nearly $190 million to help the Queens borough of New York City combat flooding.
Originally proposed by Meng, Ocasio-Cortez, and Schumer, in the 2024 WRDA, funding for Queens increased from $120 million in 2022 to an additional $70.8 million, totaling up to $190 million. These funds will be used to enhance water infrastructure and strengthen stormwater management systems, such as combined sewer overflow.
The bill authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake water resource development projects and research to improve rivers and harbors nationwide, as well as safeguard resources related to water development. This measure, with bipartisan support from both the Democratic and Republican parties, is passed every two years to meet local water resource needs and assist communities in addressing emerging climate change threats.
Allowing the Army Corps of Engineers to utilize this funding is the first step in the process. If the bill is approved, Congress will still need to allocate funds to the Corps to carry out infrastructure projects in Queens.
Meng stated, “From heavy rainfall to the impacts of climate change, flooding has become a challenge in Queens. Disasters like Hurricane Ida have caused billions of dollars in damages to Queens, displacing many families, damaging local businesses, and resulting in loss of life, as existing water infrastructure cannot cope with sudden storms and floods. To ensure Queens is more resilient in the face of disasters and better prepared to address the increasing impacts of flooding.”
Senator Schumer mentioned that through collaboration with Meng and Ocasio-Cortez, they secured critical federal support, including $6 million to construct stormwater management systems in Forest Hills to minimize flood risks brought by heavy rainfall and upgrade New York City’s water supply and sewage systems. He pledged to continue efforts to improve water infrastructure and management to help Queens and the entire New York region address future flood events.
Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez stated that the flooding caused by Hurricane Ida in 2021 resulted in the unfortunate loss of 13 lives. Therefore, in 2022, she worked alongside Meng and Schumer to secure nearly $120 million for flood infrastructure improvement projects in Queens. Two years later, they have procured $190 million in funding for 2024 and 2025.
Predictions indicate that within the next century, the sea levels along the U.S. coastline, including Queens, are expected to rise by 6 feet or more. By 2050, up to $720 billion worth of property could be at risk of coastal flooding. Faced with more severe and frequent weather events, the Water Resources Development Act aids Queens in flood prevention, conducts national coastal mapping to support planning, flood risk management, environmental restoration, and emergency response tasks.
This legislation will be submitted for approval to the U.S. Senate.