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PUBLIC TESTIMONY

Testimony by Andrea Scarborough, Board Member of Southeast Queens Residence Environmental Justice Coalition on Groundwater Flooding Issues

3:42:47

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3 min

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Andrea Scarborough, representing the Southeast Queens Residence Environmental Justice Coalition (Squirage), testified about ongoing groundwater flooding issues in Southeast Queens and the lack of transparency from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in addressing these problems.

Scarborough highlighted DEP's failure to engage with the community and provide information about a recent pilot radial collection project.
She criticized DEP's position that residential property owners are solely responsible for mitigating groundwater intrusion, despite DEP's past acknowledgment of their role in the rising water table.
Scarborough urged DEP to take responsibility and address the issue in the FY 2026 budget, while also expressing support for Intro 1067, which would assist homeowners experiencing groundwater flooding.

Andrea Scarborough

3:42:47

Oh, okay.

3:42:48

Sorry.

3:42:48

Well, good afternoon, chair Resler, and good afternoon, committee members.

3:42:54

My name is Andreas Scarborough.

3:42:56

I am a former president of MiCivic, Addisony Park, a board member of Queen's Solid Waste Advisory Board, as well as a board member of the Southeast Queens Residence Environmental Justice Coalition

Lincoln Restler

3:43:07

Wonderful.

Andrea Scarborough

3:43:08

Also known as Squirage.

3:43:09

Squirage is an organization that advocates for environmental policy changes and tangible improvements in our Southeast Queens community.

3:43:19

Today, I come before you speaking on behalf of Square Ridge.

3:43:22

For many years, we have been working we have been seeking to work with the Department of Environmental Protection to resolve the issue of groundwater flooding in Southeast Queens.

3:43:33

Our efforts have been hampered by an increasing lack of transparency on the part of DP and their failure to engage with the community in any meaningful way.

3:43:43

At one point, the agency would meet with community residents to discuss these issues.

3:43:48

However, currently, they refuse to engage at all.

3:43:52

Most recently, DEP has conducted a pilot radial collection project in our community at 160 Fifth Street on Farge Boulevard in Jamaica.

3:44:01

The purpose of this pilot project was to determine the efficacy of this procedure in lowering the water table, which would result in a reduction in our groundwater flooding.

3:44:12

DP has not provided any information to the community as to the findings of this project.

3:44:18

We are left without any understanding as to if this project was successful and if additional pilot projects will be undertaken.

3:44:28

Scourge of the big concern is DEP's fairly recent position taken that residential property owners are solely responsible for mitigating the effects of groundwater intrusion into their property.

3:44:41

In Southeast Queens, in particular, the groundwater flooding can largely be directly traced to the actions of DP when they

Lincoln Restler

3:44:50

took Your

Andrea Scarborough

3:44:50

time expires.

3:44:51

The Jamaica water supply.

3:44:52

Wells said, I'm almost done in the nineteen nineties and ceased pumping from them.

3:44:58

This led directly to a rising water table and flooding in our community.

3:45:04

In statements by Jamaica water supply purchase and in testimony before the city council, DP officials did acknowledge at that time and reconfirm that cessation of pumping the Jamaica water supply wells led to a rising water table.

3:45:23

And they also took the pledge to mitigate the flooding conditions.

3:45:27

We are asking the DEP take responsibility for this problem and that efforts to resolve the issue be reflected in the fiscal year twenty twenty six budget.

3:45:36

We also strongly support intro October a legislation introduced by council member Nantasha Williams.

3:45:45

The legislation will assist homeowners that experience groundwater flooding by connecting those properties with retrofit repair assistance and providing case management through a collaboration with a designated community based organization.

3:46:00

We urge that this legislation be adopted and funded in the fiscal year twenty twenty six budget.

3:46:07

Thank you

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Testimony by Hayden Brockett, Founding Member of New York Clean Air Collective on Air Quality and Citizens Air Complaint Program

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Testimony by Niki Cross, Staff Attorney at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, on Sewer Backups and Flooding in Queens