Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.

REMARKS

Council Member Williams advocates for groundwater flooding bill

0:35:24

·

117 sec

Council Member Nantasha M. Williams speaks in support of Intro 1067-B, a bill addressing the long-standing issue of groundwater flooding in Southeast Queens. She explains the bill's importance in bringing attention to this problem and creating a path forward for coordinated solutions.

  • The bill ensures data collection and understanding of groundwater flooding across all five boroughs
  • It creates a dedicated task force to center the experiences of Southeast Queens residents and recommend adaptation strategies
  • Williams thanks Speaker Adrian Adams, Chair Jim Gennaro, and the legislative division for their support and hard work on the bill
Nantasha M. Williams
0:35:24
Thank you so much, madam majority leader.
0:35:26
For decades, homeowners in Southeast Queens have lived with the consequences of a problem most New Yorkers have never heard of, groundwater flooding.
0:35:36
This issue began decades ago as changes to the area's natural water table followed the closure of local wells and shifts in land use.
0:35:44
Unlike storm driven flooding, groundwater flooding happens slowly and silently, damaging basements, boilers, and foundations without warning.
0:35:54
It's a problem my constituents of Southeast Queens know all too well.
0:35:58
Intro ten sixty seven b brings much needed focus and coordination to an issue that has gone unaddressed for far too long.
0:36:05
It ensures the city is collecting data, paying attention to the patterns, and beginning to understand the full scope of groundwater flooding across all five boroughs.
0:36:13
And for Southeast Queens where residents have dealt with this quietly for years, ten sixty seven b creates a path forward toward coordinating long term solutions.
0:36:23
This includes the creation of a dedicated task force charged with centering the lived experiences of Southeast Queens residents and recommending practical strategies for adaptation and relief.
0:36:35
And for all New Yorkers, this bill will help guide smarter, more informed planning and investments across our city.
0:36:41
This is what responsive community rooted government looks like.
0:36:46
I really want to thank speaker Adrian Adams, who also represents Southeast Queens, for her leadership and my council colleagues especially chair Jim Gennaro who has been a long advocate on groundwater flooding in Southeast Queens for standing with us and every New Yorker with the quiet crisis of groundwater flooding.
0:37:04
And I really wanna just give a special shout out to the legislative division, Natasha and Andrew, because they worked really hard to make this a bill that we can legally pass.
0:37:13
It's very difficult and complicated, so I really want to thank them for their dedication to bringing this across the finish line.
0:37:21
Thank you.
Citymeetings.nyc pigeon logo

Is citymeetings.nyc useful to you?

I'm thrilled!

Please help me out by answering just one question.

What do you do?

Thank you!

Want to stay up to date? Sign up for the newsletter.