Resiliency Practice in the Jamaica Bay Watershed

JAMAICA BAY ECOWATCHERS- PERSPECTIVE

Jamaica Bay Ecowatcher’sThe Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers are dedicated to the

preservation, protection, enhancement and restoration of the fragile ecosystem of Jamaica Bay. We have been and will continue to serve as the advocacy organization for the environmental concerns for Jamaica Bay.

We are the leading Environmental Advocacy Group working In Jamaica Bay since 1994

Ecowatchers Formed in 1998

Advocate for Jamaica BayHighlight the impact of Heavy Nitrogen Loading and

the Consequent Marsh LossAwareness of Associated Water Quality IssuesPartner with Enviro GroupsPartner with NRDC

First to Connect high nitrogen loading to algae blooms in bay

Wetland Island LossFirst to recognize and document the wetland loss in

Jamaica Bay1995 thru 2001 worked to self document the loss2001 collaborated with NYS DEC –trend analysis

report2001 Blue ribbon panel heldMoved to obtain funding and identify projects to

restore

Clean Water ActFall 2009 Brought Clean Water Act Lawsuit against NYCAt city’s Request Negotiations BeginFebruary 2010 Nitrogen Agreement Reached--$100 Million to upgrade Waste Treatment Plants --$15 Million earmarked for Wetland Restoration --Great Interest From Mayor Bloomberg in Jamaica BayFunding –has already greatly reduced nitrogen and

created wetland islands

Oyster Restoration

Ecowatchers secured a $100,000 grant from Florida Power and Light company .

Partnered with National Parks Service and Stony Brook University

Determine the possibility of restoring a self sustaining oyster population in Jamaica Bay

Conducted Spat Recruitment surveysPlaced and monitored Oysters in cages in numerous

locationsDiscovered oyster reproduction in Bay

Divers to set sub-tidal cages

Raising Sub tidal oyster cage

Oysters found growing in bay

Transco Williams PipelineSuccessfully negotiated with Transco Williams for off-

set mitigation to be part of current pipelineWilliams will fund $500,000 wetlands project at

Sunset Cove Williams will fund $1,500,000 artificial reef off of the

Rockaway's in designated reef zone

Coastal Cleanups

Seed Harvest

Seed Collection

Rulers bay wetland island

Planting Spartina

community involvement

Completed wetland island

Sunset CoveLed efforts to have 17 acre site moved to NYC ParksAllocated $500,000 from NY Rising to fund oyster

portion of projectOrganized Efforts , political support, to get support

for Dept of Interior Grant---$4.85 millionSecured community support for siteDesign will see wetlands recreation/oyster

revetment/dune/berm—upland forest / walking trails as well as educational boardwalk

Conceptual Plan

Oyster Cages at Sunset Cove

JFK AirPort Extension PlanProposed in 2010Would fill in and pave over hundreds of acres of wetlandsEcowatchers held public meetings hundreds turned outPlan Rejected due to outcry

Defeated Efforts to Bring Contaminated Fill into Jamaica BayWorked with Assemblyman Goldfeder and State

Senator Joseph Addabbo to create Bill to prevent Dumping of Hazardous Dredge Material into Jamaica Bay.

Aug 11 2014-- Bill A.3392 signed into law by Governor Cuomo- Prevent Contaminated Dredge material from being placed into Jamaica Bay

Councilman Ulrich tours bay

Assemblyman Goldfeder Tours Bay

Queens Boro President Melinda Katz

Recreation

Most Significant Finding“. Greater integration is needed where collaboration is

paramount through the whole process from setting the research agenda, to sharing data and results, to making informed decisions, and to monitoring policy and supplementing with new scientific research and new policy when appropriate. …Scientific research and management of natural resources is collaborative when both scientists and the stakeholders responsible for management are involved in the decision process. This means that dialogue is necessary at each step of the process. Scientists should seek input from stakeholders when determining what research agendas in a particular system should be. Likewise, stakeholders should provide feedback to scientists on what information and data is needed to best inform the decision-making process. Together, stakeholders and researchers can set an agenda for research that is focused on specific objectives designed to yield the most useful information for management decisions. “ ----- Chapter 3

What do you see as the most significant opportunities for promoting Resiliency Policy and action from the Report Findings ?w

"Resilience Through Restoration”-- The report discusses , chapter 3, the concept of “Restoration for Resilience” – we have been discussing the goal of Resilience through Restoration addressing the two main concerns 1) Environmental/Ecological –overall concerns for the bay –most predate Sandy:

Loss of Habitat—Wetlands--islands/Shoreline , Benthic habitat in select locations

Water Quality-Nitrogen Loading/ Dissolved Oxygen/ De-icing issues Species loss/restoration---Oysters/Eel Grass/ Ribbed Mussels Reaching the “Tipping Point”

2) Residential/Community concerns* Storm and Natural event concerns

* Storm Tidal Surge--Flooding* Wave Energy/Damage-Homes /infrastructure destroyed*Preparedness/Response-Communication/Transportation/shelter

WAVE DAMAGE

Ecological /storm protection Wetland islands—well known ecological values—

recent recognition of wave attenuation valueRulers and Black wall islands—large reduction seen on

adjacent community shoreline Northwest FetchElders East and West- Well established at this point

and successful in terms of growth now also recognized for protection they afford Joseph Addabbo bridge and the coastal evacuation zone

Northern Portion of Yellow Bar island-recently completed by ACOE additional wave protection

Ecological/ Storm Protection Oyster reefs

Currently under design for Sunset CoveProposed under the NY Rising project for eastern and

western portions of the bayProposed under NY Rising for next phase of Street

Elevation in Broad Channel –ends of blocksUsed to reduce wave height and energy

Dunes BermsRockaway /BreezySpring Creek-Howard BeachBroad channel-Southern and northern

sectionsFloyd Bennett Field

Hard Structure—Resiliency ACOE - “Big Gate” ?---Required Offset

MitigationSmaller Gates—Shell Bank BasinSea wall in RockawayStreet Rising in Broad Channel –Soft street

ends ?Stone Revetment –incorporate oysters?

Street raising construction

Ny Rising Plan for BayChaired NY Rising for the reconstruction plan for

Broad Channel and Jamaica BayShort and long term projects including

Oyster ReefsWetland islandsDuneCommunity Recovery Centers

completed NY Rising plan

SRIJB GoalsPartner with existing projects—Jamaica Bay is not a

vacuum-tremendous work underway and already planed—NY Rising/DEP/ACOE study

Lead on specific project –ie Adjacent Slurry Enrichment Project

Seek Project Oriented studies that will bring an immediate benefit to the bay and its inhabitants

Where possible conduct projects modeled after Ecowatchers/Littoral society marsh island plantings

Engage youth/residents/students

Slurry Enrichment –Big Egg Marsh

What areas of the report can be Enhanced to provide for science to policy transfer for resilience practice

Better understanding of Sediment Budget in Bay –not necessarily a negative at this time

Better understanding of the value of the deeper channels in the bay to marine life and bays ecology

Evaluate ALL baseline information for accuracy –much is repeated over time and thus accepted when not proven