As Climate Change Intensifies, New York Voters Approve $4.2 Billion In Resiliency Spending
Voters in the nation’s largest city have signaled that stormwater and wastewater resiliency is an increasingly high-priority issue following recent midterm elections.
“New York City voters approved four ballot measures this year, approving new funding for statewide environmental projects,” The City reported. “By a wide margin, voters in the city and across the state approved the Environmental Bond Act … which gives the go-ahead for the state to borrow $4.2 billion to pay for a number of projects to protect New York from more extreme weather due to climate change.”
The act focuses on revitalizing stormwater systems and wastewater infrastructure, among other initiatives, to combat the increasing likelihood that significant rainfall and flooding could impact residents. And New York is not alone in facing this threat. For instance, Detroit’s water utility recently saw 24,000 claims from flooding victims following heavy rainfall.
The $4.2 billion is now set to be split up between multiple efforts to protect against increasing flooding, including $1.1 billion for restoration and flood-risk reduction and $650 million for water quality improvement and resiliency infrastructure, according to Gothamist.
“The money could go towards things such as improvements to a water treatment plant, or projects that improve the water quality of the Hudson River,” per Gothamist. “It could be used to bolster flood protections along New York City’s waterfront.”
Voter support for such ambitious resiliency spending sent a clear signal that residents are concerned about increasing flood risks and prepared to arm their local stormwater and wastewater systems to fight back. As New York works to implement the funds, the approval has already sent a message about where consumer priorities are shifting.
“This is the first big allotment of money in New York State to go to fight the climate crisis,” Peter Iwanowicz, a New York environmental activist, told CBS 6 Albany. “And to have the voters really support it really says the public understands the climate crisis and wants the government to do something about it.”
To read more about how utilities around the country prepare for stormwater increases visit Water Online’s Resiliency Solutions Center.