City Pledges $110 Million To Fight Climate Change In Lower Manhattan

A piece of welcome news on yet another day of unprecedented flooding: the city of New York’s capital plan includes $110 million to help protect Lower Manhattan from the effects of climate change — a promising action taken that is hopefully the sign of more investments to come.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Mayor de Blasio announced that the funds would support the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency project, which includes a $500 million investment in immediate climate-fighting infrastructure along the coastline as well as more long-term planning. 

Lower Manhattan is close to sea level and is particularly vulnerable to the effects of a changing climate, evidence of which we saw when the New York Harbor breached the sea wall during 2012’s Superstorm Sandy.

“We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of people between the folks who live in Lower Manhattan and the folks who work there who are affected,” de Blasio said. “We’re talking about one of the greatest concentrations of subway lines anywhere in the city. This is an area that really needs to be protected.” 

EDC President Rachel Loeb noted that the project will particularly safeguard the Seaport, which is one of the most low-lying areas in the city. The project will also include critical storm drainage improvements, more waterfront access and the raising up of existing bulkheads to protect businesses and residents from rising sea levels and future storm surges.