Hoboken Partners with Rockefeller Foundation to Safeguard Against Flooding

Hoboken is one of eight cities in the country that will get an in-depth look at its stormwater system,  in an effort to better prepare the Mile Square in the event of a future storm. 

RE.invest, a two-year initiative funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, will help cities like Hoboken "rethink the way they design, plan, implement and finance urban infrastructure," according to the announcement.

The goal is to make sure Hoboken, is prepared for future natural disasters. 

"We are thrilled to be one of the first cities in the country chosen for this innovative partnership to develop and finance sustainable solutions to address our flooding, transportation, and other infrastructure challenges,” Mayor Dawn Zimmer said in a press release.

The other cities who were selected — and where financial, engineering and legal experts will help plan for a more resilient future — are Honolulu, San Francisco, Miami Beach, New Orleans, El Paso, Milwaukee and Norfolk, VA.

In a conference call announcing the initiative, Edward Rendell — a former mayor and governor in Pennsylvania — said that the initiative is supposed to "provide a template for cities all over the country."

With help from professionals who will create plans for the future, municipalities will be able to save money as well as overhaul their water systems, Rendell said.

The eight participating cities will receive technical assistance from engineering, law and finance experts at Bechtel; Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; and Wall Street Without Walls.

"The foundation aid is going to help these cities develop the long term plan," Rendell said. "It will help them in seeking in those combination of public and private financing."

Apart from overhauling the water system, initiatives such as green roofs, more trees in the streets and other ways to prevent water from draining into the sewerage system are among the goals for safeguarding Hoboken against severe flooding, Zimmer has said in previous interviews.

"Recent reports indicate 11 billion gallons of untreated waste water was released due to surges during just that storm,” said Shalini Vajjhala, a lead on the RE.invest Initiative, in reference to Sandy. In Hoboken alone, several feet of rainwater mixed with sewerage stood stagnant in the streets for several days in Sandy's direct aftermath.

Seperately, Zimmer has proposed building a second wet weather pump in Hoboken. The North Hudson Sewerage Authority has already applied for the plan and the city has proposed taking out a loan to fund the project.