City Poses $400M Plan To Clean Jamaica Bay, Restore Its Wetlands

JAMAICA BAY, QUEENS -- City officials have posed a $400 million plan to clean up and restore Jamaica Bay, and it has some serious 'mussels' behind it.

The multimillion-dollar project posed on Monday would restore 50 acres of lost wetlands to the 18,000-acre estuary bordering Rockaway Peninsula, according to the city's Department of Environmental Protection. The plan would also dredge up dirt its waters and use ribbed mussels - yes, like the mollusk - to filter out other impurities.

The city is seeking approval of the plan from the state's Department of Environmental Conservation. If granted, the overhaul could begin as early as 2019, said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza.

"We all recognize the Bay as an ecological jewel within the five boroughs, and we will build on these partnerships as we construct wetlands, install ribbed mussels and build green infrastructure in the Bay's watershed in the coming years," Sapienza said.

In addition to 16 acres of wetlands on Jamaica Bay, the plan would also restore wetlands on 14 acres of Fresh Creek, 13 acres of Spring Creek, four acres of Paerdegat Basin and three acres of Hendrix Creek, the DEP said.

The project would expand green infrastructure at Thurston Basin and add three acres of ribbed mussels to its waters. It would also spread the filtering mollusks across four acres in Bergen Basin, which the DEP plans to rid of 50,000 cubic yards of sediment.

“The numerous nature-based features incorporated in this plan, including wetlands and ribbed mussels, recognize the critical role these habitats play in naturally cleaning and filtering the waters of the bay," said Jamaic Bay EcoWatchers President Dan Mundy.

Alex Zablocki, executive director of the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, added the bay is home to more than 300 species of birds and marine life that depends on its wetlands and forests.

"Green infrastructure projects will help stabilize and restore these precious resources," Zablocki said.

The project would build upon more than $1.5 billion already invested in Jamaica Bay's ecosystem, the DEP said. That includes underground sewage storage tanks installed at Paerdegat Basin and Spring Creek, restorations to 137 acres of wetlands and nearly 450 acres of forests, and upgrades to wastewater treatment plants that drain into the bay.

The agency said its also in the midst of a $1.9 billion project to build a sewer system in southeast Queens and green infrastructure in the area's schools, public housing and parks.

"We cannot overstate how a worthwhile investment in Jamaica Bay is to the returns we get as a city,” said Brooklyn State Senator Roxanne Persaud.

“Restoring wetlands doesn't just help our residents during major storms, they protect us from coastal erosion, and make our waterways cleaner for the plants and animals in their habitat."

Lead photo courtesy of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection