New Wetlands Initiative

The following quote if from Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC 2030:

"Many New Yorkers don't realize there are thousands of acres of wetlands in the five boroughs," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Wetlands are robust ecosystems that perform crucial environmental functions like trapping pollutants, capturing stormwater runoff, sequestering carbon dioxide, and moderating storm surges. In PlaNYC, we promised to study wetlands and build on wetland successes like the impressive Staten Island Bluebelt stormwater project managed by the Department of Environmental Protection, as well as the thousands of acres of wetlands managed by the Parks Department." The mapping efforts and policy evaluation called for in the report complement ongoing City efforts that protect wetlands, including: - Acquiring additional wetlands as part of the Bluebelt network, Parks system, and upstate watershed land; - Implementing the comprehensive Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan for the restoration of tidal marshes and other aspects of the Jamaica Bay ecosystem; - Implementing the Sustainable Stormwater Management Plan to reduce point and non-point source water pollution; and - Revising the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) Technical Manual that guides the process that City agencies use to identify the effect their actions may have on the environment.

If the mayor thinks that New Yorkers will take his "green" mandate seriously, perhaps he should start by reversing his plans to develop the Ridgewood Reservoir's important natural habitats. Below is a video with excerpts from the 2004 news conference about the reservoir's acquisition:

Note how flippant the commissioner of parks is with regards to the idea of protecting the wetlands.

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