File #: Int 0814-2024    Version: * Name: Updating stormwater management plans and reports
Type: Introduction Status: Laid Over in Committee
Committee: Committee on Environmental Protection, Resiliency and Waterfronts
On agenda: 4/18/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to updating stormwater management plans and reports
Sponsors: James F. Gennaro, Farah N. Louis, Sandy Nurse, Nantasha M. Williams, Mercedes Narcisse, Alexa Avilés, Chris Banks, Justin L. Brannan, Gale A. Brewer, Tiffany Cabán, Shekar Krishnan, Amanda Farías, Sandra Ung, Lincoln Restler, Kristy Marmorato, Shahana K. Hanif
Council Member Sponsors: 16
Summary: This bill would require that by June 30, 2025, and regularly thereafter, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) submit to the Mayor and Speaker of the Council, and post on the DEP website, a plan to prevent confirmed sewer backups and which identifies areas that regularly flood after rainfall events. This bill would also require that DEP incorporate into the assessments of its sustainable stormwater management plan a timeline for installing larger storm sewer mains and grey-water reuse systems in areas that regularly flood after rainfall events and identification of at least 5 areas per borough that regularly flood after rainfall events with a plan to address such flooding. It would also require that DEP conduct community outreach about stormwater management practices.
Indexes: Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 814, 2. Int. No. 814, 3. April 18, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 4-18-24, 5. Committee Report 4/26/24, 6. Hearing Testimony 4/26/24, 7. Hearing Transcript 4/26/24, 8. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - April 18, 2024

Int. No. 814

 

By Council Members Gennaro, Louis, Nurse, Williams, Narcisse, Avilés, Banks, Brannan, Brewer, Cabán, Krishnan, Farías, Ung, Restler, Marmorato and Hanif

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to updating stormwater management plans and reports

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Subdivision b of section 24-503.2 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law 61 for the year 2019, is amended to read as follows:

b. No later than [December 31] June 30, [2019] 2025, and every 5 years thereafter, the commissioner of environmental protection shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post on the department of environmental protection’s website, a plan to prevent confirmed sewer backups for the sewer system. Such plan shall include, but need not be limited to:

1. Confirmed sewer backup prevention and response measures;

2. [An identification of] Identifying areas with, on average, more than [one] 1 confirmed sewer backup in a 12-month period;

3. Procedures targeting reductions in confirmed sewer backups in the portions of the sewer system most heavily impacted; 

4. Procedures targeting reductions in recurring confirmed sewer backups;

5. A review of root control strategies of other municipalities; and following such review, the department may recommend root control strategies for private property owners; [and]

6. A comprehensive grease management program including commercial establishments and residential households[.]-; and

7. Identifying areas that regularly flood after rainfall events, including areas where property has been damaged or people harmed because of sewer backups.

§ 2. Paragraph 1 of subdivision d of section 24-526.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law 5 for the year 2008, is amended by amending subparagraphs (viii), (xi) and (xii) and by adding subparagraphs (xiii) and (xiv) to read as follows:

(viii) implementing a public education program, including outreach to community boards, community-based organizations, and any other relevant groups or associations, to increase awareness about the need to reduce the flow of stormwater into the city's sewer systems and waterbodies, [and] about specific methods and practices for doing so, including all specific methods and practices specified in subparagraph (iv) of this paragraph, and to inform the public of the benefits of taking preemptive steps to address future stormwater flow rates;

(xi) adapting ongoing ambient water quality monitoring programs to provide for regular collection of samples in the immediate vicinity of combined sewer outfalls during or immediately following combined sewer overflow events; [and]

(xii) encouraging the development of existing and new local markets, job training, and employment opportunities to support the implementation and maintenance of source control measures[.];

(xiii) creating a timeline for installing larger storm sewer mains and grey-water reuse systems in areas that regularly flood after rainfall events; and

(xiv) identifying no less than 5 areas in each borough that regularly flood after rainfall events and developing a plan to address such flooding; such plan may include increasing permeable surface areas, installing larger stormwater pipes, installing bioretention systems or elevating homes.

§ 3. This local law takes effect immediately.

JSA/BJR/NAW/CCM

LS #7129/13803

3/28/2024 2:32 PM