BILL NUMBER:  S4094

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to direct the city of New York to conduct an analysis of
stormwater and groundwater issues in southeast Queens

 PURPOSE :

This bill would require New York City to conduct a detailed analysis
of stormwater and groundwater issues in Southeast Queens that, at a
minimum, evaluates: the feasibility and efficacy of the installation
of reverse seepage basins; the status of stormwater sewer upgrades;
and the potential rehabilitation of former water supply wells, In
addition, a report on the findings would be required to be submitted
to the Legislature no later than June 30, 2017.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

New York City shall conduct a detailed analysis of stormwater and
groundwater issues in Southeast Queens.

 EXISTING LAW :

New York City is not directed under existing law to perform such an
analysis.
              

 JUSTIFICATION :

For one hundred years, from 1897 to 1996, Southwest Queens, NYC
received its drinking water from a private company, Jamaica Water
Supply Co. (JWS). That company had 69 wells from which it pumped 60
million gallons of water per day from underground. Besides providing
water for this community, this pumping extracted water from the ground
and kept the standing water level at manageable levels. In 1996, New
York City purchased JWS and stopped pumping water from these wells.
The water left underground began rising at an alarming level. In
testimony before a NY City Council committee in September 2007, the
Department of Environ- mental Preservation Commissioner Emily Lloyd
stated that the ground water level in Jamaica, Queens had risen 35
feet since pumping of the wells was discontinued in 1996. This rising
level was flooding homes and backing up in the existing sewer and
hindering their effectiveness.  Ms. Lloyd stated that resolving the
ground water' problem was "as imperative as continuing to install
sewers in Southeast Queens." DEP officials told Southeast Queens
residents in the early 2000's they would face severe flooding if this
water was not pumped out of the ground.

Those rising water levels are now flooding large parts of Southern
Queens, where the standing water level is now higher than many
basements or lower level offices. As a result York College (CUNY)
pumps hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per' day from its
lower levels; the Parsons Blvd. subway gets flooded; the Jamaica MTA
Bus Depot gets flooded (rain or shine); PS37, Springfield Gardens, The
Allen Senior Housing Complex, Carter Community Church, Queens Bridge
Home and other locations are running electric pumps in their basements
24 hours a day, 7 days a week to get rid of the water constantly
invading their premises. This is in addition to hundreds of homes and
businesses throughout Southeast Queens that are forced to run electric
pumps to remove basement flooding and have had their home or
businesses literally ruined by the rising water levels.

In the summer of 2011, NYC DEP awarded a contract to begin pumping
water from the JWS wells in 2018. At that time NYC must shut down the
Delaware Water Tunnel which supplies a large share of New York City's
water. NYC considers this well water to be part of their plan to
replace the water supplied by the Delaware system. However, NYC has
refused to bring any of these wells on line earlier, even though they
are fully aware of the flood damage throughout South Queens. They also
know that pumping or extracting the ground water is the key to
reducing the water level and easing the flooding plaguing the area.

Additionally, NYC sued Exxon-Mobil on the grounds that their
operations in Southeast Queens had damaged the ground water in the
area. NYC won a judgment for $104 million, which is being appealed by
Exxon. Five other oil companies sued by NYC because of damage to the
ground water in Southeast Queens settled with the city for an
additional $15 million. The community's position is that NYC was
awarded this money based on damage to the Southeast Queens water
supply and the money should be used to resolve the problem that this
water is now creating for the residents and businesses in Southeast
Queens.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

02/17/15 REFERRED TO CITIES
05/19/15 1ST REPORT CAL.878
05/20/15 2ND REPORT CAL.
05/27/15 ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
06/25/15 COMMITTED TO RULES
01/06/16 REFERRED TO CITIES
01/15/16 AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO CITIES
01/15/16 PRINT NUMBER 3765A

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

De minimus

 LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.