Senator Addabbo Urges Constituents: “Get Ready for Rainy Season, Report Catch Basin Clogs”

SENATOR ADDABBO URGES CONSTITUENTS:

Queens, NY, August 27, 2012 – With the approach of the rainy season in our region, NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) is alerting his constituents to be on the lookout for catch basins that are not draining water properly and to report them to his district offices as soon as possible, before bigger problems like flood damage to homes and stores could occur. While examining the flooding problems experienced recently in Glendale during a rainstorm, Addabbo is working on solutions for such flooding issues. “Having a catch basin cleaned of debris is not going to cure all the flooding issues in my district, but it may be the short, quick resolution to the problem in some cases.” Addabbo said.

According to the Senator, residents in the southern part of Addabbo's district make approximately 10 to 13 complaint calls a month involving catch basins and slightly below that number in the northern part of his district. More recently, his Howard Beach district office had logged several calls to have the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) clean out the catch basin in front of the C-Town Supermarket on Crossbay Boulevard and Sutter Avenue, in Ozone Park, which kept getting clogged with garbage. Another problem catch basin was further down Crossbay Boulevard in Howard Beach at 161^st Street, in front of Explosions Hair Salon, which also fills with trash and debris regularly. In either the Howard Beach or Middle Village district office, Addabbo’s staffers have been working with the DEP to get the problems fixed. Typically, after getting notification of where a problem is occurring, DEP takes at least 7 to 10 days to arrive on site, while the actual clean-outs may only take hours. It might be slightly longer to get the job done if there are further problems or delays. In addition, Senator Addabbo reports that he was in contact with a DEP supervisor recently to discuss starting a bigger project soon in Coleman Square, Old Howard Beach, to alleviate the repeated flooding issues there. 

Notes the Senator, “We’ve already experienced some heavy rainstorms and fallen debris from trees, and our area’s typical high season for hurricane activity isn’t even here yet. No community in my district is immune to flooding problems. So I urge all residents to call either of my district offices if you notice a catch basin that isn’t draining properly.”