Now defunct dry cleaners, metal and brass foundries, and soap and lacquer manufacturers leaked toxic chemicals into the ground in Greenpoint and East Williamsburg, beneath businesses and homes. The feds are taking a look, but in the meantime, locals could be breathing in fumes. There’s a way to find out and fix any problems, but […]
Environment
Posted inEnvironment
Newtown Creek: Four Miles of Polluted Waters at Risk of Flooding
More than a decade after the EPA pledged to remedy Newtown Creek’s industrial contamination, the water is still dirty.
Posted inFAQ NYC
LISTEN: Can a Contaminated Creek Come Clean?
Newtown Creek is one of the country’s most polluted waterways. Flooding from sea level rise and storms threatens to spread the creek’s contamination and bring pollution from outside the water into it. The feds are figuring out how to include climate change into the clean-up plan they’re developing. THE CITY’s senior reporter Samantha Maldonado and […]
Posted inEnvironment
Spike in Sewer Backups Leaves New Yorkers in a Soggy Mess, with Long-Term Fixes Years Away
New York City is getting rainier and rainier — and its sewer pipes can’t handle it.
Posted inClimate Change
Fickle Rainfall Floods Leave NYC Insurance Pilot With No Payouts
A program that aimed to get cash to homeowners quickly after floods has not yet made a payout almost a year after it began.
Posted inClimate Change
New Climate Projections: NYC Will Keep Getting Hotter and Wetter
Sea levels could rise by more than a foot in the 2030s, when the city is also expected to be up to 10% rainier and as much as 4.7 degrees hotter.
Posted inEric Adams
What THE CITY Newsroom is Watching in 2024
Casinos, a federal takeover at Rikers, the ongoing migrant crisis and more. Here’s what our reporters have on their radar in the New Year.
Posted inHow to New York
How to Safely Deal With Wild Animals in NYC
So, there’s a bat in your apartment. Or a racoon on your fire escape. Or a dolphin on the beach. Who’re you going to call?
Posted inEnvironment
New York’s Plastic Bag Ban Yields Warnings, Minor Fines for Those Flouting Law
The ineffectiveness of what was supposed to be the “low hanging fruit” of environmental legislation has dampened the hopes of activists who want to make fossil fuel-based products history.
Posted inEnvironment
Uncertain Future for Solar, Wind Projects as New York Rejects Funding Boost
Without increased funding, several companies said they may not be able to build wind and solar projects, putting the transition to renewables at risk.