DeFalco discusses operating and maintaining new flood infrastructure
DeFalco says building infrastructure is not enough; the city must operate and maintain a new class of assets. She notes BCR assumed responsibility for 12 floodgates and 1.4 miles of flood wall from ESCR.
Building infrastructure is not the end of the work.
Somebody has to operate and maintain that infrastructure.
And it may sound obvious, but this is an entirely new class of city asset.
So a new process has to be developed.
In February of 2025, the Bureau of Coastal Resiliency reached an important milestone with an assumed responsibility for the first 12 floodgates and 1.4 miles of flood wall constructed as part of the Eastside Coastal Resilience Project.
During a coastal storm, those gates can close and help protect communities from storm surge coming off the East River.
While the overall ESCR project is not yet complete, portions already in place can be activated if necessary for hurricanes.
As additional coastline projects are completed, BCR will assume responsibility for more of these assets.